Outgoing Banbury mayor hands over civic dinner funds to charities close to his heart
Former Banbury Mayor Cllr Kieron Mallon recently presented two charities close to his heart with cheques of £700.
Last month, Cllr Mallon hosted a union-themed fundraising dinner for his two chosen charities of the year.
The dinner saw the Town Hall decorated in the flags of the four nations of the UK and a menu made up of traditional British foods.
At the conclusion of his mayoral term on Tuesday (May 12), the former mayor handed over the cheques of £700 to representatives from the Banbury Royal British Legion and The Huntingdon’s Association.
Speaking afterwards, Cllr Mallon said: “I didn’t set out in my year of office to raise huge amounts, as that’s not the main role of the mayor, but an opportunity arose, and thanks to the generosity of those who attended the civic dinner, this money was raised.
“The charities chosen are ones close to my heart. As a former soldier whose family has served in Irish regiments of the British Army traced back to the Boer War, where a great uncle of mine was killed in action, the Royal British Legion was an obvious choice.
“The second charity, however, is less well known. Huntington’s is a hereditary neurological disease that is incurable and usually strikes at an early age, leading to mental and physical decline and early death.
“If the gene is in your family, you have a 50% chance of inheriting it. My grandfather, father, aunt and younger sister all died of Huntington's, and money is needed for advice and support for families who have it.”