THIRTEEN has proved lucky for a Barry woman who smashed through a £30,000 fundraising target.

Carolyn ‘Caca’ Collard has completed her 13th year of fundraising under the guise Caca’s Strawberry Teas with an afternoon fundraising event in her garden.

Mrs Collard said|: “The target was to raise enough this year to take the grand total over £30,000 and we did it.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to the family and friends old and new who continue to support everything we do in so many ways.

“Another big thank you goes to the companies both big and small that I ask for donations from - we absolutely could not do it without them, they donate some fantastic prizes to us, really nothing is too small to give, we use and appreciate everything.”

The 13th Strawberry Tea took place on Sunday, August 4.

Mrs Collard said: “A week before the weather forecast was bad for the day and we made arrangements to move the tea inside, I’d like to thank Lee and Barry Island Sports and Social Club for his offer and Carolyn of Your Day, Your Way for the loan of room decor, however due to weather improvements and fear of getting caught up in road closures due to the Barry Island 10k, we kept it at home and fortunately the sun shone throughout.

“The event itself consists of a raffle, an auction and multiple games to raise funds. Everybody who attends brings a plate of food to be shared and the spread was stunning. It was a lovely atmosphere again this year, lots of people reconnecting with long lost friends and others meeting new, to the soundtrack of Jazz duo, Soho Sopranos who kindly played throughout the afternoon for us.

‘This year was our biggest yet.

“We raised £5693.54, exceeding our previous year’s total target of £30,000 by £305.80.

“We’re so pleased with what we’ve all achieved together, can’t thank people enough for the continuous support and help on the day, it’s tiring, takes a week to set up and pack down but when you see the total it is so worth it.”

All funds this year will be donated to Breast Cancer Care Wales.

Mrs Collard said: “As a group, going forward, we have decided to split monies raised next year and ongoing years into two pots.

“A portion will continue to go to Breast Cancer Care and a portion will go to a local chosen charity that will change year on year.

“We feel we have created a real buzz around fundraising with our two yearly events - The Strawberry Ball and The Strawberry Tea so we know we can make a difference and we want to do that more locally in the coming years as well as stay true to where we started.”

Her daughter, Gemma added: “There are so many worthy causes it will be hard to choose, we want to help so many.”

“We are going to make a decision on one in September, anybody who knows of a local charity can direct message our Caca’s Strawberry Teas Facebook page with links and a story to their suggestion to help us reach a choice for the year to work with.”

The Strawberry Ball will be on Saturday February, 29 2020.

Miss Collard said: “We got excited when we became aware of this rare date next year and have decided upon the theme as The Saint David’s Day Strawberry Ball.”

Caca’s Strawberry Teas take donations all year round of unwanted gifts, teddies and bric a brac.

Mrs Collard said: “We’d also be interested to hear from anyone wanting to brave the shave, do a bungee or a run on behalf of our chosen charities in late 2019 and in to 2020,”