A GOLF club has raised more than £10,000 for a charity with a year of fundraising activities.

At a presentation held on Friday at the Wessex Neurological Centre (WNC), at Southampton General Hospital, Basingstoke Golf Club Ladies’ Section presented a cheque to local charity Smile4Wessex for in excess of £10,000.

Each year, the incoming lady captain at Basingstoke Golf Club is invited to choose a charity to fundraise for during her tenure and for 2017 Hannah Holloway, the decision to support Smile4Wessex, that raises funds to support the work of the Wessex Neurological Centre.

Hannah said: “In July 2014 my family and I experienced our worst nightmare. My husband Nick, then aged 28, collapsed at our home in Basingstoke after suffering a life-threatening stroke. He was initially admitted to Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester, where a clot busting drug was administered, but having lost all movement in his left side as well as the ability to speak or swallow the initial outlook was bleak."

Nick was transferred to WNC where experts used a procedure called intra-arterial clot retrieval to remove the clot on his brain stem, saving his life and giving him the best chance of recovery Nick eventually returned to work and has even been able to play golf again.

A vast range of different activities have been undertaken to raise money for the charity in the last 12 months including producing a calendar influenced by the Calendar Girls, raffles and a coffee morning in April also helped to boost funds.

Finally, in September, a glitter ball night was hosted, with a professional dancing demonstration by ten times UK Ten dance champions, Richard Still and Morgan Hemphill.

Neil Westbrook, Smile4Wessex appeals director, said: “We are so grateful to all the members and guests of Basingstoke Golf Club who have helped Hannah to raise such a significant amount of money for Smile4Wessex.

"It is brilliant to hear from Hannah that so many of the members got behind her and their fellow member Nick, and it sounds like they have had some great fun along the way.

"Their incredibly generous donation will make a huge difference to the work we do in support of the Centre, the patients it cares for, and their families.”

Hannah added: !"I’m thrilled that we have been able to raise such a significant amount of money that I hope will save more lives and support more families just like mine and I’m so grateful to everyone who had a hand in helping us to achieve our total.”