A TIDAL wave of fund-raising effort has seen junior rowers raise more than £1,000.

Members of the junior section at Worcester Rowing Club have been packing bags at Tesco in St Peter’s recently to raise cash for new boats and oars, raising a massive £1,265.

This is the fourth year the team has raised money, which is split between club coffers and county causes, with the fund-raisers donating ten per cent of their total to a selected local charity each year.

Peter Powell, juniors coordinator at Worcester Rowing Club, said the group’s chosen charity this year was Footsteps, formally known as Guy’s Footprints, which founded in response to the closure of Noah’s Ark Trust in October 2011.

Every year the group supports more than 120 bereaved young people each year. Junior captain, Izzy Friedlander, handed over a cheque for £126.50 to Footsteps’ fund-raising manager, Susan Smith, while Anna Tainty, Meg Price, Luca Santese, Meg McEneaney, Joe Bush, Natalie Ballone and Mr Powell, members of the 70-strong club, looked on.

Ms Smith said: “Worcester Rowing Club Juniors have been absolutely magnificent in their support of our work over the last two years. We really can’t thank them enough. They have made a huge difference to what we are able to offer.

“Community support is absolutely vital to our ability to continue providing our service free of charge to bereaved families in the county and these energetic young people have raised almost £400 towards our work this year.

“Their help has been absolutely fantastic. ”

For further information on Footsteps, including how you can volunteer to help, receive support or make a donation, contact the charity on 0845 467 6065 or through its website, TalktoFootsteps.co.uk.