A performing arts society has handed over cheques to the charities it has raised money for.

Abigail’s Performing Arts presented Alice in Wonderland in December to raise money for the Smile of Arran Trust.

The charity was set up to help provide assistance to children and young adults who are living through the experience of having a brain tumour, in memory of Arran Tosh, who died in June 2014.

The pantomime raised £707.

The group also raised money for Marie Curie Cancer Care with its production of Footloose in June at Braintree Arts Theatre.

It raised £505 for the charity and presented a cheque to one of the nurses last Wednesday.

Owner of the group Abbey Overall said: “We are so pleased.

“We really want to help other people in our community, especially charities close to people within our group.

“Karen Hughes, one of our members is a Marie Curie nurse and Arran Tosh was a great friend of one of our girls, Maddie Collett, so it means a lot to everyone within Abigail's Performing Arts to raise money for these charities.

“We have only been going for 18 months and already we are one big family that look out for each other.

“People were so generous with donating money and buying raffles tickets and merchandise.”

The group will be performing The wedding Singer, based on the popular film, on July 30 to raise money for Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, a genetic disorder which leads to abnormally fragile and hyper-extensible tissues causing widespread issues.