CHARITY was to the fore when a bumper £25,000 in cash donations and walking aids was handed out at Ferndown Golf Club.

Peter Alliss, the ‘voice of golf’, and his wife, Jackie, were among the guests at the club last week when funding raised through the Alliss Invitational last September was handed out.

Lewis-Manning Hospice, nominated as the 2018 captain’s charity, received £6,500 while Friends of Dolphin, the joint captain’s charity, was presented with £9,400. MS Centre, the ladies’ captains charity, received £2,500.

In addition, nine children aged between four and ten were presented with walking aids including buggies, manual wheelchairs, handbikes, walking frames and trikes.

The youngsters attend Victoria, Montacute and Langside schools.

Since its inception in 1987 the Alliss Invitational has raised £1.15 million and paid for more than 300 wheelchairs and walking aids.

Sue Helliker, Ferndown Golf Club’s assistant secretary, described the presentation ceremony as “very moving”.

Places are still available for this year’s Alliss Invitational on Monday, September 2.

A total of 24 teams will take part in the one-day event, which will be followed by a charity auction. The cost is £650 per team.