THE Rayleigh Conservative Club raised £3,500 for a charity supporting carers and families at an auction.

Club president, MP Mark Francois, and chairman Paul Mitchell presented a cheque to Supporting Carers and Families Together.

The money was raised thanks to donations from Rayleigh businesses, as well as club members who baked cakes and made preserves.

Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mr Francois, who is also president of SCAFT, said: "It gives me great pleasure to present this cheque to myself for this amazing sum.

"It will make a real difference to the children and young adults supported by SCAFT.”

SCAFT spokesman Andy Trewern added: “We are all really quite overwhelmed with the amount of money raised by the club."