A Bristol landlord whose pub has been named a finalist for a national community award says she still has 'no clue' who nominated her. The Swan in Thornbury is one of 15 across the country being recognised in the Charity Fundraising Pub Hero category of the Community Pub Hero Awards in acknowledgement of the enterprising efforts of landlady Sandra Davies.
Sandra, who took over the pub in 2011, said that after initially doing a craft fair to raise money for those with MS, she decided to have a different charity every month that the pub would collect or run events in aid of. For Sandra, no amount or cause is too small, and through her consistent efforts, over ten years later, the amount raised stands at over £161,575.
A quick look at The Swan's Facebook page gives an indication of the scope of the fundraising activities Sandra and her team run. In February alone, there were initiatives for the Thornbury Stroke Group, Royal British Legion, the Turkish earthquake appeal and the Alzheimer's Society, a charity of particular importance to Sandra as both her parents were affected by the disease.
