Lyme Regis town councillor Adrian Wood was sentenced to jail for ‘leaving a trail of chaos’ and only donations to Weldmar Hospicecare secured his release.
Cllr Wood raised an impressive £2,320 for the Dorset charity after taking part in the Jail and Bail fundraising challenge at Shire Hall in Dorchester.
After his sentencing, Adrian was ‘locked up’ for the day in the historic courthouse cells, tasked with raising enough money to secure his release by appealing to friends, family and supporters for donations.
Charged with the tongue-in-cheek crime of ‘becoming an office whirlwind and leaving a trail of chaos’, Cllr Wood embraced the challenge and set about raising as much bail as possible.
Thanks to an incredible response from the community, he not only secured his freedom but he also raised the largest individual total of the day.
Reflecting on the experience, Cllr Wood said he had been overwhelmed by the level of support.
He said: “I was gobsmacked by how many donations I received from people in the Lyme Regis community, business contacts, the fire service, and friends and family.
“I ended up raising a whopping £2,320, which was the largest individual amount raised. Combined with the other great people who took part, the event has raised over £8,000 for Weldmar.”
Weldmar Hospicecare provides specialist care and support for adults across Dorset living with life-limiting illnesses, as well as help for their families during some of the most difficult times in their lives.
Cllr Wood has long supported the charity, particularly after the care Weldmar provided to his late mother and father.
Over the years he has been involved in a number of fundraising initiatives, including supporting the Stampede by the Sea project and taking part in the Abseil for Weldmar challenge along with council colleagues last year.
The Jail and Bail event took place at Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum, where the atmospheric courtroom and original prison cells provided the perfect setting for the day of fundraising.
Cllr Wood said: “I’d like to thank everyone who donated and supported the event. Weldmar does such important work and it means a lot to be able to give something back.”