There was a Halloween fete at the Hope and Anchor on Saturday, October 31st, which saw the stallholders, their pet dogs, and visitors to the event don their finest fancy dress costumes.

The event, named Hokus Pokus, was organised by a local woman, Lynette Munoz, with the aim of raising money for her disabled one year old dog, Billy Wonky Legs.

Lynette told the Ross Gazette:“I am raising some funds to get him assessed for wheels, because surgery may be too difficult and too expensive.”

Billy came from the streets of Songkla, in Thailand, with his siblings, Gino and Puff. A rescuer from ‘Save Thai Stray Cats and Dogs’ brought them to a vet in Bangkok for treatment, but sadly Gino died. Lynette adopted Billy, and brought him home to Ross-on-Wye. Puff still lives in Thailand.

Billy’s knees are deformed and he cannot walk normally. Lynette wants to get him a dog wheelchair, to make things easier for him. She is also fundraising for future trips to the vet.

“Whilst making up some funds for Billy, I also want to help promote some small local businesses,” Lynette said.

There were also some other charities raising money for their causes at the event. There was a bake sale in aid of the Nepal Children’s Trust, which raises funds to repair and rebuild the New Life Centre.

The New Life Centre in Kathmandu provides a home environment with education and healthcare for children who are disabled or without any means of support. The children and staff at the centre were all unharmed in the Nepal Earthquake earlier this year, but the building was badly damaged.

The Ross for Refugees group were also at the event, running a Tombola. The group are raising money to fund a second trip to Calais, to take donations to those in need, and to help in other ways.

Last time the group went to Calais, they constructed four insulated shelters, which would be used to home young boys, aged between 12 and 14, who are on their own, and are some of the most vulnerable in the camp. They also helped to build a school with another volunteer group.