Over the last couple of years, players at Crane Valley Golf Club have raised more than £12,000 for the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF).

The Ferndown-based charity was selected as ‘Charity of the Year’ by all three captains at the club and, due to Covid, it was a partnership which lasted for two years. The charity received a £5,000 donation in 2020 and was recently awarded £7,040 for 2021, taking the total raised to £12,040.

Ladies’ captain, Shani Bancroft, said: “It has been our privilege to raise money for the JTYAF. I am very thankful to my fellow captains for supporting my choice of charity over the last two years. I have personally worked with young people all my working career and I know first-hand how much these monetary awards will benefit so many young people.

“The amazing generosity of our Crane Valley Golf Club members must be noted. Even we were surprised by the amount raised over two difficult years. However, none of this would happen without the dedication of Pete and Linda Thornton – all the work they do cannot be underestimated. It has been our pleasure to have worked with them both over the last two years, and we wish them all the best for the future.”

Pete Thornton, JTYAF chairman, said: “We are so grateful to Crane Valley Golf Club and all their members. But special thanks must go to the ladies’ captain, Shani Bancroft, men’s captain, John Astley and the seniors’ captain, Paul Rowbottom. This was an incredible achievement, and we can’t thank them enough.  It will make a huge difference to a great many local young people in the year ahead.”

For more information about the JTYAF and the work they do, please visit www.jtyaf.org