'Almost £300,000 raised since charity began': annual report Since its formation, Wilmslow Wells for Africa has raised a remarkable £297,183, the Treasurer, Roger Goddard, reported to the annual meeting in October. This includes £38,059 in the year 2003/04 - the second best year in the charity's history. The charity has no paid employees. Therefore, thanks to the tremendous amount of voluntary work carried out by supporters of Wilmslow Wells, administration costs for the year were only £234 - and total just £5,350 over 20 years. This means that 98.2% of funds raised are used directly on projects in Africa. To date 65 projects have been carried out, which have brought clean water to well over 100 villages, mostly in remote areas. The report highlights ways in which funds were raised: events such as Gardens Day, two Souperdays, a Barn Dance, Holiday Cottage Auction and concerts continue to raise significant amounts. Donations were given to mark the deaths of supporters and people made donations to mark 'significant' birthdays or wedding anniversaries. An increasing number of people make regular monthly donations, often supported by the Gift Aid Scheme. (Click on How Can I Help? for more details about the scheme.) During the year this website was launched, which enables people to donate on line and has already generated contact both from new donors and potential project partners. Its provision and maintenance is thanks to the generosity of supporters. Gardens Tour makes a splash with £3,500 Devoted and talented gardeners in Wilmslow opened their gardens to the public in record numbers this year in aid of Wilmslow Wells for Africa. But the weather was not kind, with wet and windy weather in the days running up to the event - and persistent rain on the day itself (26 June). Despite this hundreds of people from all over the North West of England took the opportunity to visit some or all of the 18 gardens on display - at only £4 a ticket. They included the elements of an English garden and more - from water features, herbaceous borders, shrubberies, rockeries and herb gardens, to a working Gauge 3 steam railway, an oriental garden and greenhouses. Damp visitors restored themselves with an delicious range of home made cakes and other goodies served by volunteers at the St John's Church Rooms. Joanna Southgate, chairman, said: We were all rather despondent when we woke up to the awful weather, but what a result! I cannot thank those who prepared their gardens so carefully and opened them to the public - and all the volunteers who made the day such a success. And I should also like to thank the visitors themselves for braving the elements raise such a splendid amount - a total of £3,467.