Family of 65 raise funds for town causes instead of exchanging gifts

Getting 65 family members together for Christmas dinner may sound like an overwhelming and logistical nightmare. But for one set of relations, they are using their big family network to raise money for good causes. Instead of buying presents, the Hart family from Bourne donates prizes for a raffle with a pot of money going to a group of their choice.

The huge festive family get together was started in the 1990s by the nine children of Bessie and Ben Hart. After Ben died in 2002 - his wife died in 1994 - the idea was born to fundraise. Initially it was to support the Butterfield Centre, where Bessie and Ben both attended daycare sessions, but after that service stopped the family looked for other worthy groups.



Daughter Sandra Wilson said: “There’s too many people to buy presents for everybody - you would need to save up for five years.” Her sister Cherry Machine added: “It’s a family thing.” The pot from 2023 was given to the Bourne Galletly Practice patient participation group (PPG) after family members spotted an appeal for Christmas presents.

But since the presents for the year had already been funded, members of the PPG put their heads together to come up with another way to spend the money. They decided on a bench - with a plaque for Bessie and Ben - at the front of the practice where people can relax or wait for a lift. Sheila Kelby, another daughter, said: “It’s not just for us but a lot of the older generation will remember dad from when he was manager of the Co-op so this will help them to remember.

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