CHARITY golfers helped tee up a £10,000 donation from Ferndown Rotary Club to the Wessex Autistic Society's Domino appeal for the development of its specialist Portfield School at Parley.

The club had pledged to raise £9,500 from a number of events by July 2005 to construct and equip a children's playroom in the third boarding bungalow at the new school complex in Parley Lane.

But thanks to the success of their fifth annual golf day at Canford Magna Golf Club, which raised £6,000, the delighted Rotarians were able to make a bigger and earlier presentation to the project.

More than 40 teams took part in the golf day which was rounded off by an auction conducted by BBC Radio Two's Ed (Stewpot) Stewart.

Rotary president Geoff Partington said: "We were delighted to raise £6,000 for the Domino appeal from the event and I would like to thank all the competitors and donors for their generosity and Canford Magna for providing such a great venue."

Mike Denny, community fund-raising and publicity officer for the Domino appeal, said: "We are very grateful to everyone at the club for their wonderful support for our appeal. They have worked so hard to raise the funds for us - it has been a magnificent effort.

"Our thanks also to all the teams who took part, Canford Magna Golf Club and all the sponsors. We have been very impressed with how the local community has supported its new neighbours at Portfield and this magnificent donation from Ferndown Rotary Club is yet another example."

First published: Oct 8