GENEROUS fundraisers have backed a village charity by raising hundreds of pounds to fund new equipment.

Parkeston Welfare Park Association has benefitted from cash raised by charity runner Helen Brand and the recent Parkeston Winter Ale festival.

Helen, 35, raised a total of £130 after completing a ten-mile run for the charity last year, finishing in just over two hours.

“I have lived in Parkeston for 14 years and have three children who use the park,” she said.

“I see how hard the committee work and I wanted to put something back into the community.

“I work at a nursery, I love children and feel the local park is a place for the kids to play safely so wanted to help them out.”

The Tendring Campaign for Real Ale also donated £120 to the charity follo wing the first annual Harwich and Parkeston Winter Ale festival, which was held in the Railway Club in November.

Colin Cheesman, chairman of the organising committee, said: “The donation money was mostly collected from charity pots that were left on the bar.

“The theme of the event was the decommissioning of HMS Badger, which is now known as Parkeston Quay.

“It went even better than expected and we are happy to donate this money to a worthy cause.”

Parkeston Welfare Park Association runs and maintains the Garland Road park, and is known for its contributions to the village, including building an outdoor gym, football pitch and nature park.

Volunteers were devastated last month when thieves broke into the park and snatched a generator, which was purchased through extensive fundraising efforts.

The theft left the charity without the ability to power its dressing rooms and floodlights, which are used during football training for children in the evenings.

The money raised by Helen and the beer festival has been used to purchase additional equipment for the gym.

Bill Davidson, chair man of the park committee, said: “Thank you to Helen Brand who presented the Welfare Park with £130.

“This money was achieved by hard work and deter mination.

“Thanks to Helen, the beer festival and a couple of private donations we were able to install the equipment.”