DOZENS of kind-hearted fundraisers raised thousands of pounds for charity at a handbag auction.

Autism Wessex’s fifth handbag auction at 1812 bar and restaurant in Bournemouth raised more than £8,700 for the Christchurch-based charity.

Becky Chalk, community and event fundraiser said: “It was a brilliant night, the atmosphere was great at 1812 bar and restaurant with over 100 guests turning up for a glamorous evening. We raised a significant amount of money and thanks to our generous exclusive sponsor Williams Thompson Solicitors LLP all the money raised at the event will come directly to the charity. We are also extremely grateful to Basepoint Business Centres in Bournemouth who generously matched the funds raised to get the grand total to over £8,700. We would also like to thank the Daily Echo Bournemouth for helping to raise awareness of the Handbag Auction this year.”

The evening started off with the opportunity to peruse a variety of beauty, fashion and homeware stalls plus the very popular ‘nearly new’ handbag stall.

Becky added: “We had an amazing response to our ‘nearly new’ donation request so we had lots of lovely bags on offer before the auction even began. The live auction was exciting and our handbag loving guests were able to grab themselves a bargain.

“We hope to have provided a great night out for our guests but as ever the most important thing is we raise vital funds to continue supporting those affected by autism and other difficulties.”

Suzanne Kadziola, practice manager of Williams Thompson Solicitors LLP, said: “The handbag auction is a great opportunity for us to support a local charity while exposing our brand to a wide audience. The event is a particular highlight for us and has proved to be a really successful event again this year.”

Visit autismwessex.org.uk