ORGANISERS of a massive charity fundraising event on the outskirts of Ipswich today praised the public for their generosity.

ORGANISERS of a massive fundraising event on the outskirts of Ipswich have praised the public for their generosity of spirit.

The Big Summer Declutter, held at Trinity Park, provided a five-figure boost for the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) Treehouse Appeal, which aims to build a new children’s hospice in Ipswich.

Patsy Johnson-Cisse, fundraising co- ordinator for EACH, was delighted with the response to yesterday’s event, which saw thousands turn out to support the cause.

Mrs Johnson-Cisse said: “The day has exceeded all expectations. It’s been absolutely amazing.

“I got here at about 5.30am and people were already queuing up, and they were still queuing up until 1pm to come in.

“We have had more than 5,000 people turn up, paying �1 each to get in, and there were 600 car boot sale pitches sold at �10 each, so we have raised more than �11,000.

“I’d like to say a very, very big thank-you to everybody for supporting the Treehouse Appeal because the money we made today will go a long way to help us reach our first million pounds.

“We are just over the moon with the way Suffolk people have taken the Treehouse Appeal to their hearts, and the way they have shown their support today by coming out to support this event.”

The Big Summer Declutter was opened by Eighties’ pop star and former pupil of Ipswich’s Northgate Grammar School, Nik Kershaw.

There was plenty on offer to keep the thousands who turned up amused.

Apart from all the car boot stalls, there was a bungee trampoline, a Quasar tent and zorbing, in which people are rolled inside a giant ball.

In addition there was a farmers’ market, food stalls, and other charity fundraising including a head and beard shave.

Mrs Johnson-Cisse said many of the people who were not able to sell all their wares during the boot sale left their possessions behind so they could be sold in EACH’s charity shops.

The Treehouse Appeal is already well on its way to its �3million target, having raised �965,252 up to the end of last week.

The money will go towards building a new hospice off Bixley Road, in Ipswich, to care for life-threatened children in Suffolk and north Essex.

For more information about the appeal log on to www.each.org.uk/treehouse.