GOOD causes received over £9,500 in backing from Cowdenbeath Rotary Club on Thursday night.

Among the charities to benefit were the Lumphinnans Care Village Sensory Garden, The Scottish Autism Society, Pathways, Fife Society for the Blind, Guide Dogs and Prostate Cancer UK along with Breast Cancer Now, Children 1st, Childhood Leukaemia and supplying a mobile defibrillator at Lochore Meadows Country Park.

The funds to back the projects had been realised by the club's Ladies Day held in the spring at the Glen Pavilion in Dunfermline which totalled over £12,000, guests at Thursday's presentation evening held at Wee Jimmies were told.

Past President Malcolm Slora said that it was always a highlight of the year when funds raised by the Ladies Day and other fundraising events were distributed.

He said: "The amount of money raised by Ladies Day and other events is through the generosity of the public and the hard work of our fundraising convener Marie Shevas.

"Marie puts in so much effort in to organising the Ladies Day and other events and the result of the support from the public is the series of donations we have been able to make."

Honorary Member Provost Jim Leishman carried out the cheque presentation ceremony and he said it was always a nice experience to be able to see saw many worthy causes supported and he too thanked Marie for her efforts.

Among the recipients was Lochgelly football personality, Dick Campbell, who has been behind the Sensory Garden project to provide the facility at the new Care Villager being completed shortly in Lumphinnans.

He said: "I have seen at first hand how these gardens can make such a difference to people suffering from dementia through my late mother's experiences and I must say that the support the project has received has been unbelievably generous.

"Fife Council has three garden sites in the Care Village and we will be given the opportunity to choose the best one for the Sensory facility.

"The Care Village will open soon and hopefully after that we will be able to progress the project and perhaps the facility will be open by the new year."

Malcolm Slora thanked everyone who had backed the club's fundraising activities which made the handover of funds possible.