BUSINESSWOMEN from across the region helped raise more than £175 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

An afternoon tea event, at Bowes Museum, in County Durham, which had the theme ‘rags to riches’, was held in celebration of International Women’s Day and was hosted by Darlington-based accountants Clive Owen and Co.

Guests were treated to a performance by duo, Singing for Pleasure, followed by a textiles tour led by the museum’s events coordinator, Rosie Bradford.

Fitting in with the rags to riches theme, local business women from Shoe Sisters, which sources shoes, boots and handbags from Europe and Brazil, and home decor shop Raggy Badger, showcased their work while a swap shop saw guests bring their unwanted clothing and take home a new item.

Margaret Gill, marketing manager at Clive Owen, who organised the event said: “With The Bowes Museum’s wonderful textiles collection, including its current Saville Row exhibition, we decided to give it a ‘rags to riches’ theme this year.

”It was wonderful that we could raise £178 for Marie Curie at the same time.”

Pat Irving, a fundraising co-ordinator with Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: “It was a really wonderful afternoon in the glorious setting of The Bowes Museum.

“Thanks go to Clive Owen for organising the event.”

Unwanted clothes after the event were donated to Oxfam.