Summer market to help old soldiers

A summer market with stalls and games is being held in Deux-Sèvres by an association which raises money for retired British servicemen and their families.

The Combined Services Support Group was set up in 2014 by a group of ex-pats who live in the Saint-Pardoux area who wanted to put on events to raise money for a good cause.

They were originally part of the Royal British Legion but decided to create their own association because their branch was some distance away. Since then they have raised between €1,500 and €2,000 a year which they have mostly given to the armed forces charity, SSAFA, and the Royal Air Forces Association, plus donations to the Gurkha Welfare Trust and Combat Stress and to local firemen who have a Widow and Children’s fund which has helped provide computers and a play garden.

The Pompiers of Saint-Pardoux were so delighted with the donation that they will be bringing along a fire-engine for the summer market which will be held on July 2 from 11am-4pm. There will also be games including Splat the Rat and Hook a Duck and a fish-and-chips stall.

Association secretary Terri Laverick says she hopes lots of people will come along. She also says that they would welcome anyone in the area who would like to join the Combined Services Support Group: “We try to keep our administration costs to an absolute minimum so we can hand over as much money as possible to our chosen charities. Our aim is to come up with ideas which are as original as possible and as well as an annual Christmas markets and quiz nights we are also hoping, for example, to organise a fishing picnic at a local fishing lake. We are really keen to attract new members who can contact us by email on combinedssg@gmail.com