Burnley charity's praise from House of Commons Speaker for its work at home and abroad

Thanks to an anonymous donation of outdoor fitness equipment, Furniture for Education Worldwide (FEW) has raised a staggering £30,000 from an on-line auction to boost a number of worthy causes at home and abroad.

As well as supporting the NHS Heroes, FEW will use the money raised to continue its on-going mission to provide educational equipment for children in deprived countries and also further develop a project using drone technology to detect unexploded mines in Cambodia.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, said: “FEW does amazing work and this - thanks to the anonymous donator - is just the latest example. I have supported FEW since its inception in 2006 and it has made a massive difference to the daily lives of deprived children and helped to save countless lives. For it now to be able to offer support to the heroes within our NHS is fantastic.”

FEW chairman Terry Burns MBE said: “We would like to thank the Lancashire businessman who made the fitness equipment available to us and also to the auction house (BPI Auctions) for waiving their fee - not to mention all the people who took part in the bidding.

“To raise £30,000 is simply incredible and it seems fitting that we should recognise the incredible work of the NHS during this very difficult period.”

Henry Spencer, auction director at BPI Auctions, said: “It is not easy for anyone in the current climate, but it is also important that we all pull together to give something back to those in even greater need.

"We run over 70 sales a month across a vast array of sectors so we and knew we would have the audience and it has been great to realise such a significant sum for these wonderful charities.”

Over the past 14 years, FEW has sent more than 100 containers (tables, chairs, books, computers, playground equipment) to 13 countries, affording some of the world’s most deprived children the chance of an education.