A metal detecting club has been digging deep and raising cash for a Minchinhampton-based charity.
Cotswolds Metal Detecting Club (CMDC), which was formed last November by Karl Monks and Jason Benstock, regularly organises group digs with the permission of landowners. Club members pay £20 per dig, and so far the club has donated almost £1,000 to Longfield Community Hospice.
“We runs digs every other week and have raised almost £1,000 for Longfield. It’s a great hobby as it gets people out of the house and can be beneficial for people’s mental health. Hopefully we can raise much more this year,” said Karl.
Metal detecting has seen a huge surge in popularity since the hit BBC comedy, Detectorists, starring Toby Jones and McKenzie Crook, though detectorists sometimes struggle to get permission to legally detect. Clubs like the CMDC secure permissions and arranges group digs where all detectorists are required to have insurance and act in accordance with the law.
Longfield’s Fundraising Manager, Kirsty Murray said: “Longfield relies on the local community to raise 85 per cent of our funds which goes to help people with life-limiting illness and conditions, as well as their families and loved ones.
“Metal detecting is certainly a new one for us, it’s not a club we’ve had before but it just goes to prove that you can turn any hobby into helping your local hospice.”
