A BURNLEY charity has raised more than £15,000 in a single evening to send furniture to some of the most impoverished schools across the globe.

Furniture for Education Worldwide (FEW) was held the event at the Dunkenalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors, which was attended by more than 300 of Lancashire’s business movers and shakers.

The Pure Gold event raised between £15,000 and £20,000, which is enough to send eight containers of furniture to schools in the developing world.

Furniture for Education Worldwide (FEW) is a national charity, which was set up by Lancashire County Councillor Terry Burns MBE and Mike Tull, head teacher of Marsden Heights Community College in Nelson, after the pair paid a visit to Pakistan where they witnessed a lack of furniture and resources in schools.

The charity takes furniture that is being disposed of by schools in the UK and ships it to under-resourced educational establishments around the world.

The next container of desks, tables and chairs is destined for Watamu in Kenya.Two are being sent to The Gambia, while three will be shipped to Pakistan where schools have been wiped out by flooding.

The gala dinner featured entertainment from Burnley nightclub entrepreneur Mick Cookson, TV celebrity Jeff Brown and a Freddie Mercury tribute act.

Guests also had the chance to win prizes, including signed Amir Khan boxing gloves, Jay Rodriguez signed football boots, a holiday for six to Marbella, and a VIP trip to London, which included a tour of the House of Parliament and tea on the terrace with the charity’s patron, Lord Hoyle of Warrington.

The event was supported by a host of dignitaries with 15 Lancashire MPs donating bottles of House of Commons wine or whiskey. Other guest included Burnley Football Club’s Barry Kilby, who also donated some prizes.

Coun Burns said: “Over 300 people attended, and it was a real success.”