Players at Dudsbury Golf Club have raised £3,119 for the Ferndown-based John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JYTAF).

The seniors captain Rob Bury selected the JTYAF as his ‘Charity of the Year’ in 2020 and, due to the restrictions with Covid, the partnership ran for two years.

All funds raised will help to provide bursaries and scholarships for local young people from a wide array of youth organisations directly supporting their personal development and the pursuit of their ambitions.

As an example of the difference an amount of £3119 will make, these are some recent awards that the Dudsbury Seniors Section fundraising would have made possible:

• A young man from Ferndown Upper School, who is a musician with the Bournemouth Youth Marching Band, has an ambition to join the Royal Marines Corp Band. He will use his scholarship to buy a cornet
• A young woman who is also a student at Ferndown Upper School has been cheerleading since she was six years old and has received a scholarship to pay for her expenses to attend ‘The Summit’ cheerleading competition in Florida
• Funding has provided the opportunity for three disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils at St Michael’s Middle School to join their peers for a five-day outdoor education trip to Holne Park in Devon. Another five disadvantaged pupils will also visit the New Forest Water Park
• A looked after child who experiences many difficulties will take part in a residential activities week at the Land and Wave Centre in Swanage

Rob said: “I have been privileged to know Peter and Linda Thornton for over 30 years, so it was both an honour and a pleasure to nominate the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation as my charity for the duration of my Seniors Captaincy of Dudsbury Golf Club. The amount raised, in spite of the pandemic, was a tribute to a young man, born and raised locally, who gave his life for his country and in whose memory young people are being helped to achieve their goals. Grateful thanks are due to the members of the Seniors Section at Dudsbury Golf Club for their generosity.”

Pete Thornton said: “Young people are experiencing many challenges in these uncertain and difficult times and need our support more than ever before. We really can’t thank the Dudsbury Seniors enough for helping us to continue to do the work we do.”