Mayor of Winchester, Thrse Evans, has raised the total for her charity appeal to £17,247.

Three major events in the last fortnight have seen the figure soar.

A coffee and mince-pie morning at Abbey House made over £500. The Mayor's Ball raised nearly £10, 000 for the charities.

City councillor, Paul Hoare, added to the total with a cheque for £200 raised with a charity bike ride from London to Brighton.

Winchester Guildhall played host to children from primary and secondary schools across the district for the Mayor's Carols and £550 was raised.

The mayor has chosen six charities to benefit from the fund-raising--Basics Hampshire, Cancer Care Chemotherapy Unit, RHCH, Meon Valley Youth Project, the Trinity Centre, Winchester Alliance for Mental Health and the Winchester Live at Home Scheme.

The mayor said: "My fund-raising committee is doing a brilliant job. We look forward to many more exciting events in the New Year, enabling the charities to press ahead with their projects."

Several events are planned for early 2002, including a bridge afternoon and an evening at Abbey House on Friday, February 1st, and a concert by the Band of the Light Division on Saturday, February 9th, at Winchester College.