A CLUTCH of good causes benefited from the biggest charity quiz night staged in the county town this year.

Sixty one teams took part in the KM Big Quiz staged at Maidstone Leisure Centre on Friday night raising £5,404 for charity. The Heart of Kent Hospice will receive 50 per cent of the income from the night with the Mayor of Maidstone's Charity Appeal and children's road safety charity Kent Walking Bus each receiving a quarter share. The £404 raised during the Heads or Tails game will be donated to the BBC's Children in Need appeal leaving £5,000 for the main beneficiaries to share.

The KM Big Quiz winners were the Unicorn Inn team from Canterbury who regularly find themselves in the top placing at the four mammoth quiz nights staged by the KM Group around the county each year. The team scored a stunning 74 points out of a possible 80, which works out at 92.5 per cent correct. Italian Concoction, Moomins, Pickett's Pals and Definitely Maybe were all close behind and earned prizes for their general knowledge prowess.

Infact 57 of the 61 teams attending scored more than 50 per cent in the event, making the 2008 participants officially the brightest crowd to attend a Big Quiz this year.

Prizes were also presented to the top placed team from caring services and NHS, HSBC bank, Day Smith Hunter, Edward's Harvey PR staff and clients and Hyde Housing Association staff.

One of the biggest earning parts of the night was the Shepherd Neame Spitfire Charity Bar which raised £1,370 for the charity pot. The raffle was organised by Rotary's Dawn Patrol and raised £854.

The event was sponsored by Fremlin Walk, P&O Ferries, Maidstone Leisure Centre and Lark Insurance.

Quiz master Simon Dolby said the evening was a great success and said the creation of an organising committee had been a tremendous asset. He said extra volunteers were needed to join it now as planning for next year's event begins in the coming weeks. Companies were asked to second a member of staff or management trainee to the committee for two hours a month. For information contact Mr Dolby on 07989 164 752.

Helpers praised by quiz master

THE small army of helpers and supporting organisations helping to stage the KM Big Quiz were praised by quiz master Simon Dolby.

Staff from the Heart of Kent Hospice organised the food, Colin Edwards and students from St Simon Stock Catholic School took charge of the scoring, students from Invicta Girls Grammar School and 8th Maidstone Guides acted as runners on the night. A team of helpers from Barry Recruitment provided waitress services taking drinks orders from the Shepherd Neame charity bar to the tables.

Mr Dolby said: "I particularly want to thank Julia Smith from HSBC, Caroline Brinkman from the hospice and Andrew Frame and Emily Williams from Walking Bus for their key roles in staging the event."

Score table

1st place Unicorn Inn 74 points; 2 Italian Concoction 70; 3 Moomins 69; 4 Pickett's Pals 66; 5 Definitely Maybe 62; 6 Larking About, Capsicums, League of Eight 61; 9 Ken Creole and his Coconuts, Fuzzy Ducks, Bonfire of the Profanities 60; 12 We Should Have Played Our Joker 59; 13 The Smith's, Witless Silence 58; 15 Edwards Harvey PR Pop Pickers, The Logistions, Adults in Need 57; 18 Opticats, Hapless and hopeless, Friends and Neighbours, Shy Teds, Towering Eight 56; 23 Flying Monkeys, Be Prepared, The Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps, Mystified 55; 27 Mensa Rejects, Hyde Unintouchables, Thin Yogurts 54; 30 Dawn Patrol, Herbs, R We Bovvered?, Nutcrakers 53; 34 Armless Lepers, Clueless 52; 36 Cheeky Scampsters, Ne'er Do Wells, SP Hustlers 51; 39 Heart of Kent Hospice, Meadow Walkers 50; 41 Cheesmoid Gashlings, Hyde Housing B, The Hunters, Quality Street, Hyde Housing A 48; 46 Young Farmers Do It In Wellies 47; 47 School Levers, The Girls! 46; 49 Donnas Do Nuts, The Day's 45; 51 Gary's Gang 44; 52 After Eights, Optimistics 42; 54 Scrambled Eggheads, Sew Brainy, Golden Girls, Harry's Heroes 41; 58 Dummy Mummies, Ode to Joy 39; 60 And in First Place, Cookie Crew 36.

Mini competition winners

HSBC, Clueless; DSH, The Smiths; Edwards Harvey, Edwards Harvey Pop Pickers; Caring Services, Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps; Hyde Housing Association, Hyde Unintouchables.