OVER 130 people raised £2,680 for Somerset Crimebeat Trust at the annual Summerfield charity boules tournament at Woodlands Castle, Ruishton.

The trust is the High Sheriff Richard Lloyd’s youth crime prevention charity.

Chris Winter, chief executive of Summerfield, said: “Everyone at Summerfield has been blown away by the support of local businesses - this year’s total of £2,680 has been our largest collection to date and brings the total amount of money raised through our charity boules tournaments to £5,400.”

Ben Trickey, organiser of the event and senior development surveyor at Summerfield, added: “We were also pleasantly surprised with the standard of boules this year and, although it meant that we were unable to retain the trophy, we were delighted that it was so competitive again.

"We’re now looking forward to next year, where we’ll hopefully have another fantastic tournament and also raise more money for a local charity.”

This year’s tournament was notable for all the prize winners celebrating their second or even third success.

The Wooden Spoon winners, Rule Brettania (development and infrastructure consultancy Peter Brett Associates), won not only the Wooden Spoon but also the best dressed-team award.

The Plate, the second-tier prize, went to sign makers, K Signs, who made it a ‘triple’, having won both the Cup and the Wooden Spoon in previous years.

Estate agents and property specialists Greenslade Taylor Hunt’s ‘Grunters’ team fought off stiff competition over five rounds to lift the Cup, after four years trying and having got as far as taking the Plate in 2011.

Honourable mentions go to Spoon and Plate finalists, Woodlands Building Contractors and ‘Midas Touch’ (Midas Construction), both entering the competition for the first time, and Cup finalists, the Handelsbanken ‘Hurlers’.

Richard Lloyd, on behalf of Somerset Crimebeat Trust, said: “We are extremely grateful to be the beneficiary for this charity tournament. Somerset Crimebeat Trust aims to discourage youth crime by funding education and activities in groups run by or for disadvantaged young people, ranging from sports clubs, fun days and trips out to art and music groups.

"One of our beneficiaries, Dreamscheme, for instance, rewards children and young people aged 8 to 16 for doing helpful tasks in their community by awarding them points which are swapped for organised fun days out.

"The trustees of the charity are past, present and future High Sheriffs and, as no expenses are taken, all the money raised goes directly in grants to various organisations.”

Register your interest in next year’s event by contacting Gill Ellis at Summerfield on 01823-257961 or gellis@summerfield.co.uk