THREE founding members of the Chalfont St Peter branch of the Children's Society have retired after raising more than £130,000 for disadvantaged youngsters over the years.

Wendy Reid, Connie Hardy and Janice Allen have are all stepping down after decades of fundraising activities.

The branch, established 38 years ago, has been chaired by Wendy for the last 15 of those years, and she also manages the highly successful annual Bridge Evening.

Connie Hardy has made hundreds of cards which she has sold in aid of the Society and Janice Allen has organised the main fund-raising activity, the Children's Society House Boxes.

In addition, they have helped organise countless coffee mornings, strawberry teas, musical evenings, speaker lunches, Box Opening Fairs, Street collections, Christingle services and May Fayres.

The recent Street Collection in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont St Peter raised £612 and the May Fayre, where families enjoyed a range of stalls in the church grounds and pony rides in St Peter's Garden, raised £673. The Committee thanked everyone in the local area who supported them in raising these funds.

The next event will be on Saturday October 9 in Chalfont St Peter Church Hall for the annual counting of the Society House Boxes, along with a range of Christmas gift stalls, cakes and lunches.