COWDENBEATH Rotary Club has given over £12,000 to local good causes.

On Thursday representatives of seven charities were guests at the cash distribution evening held at Wee Jimmie's Function Suite.

And among the groups to be supported were the Maggie's Centre; Breast Cancer Now; the Fife Sensory Garden; and Leukaemia Research.

Retiring club president, Lesley Porter said: "This has been made possible by the magnificent response to our Ladies Day event in May when 300 people went to the Glen Pavilion had a brilliant afternoon and helped us raise over £12,000.

"I would like to thank everyone who supported the day and the people who donated prizes and our vice-president Marie Shevas who organised the event.

"It has given us the chance to support these very worth causes who see people helped in a great many ways."

The groups who were supported were the Maggie's Centre, in Kirkcaldy; Breast Cancer Now; the Fife Sensory Garden; The Andrew Hershaw Forget Me Not Fund; Children First; Guide Dogs Trust Scotland; the Child Development Centre at High Valleyfield.

The Fife Sensory Garden Project will see a special facility created at the new care village being built at Lumphinnans which will help assist dementia sufferers.

The Project's Dick Campbell said: "Dementia is a condition which is coming more and more prevalent but sensory gardens have been proved to help sufferers and we are fortunate to have been allocated Garden 3 at the new care village and we are determined to make our local facility one of the best in the country.

"The rotarians' support for our project has been excellent

and by this time next year it will be taking shape and the Rotary Club will be welcome to visit it and see what has been created."

Lochgelly man Willie Hershaw received the cheque which will go to the Blood Wise charity who explained that the loss of his son to leukaemia had brought the rigours of the condition to his family's door.

He said: "You hear about leukaemia but it was when Andrew was struck down by it that we really understood how the condition affects a person.

"He fought it bravely but unfortunately lost his battle against leukaemia and that was when we set up the Fund to help research into the disease.

"There have been many advances but it is something that needs to be kept going to find a cure."

Neave Crawford, received the cheque on behalf of Breast Cancer Now and revealed that soon she would be moving to Cowdenbeath from Edinburgh.

She added: "1000 women will died of breast cancer this year and we have to ensure that research into ways of halting the disease continues to develop.

"We have 11 projects ongoing in Scotland and this donation will help progress."

All the groups thanked the rotarians for their support.