Guests at one of the highlights of the social calendar in the kingdom will get a chance to win a piece of English countryside writes Farishta Saeed.

For the cost of BD5 for a strip of five raffle tickets one lucky winner will walk away with a strip of Old Blighty estimated to be worth around BD8,000.

The land is one of the unique prizes on offer at the Palm Association's 10th Anniversary Charity Auction & Ball on February 12 at the Sheraton Hotel's Al Taj Ballroom.

The owner of the land, Dr Nagham Kadhim Obaid, a Brit of Iraqi origin, said the prize donation was aimed at encouraging others to lend a hand to those most in need.

"My husband Dr Saad Jassim and I are very fond and impressed with the work of the association," she said.

Dr Obaid, a gynecologist, is involved in various charitable works and is a member of Aisha Yateem for Family Welfare Society.

The plot to be raffled is located in 50.68 acres of land in the Buckinghamshire town of Marlow which has been professionally subdivided into small individual freehold investment parcels.

Dr Obaid also donated a Frere watch to be either raffled or auctioned on the night. Other auctioned items will include two billboards to be rented for a month for free donated by Encyclomedia, earrings and a ring from Deemz Jewellery, a Sony plasma television donated by Almoayyed Group, an Arsenal jersey and ball signed by the English Premiership side's players donated by the Arsenal Soccer School Bahrain and the chance to be a DJ for a day on Radio Bahrain's Krazy Kevin Show.

The association's motto is 'To Make a Difference' and it strives to do this through activities aimed at improving the lives of needy Bahrainis.

Its chairwoman Reem Antoon said tickets to the BD30-a-head event have sold out and around 380 people will attend.

The association hopes to raise BD30,000 which will mainly go towards its Feed A Family programme assisting single mothers, widows and the unemployed.

Celebrated Spanish magician Felipe Scherson will be one of the star attractions at this year's event.