THE Lady Taverners held a Christmas lunch and fair at Chester Racecourse, in the owners and trainers room, raising more than £5,000 to give young people a sporting chance.

To help with the festivities, children from Dee Banks School in Chester came along in the minibus bought for them by the Lords and Lady Taverners.

Ray Elliot, head of Dee Banks, spoke about how much the bus means to the children, enabling them to get out to see and do things that would be impossible without it.

Abbey Gate School choir entertained 190 guests with carols, conducted by Steve Smith, director of music.

Cheshire and North Wales chair of The Lady Taverners and organiser of the event, Lori Parker, said: “The committee have worked so hard to ensure everything was perfect.

“There was a real Christmas market feel about the occasion with many stalls selling Christmas gifts, giving the event a really nice start to the Christmas season.”