Gosport pigeon racers hold auction at Leigh Park Working Men’s Club and raise £1,500 for Ukrainian charities

A group of local pigeon fanciers – people who keep and breed pigeons – donated baby pigeons from their best birds, to be sold in an auction on April 9 raising a grand sum of £1,500 for Ukraine.

The auction was held at the Leigh Park Working Men’s Club and all the money raised from the day was split between two charities, Nova Ukraine and Voices for Children.

Pigeon fancier Terry Bernard, from Farlington, organised the fundraiser after being spurred on by coverage of Ukraine on the news.

He said: ‘I thought this can’t carry on, they didn’t ask to be bombed and I thought we’ve got to do something.

‘I was brought up after the Second World War, it was devastation in Portsmouth. They’re just getting slaughtered out there.’

Pigeon racing is a competitive sport which involves releasing specially trained homing pigeons, who return to their homes over a carefully measured distance.

The racing season usually spans from mid-April until mid-September and is split into two categories; Old Bird racing, which is for pigeons a year or more of age and Young Bird season for birds in the year of their birth.

Also there to back the fundraiser were Freddy Smith, Mick Chessell and Kevin King of Kings Pet Shop & Fishing Tackle who donated a prize of £100 to be raced for later in the year, by the pigeons purchased on the day.

The normal hire charge was waived for the auction and refreshments were laid on by staff at the club, with John Good of the Milton Club providing the pens used to display the babies to be sold.

Terry, 68, thanked the donors, purchasers and the Leigh Park Working Men’s Club for their support.

After the sale, he said: ‘The boys all rallied round, I was happy with what we raised and so was everyone else. It’s good for the soul.

‘I hope that the £1,500 raised helps in some small way to ease the suffering in Ukraine.’

Chair of the club, Bill Edwards, said: ‘Pigeon Fanciers raise several thousands of pounds annually for charities and good causes.’