Good news from the CLA Game Fair

The CLA Game Fair Gets Charities in its Sights
Youngsters on bouncy castles will be linking with stars from stage, screen and radio – and a whole army of young farmers - as fundraisers for three major charities at The CLA Game Fair , held in association with the Daily Telegraph, which opens at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, Friday 25th July - Sunday 27th July.

Each year The CLA Game fair, the world’s biggest celebration of the countryside, supports a number of national or local charities and for the 2008 Game Fair they are Maggie’s Centres, The Children’s Trust and the CLA’s own Charitable Trust.

Having fun on a bouncy castle will be just part of the enjoyment for younger visitors to The Game Fair – but it will also be raising money for The Duke of Marlborough’s chosen charity, Maggie’s Centres, courtesy of Newsquest, who are sponsoring the bouncy castle area.

Celebrities such as Elaine Page and Bernard Cribbins will lead the list of the famous who have set their sights on a different charity and will be going head to head in a charity clay pigeon shoot to raise money for The Children’s Trust during the course of The CLA Game Fair.

Meanwhile the CLA will be raising money for its own Charitable Trust through a series of spare change collections operated by members of local young farmers clubs.

Maggie’s Centres offer a place that anyone affected by cancer can turn to for help - not just to people who have been diagnosed with cancer, but also to their families, friends and carers.

Maggie’s offers information, psychological and emotional support and practical advice and the programme of support is designed to give people the tools they need to cope with the major upheaval cancer causes in their lives

The Centres were founded by Maggie Keswick-Jencks although she died in 1995, a year before the first Centre opened.  Today the Maggie’s Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust has gone on to open a further 4 Centres, with 7 more in the pipeline, accessible to anyone affected by cancer.

The Children’s Trust is a national charity, which provides care, education and therapy to children with multiple disabilities and complex health needs. 

The link between The Game Fair and the Children’s Trust is international musical theatre star, Elaine Paige OBE who is a patron of The Children’s Trust and a frequent visitor to The CLA Game Fair. Elaine is a keen shot and has participated in several of the show’s Celebrity Charity Shoots.
One of the projects The Children’s Trust is currently raising money for is a new £7 million national rehabilitation centre which will provide purpose-designed facilities and equipment for the 5,000 or more children in the UK children with acquired brain injuries.

Oonagh Goodman, Senior Fundraising Manager at the trust said: ”The Children’s Trust is thrilled to be the charity partner of The CLA Game Fair, and is delighted that organisers of the show chose our charity.  It is the first time that we have been involved with an event of this scale and it is a fantastic opportunity for us to raise the Trust’s profile. We do hope that the public will come along and visit our stand.”
Money raised by visitors participating in many activities at one of The Game Fair’s special feature areas the Active Countryside for All Exhibit - will also be given to The Children’s Trust.

Visitors to The Game Fair will also be helping to raise money for the CLA Charitable Trust which funds educational and recreational projects in the countryside for disabled or disadvantaged people

Harry St. John, Chairman of The CLA Game Fair Local Committee said: “We are very pleased to be supporting such deserving causes; they all deliver vitally important functions in supporting people and families which would otherwise simply not be available. It is a privilege to be able not only to raise money for these charities but also to be able to raise awareness among our Game Fair Visitors about the incredible work these people do.”