‘One person’s clutter is another’s treasure’, as the saying (sort of) goes. And nowhere was this more apparent than at an auction of unwanted items to raise money for Parkinson’s UK and Cancer Research in Abergavenny last week.

The Abergavenny Ladies Business Association (ALBA) and Anna Roberts, professional organiser and declutterer from Get Sorted organised the event at the King’s Arms Hotel. Items donated for the sale included two bikes, an antique bed-pan, a garden leaf vacuum and shredder, two bread-making machines, an abdominal exerciser and a cuddly toy as well as the more usual bric-a-brac and books.

Local businesses also provided items for auction. The big seller of the evening was an annual chimney sweep until retirement of the Tidy Sweep, an Abergavenny-based business, which raised £125. Local artist, Jeremy Thomas donated coasters, greetings cards and a mug featuring his artwork and Stables Photography donated a photo-shoot and framed prints of the photographs.

Proceeds from the night reached £750, 70 per cent of which will go to Parkinson’s UK and the remaining 30 per cent to Cancer Research, ALBA’s charity of the year. Any items that did not sell were taken to the Cancer Research shop in the town the following day.

Paul Jackson-Clark, Director of Fundraising at Parkinson’s UK, said, “As the UK’s Parkinson’s charity we’re leading the way to find better treatments and ultimately a cure, but our work wouldn’t be possible with the generosity of supporters like the Abergavenny Women’s Business Association.”

Anna Roberts, of Get Sorted who played auctioneer added, “It was a win-win situation. People had the chance to get rid of their clutter, raise money for a good cause and take home items that they wanted or needed more than items they’d brought along. But I was astounded by how much we managed to raise.”

One of the bidders summed it up with the words, “I got rid of my clutter and took home someone else’s! But it was for a great cause and we had fun.”

When auction-goers arrived, they paid £6 on the door and received their bid number, a raffle ticket and their drink token. The Kings Arms provided the venue free of charge for the event.