Banbury mayor raises £1,200 for charity at civic dinner

Mayor Kieron Mallon held the event at Banbury Town Hall in support of the Royal British Legion’s Banbury branch and the Huntington’s Disease Association.

Themed ‘The Union,’ the evening celebrated the UK’s home nations with decor and entertainment reflecting England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Councillor Mallon said: “As a former Irish Guardsman whose family can go back many generations in the British Army, all in Irish regiments, the Royal British Legion was an obvious choice but some may not have heard of Huntington’s, it’s a dreadful neurodegenerative disease that is incurable and devastates whole families.

“My grandfather, Father, Aunt and Sister have all died with Huntington’s, which usually strikes when you are in your early forties.

“It’s like having both Parkinsons and Alzheimer’s at the same time but at such an early age.

“I would like to thank the town hall staff, the entertainers who gave their performances free of charge and many sponsors who gave fantastic prizes.”

Entertainment on the night included performances from a Gilbert and Sullivan singer, a soprano, Irish dancers and a pipe major who played the mayor in and out of the hall.

Councillor Mallon said: “We raised over £1,200 for these worthy causes.”