Burwarton Show donates thousands to three rural charities supporting Shropshire residents
The Burwarton Show has donated thousands of pounds to rural charities supporting residents throughout the county.
Despite wet weather, more than 20,000 people descended on the event between Bridgnorth and Ludlow in August last year.
And following a couple of years of the show barely covering its costs, a healthy five-figure profit last year meant the organising committee was able to donate £7,000 to three charities.
Alan Watkins, chairman of the Burwarton Agricultural Society, which organises the show, said: "If the committee can afford to we'll always donate as much as we can to charity.
"We've had a couple of poorer shows in recent times, we're very reliant on the weather – if it chucks it down with rain no one turns up – but we did have a healthy show last year.
"We made a bit of a profit and with the way the weather's been in autumn and winter, we wanted to make our charitable donations to three rural aids."
The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), which offers support to those in the farming community, and West Mercia Search & Rescue, which conducts emergency missions throughout the region, received £2,000 each.
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Shropshire Rural Support, which provides support to people during periods of anxiety and stress, and with problems relating to their families and their businesses, received £3,000.
Mr Watkins added: "We were approached by the charities and all of these are close to our hearts.
"They are all charities that rural people and people to do with the show might use.
"West Mercia Search & Rescue was even busy in Tenbury when we were deciding on how to distribute the funds.
"They delivered a talk at our AGM and I don't think everyone realised they are just volunteers and have to fund all their equipment and operations."
Mr Watkins said despite the coronavirus outbreak, the 2020 Burwarton Show is set to go ahead on Thursday, August 6.
"We're in a fortunate position in that we've got another four or five months before the show," he added.
"Nobody is sure about what's going to happen yet but we've still got time to see the situation and decide what happens."
