SWINDONIANS needn’t travel to Cornwall for their cream teas this year thanks to a very British Brighter Futures’ initiative that delivers tea and scones across the town.

Now in its third and final year, the charity’s Cream Tea in a Box fundraiser will supply businesses and other groups with biscuity treats containing Rodda’s clotted cream and jam.

The boxes will also come with a quiz and a free fundraising pack to inspire participants to get active and make the most of their tea parties. Money raised from sales of the boxes will go towards the charity’s radiotherapy appeal.

Chloe Thomas from the Brighter Futures team said: “It would be lovely to hit over £2000 for the last initiative and it’s a nice way to celebrate 70 years of the NHS and go out with a bit of a bang. It’s great to reach 70 years and look back on it. It’s no longer just the staff, it’s the volunteers who make it too.”

After downloading a form from the Brighter Futures websites, tea-lovers can order their boxes for the price of £5. With help from business sponsor Bower and Bailey Solicitors, this year’s fundraiser will give buyers a chance to win a luxury prize if they find a golden butterfly concealed among their scones.

Nurses and admin staff from across the Great Western Hospital are taking part in the scheme in an effort to close in on the charity’s fundraising target, which is expected to be reached this year.

Chloe, who has raised money for the charity through several high-octane events, added: “It’s been a couple of busy months and it definitely feels like it’s in reach now.”

Catherine Newman, head of Brighter Futures, agreed: “May heralds the 3rd anniversary of the Radiotherapy Appeal. Back in 2015 we never imagined that such a small local charity would be capable of hitting £2.9 million but with the help of thousands of local people we are now fast approaching £2.3 million and the finishing line is well within reach.”

“It really has been an incredible period of fundraising, most big fundraising appeals benefit from one to three wealthy individuals who help with six to seven figure donations to kickstart the fundraising. This hasn’t been the case for us, it really has been the local community that has taken the appeal to their hearts.

“I am just so very proud of our town and its surrounding villages, we really have shown the rest of the country how fundraising is done!”

In partnership with the Oxford University Hospitals Trust, the charity will bring a brand-new radiotherapy facility to our town. By making the satellite centre local, around 700 Swindon patients will be spared the daily journeys to Oxford to receive their life-saving treatment.