Seniors and schoolchildren were the recipients of donations totalling $140,000 at the closing ceremony for the 34th annual AXA End-to-End.

Despite an early downpour and a mere 2½ weeks to pull the event together on October 23, the gathering at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club saw a cheque for $30,000 given to Age Concern, as well as money to buy 240 Chromebooks for the island’s primary school students.

Claudette Fleming, the executive director of Age Concern, said the money would go far in giving “not just a handout but a hand up in the community where seniors ”are relying on us to be a voice for them”.

Diallo Rabain, the education minister, said: “This will go a long way to ensuring the rest of our students have what it is they need.”

The charity broke the $6 million mark this year in its three decades of fundraising.

But the 2021 Axa End-to-End struggled to find a safe date to proceed as the island contended with its fourth and worst wave of the pandemic.

The green light came from the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport on October 5.

Anne Mello, chairwoman of the Axa End-to-End board, praised event manager Starla Williams as a “miracle worker” for fast-tracking a day for the event that ordinarily took the better part of a year to pull together.

Ms Mello said the End-to-End was proud to focus this year’s funds on bolstering the resources of youth and seniors.

The West End Development Corporation took this year’s Founder’s Trophy, while Deloitte took the award for best water stop at the event.

Former End-to-End board members Alex Wilberz and Jeremy Deacon, of The Royal Gazette, were 2021 honorary End-to-Enders, and Chris Ingham of Pure Water was volunteer of the year.

The Bermuda High School won the $15,000 Top School Award, and the school also received the Top Fundraising Team award, while the Team Spirit Award went to Shanay Scott of the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.

Butterfield Bank came in as the Top Corporate Team.

For the top individual fundraisers, Mr Rabain came in second place, while two awards went to a Boston family that has supported the End-to-End for years.

Meghan Carye came third – and Ed Carye took first place.

Other awardees were Keil Gunther, Stephen Ruse, Philip Beytel, Jemma and Paul Konvecsci, Scott Wheeler, Gail Andrade and Quinn Gunther.

The 2022 End-to-End is set to proceed on May 7, 2022 – the event’s 35th anniversary.