More than £45,000 has been raised for Swings and Smiles through a quiz night held at Englefield House and hosted by television entertainer Chris Tarrant OBE on Saturday 1st July.

Chris is a patron of the Thatcham-based charity which provides special needs children and their families with a safe and secure environment and specialist resources to enable them to all play together – something most families take for granted.

Guests enjoyed a fun-filled evening including a drinks reception in the gardens of the house before Chris’s musical themed quiz and a three-course dinner.

Sian Cook, charity founder and chairwomen said “The evening was an outstanding success in every respect and this was made possible due to the kindness and generosity of so many people. Everyone had a wonderful time, in beautiful surroundings with Chris Tarrant making it such a fun and enjoyable evening.

“Our guests were exceptionally generous and we are hugely grateful to them and to those who donated their time or prizes. The funds raised will make a huge difference to the charity and enable us to purchase specialist equipment for children with mobility difficulties or those who are wheelchair bound.”

Richard Benyon who is also a patron of the charity added: “Play is critical to a child’s development and Swings and Smiles are passionate about enabling families to enjoy this together. We are extremely pleased to have been able to host such a fantastic event again and most importantly facilitate such generosity which will have a positive impact on local children.”