A YEAR full of events has raised thousands of pounds for two Harwich charities.

Carol Brown handed over two cheques at a special evening presentation last week after becoming Harwich mayoress for her husband John last May.

The Harwich Electric Palace and the Harwich and Dovercourt Fellowship for the Sick were handed cheques of £2,807 each at last week’s event.

And another £152 has been donated since.

Carol said: “I was hoping to raise just anything but I was shocked at how much we raised.

“My granddaughters did a teddy bear’s picnic and my daughters organised a big band at the railway club.

“We had so many different dos, it’s gone so quickly.

“It has been fun, we’ve met some nice people and we’ve been quote busy.

“It’s been out of this world some of the things we’ve been to.

“It’s been a brilliant year.

“At the beginning of our year there were children from Uganda in a choir - we went as mayor and mayoress but I just had to go again to see them he next night.

“It breaks your heart some of their stories.”

John and Carol attended about 100 events as mayor and mayoress.

John said: “We’ve got a lot of memories but it will be good to have a rest.

“We’ve done some miles and really enjoyed it.

“It was something I really wanted to do.”