Cleethorpes Golf Club raises "record" £26,335
Thank you to Cleethorpes Golf Club for raising a “record” £26,335 – after Captains Paul Stenton and Jude Livingston chose the hospice to be their charity of the year.
The pair said the amount was the “icing on the cake” of a “fantastic” year, praising members for digging deep and taking on an array of charitable challenges to raise the funds.
The money will go towards a £16,000 cuddle bed for the Adult Inpatient Unit, which will allow family members to spend quality time with patients, as well as community medical equipment for the children’s team.
Paul said they chose St Andrew’s Hospice because it “touches so many”, adding: “My father passed away in there three years ago and got really good care.
“It’s been a fantastic year, and the amount of money raised is absolutely amazing; we expected somewhere around £16,000. I’d like to thank everybody who contributed in every way, shape or form; you’ve all worked remarkably hard.”
Events throughout the year have included raffles, name cards, a challenge to play 100 holes in a day – which raised £3,000 – and an auction for a Ryder Cup buggy, which was donated and raised £5,250.
Members also donated Newcastle United tickets, ran the London Marathon and swam Coniston Lake, while Paul auctioned off his Captain’s car parking space.
Jude said: “The golf club is always so supportive of whatever charity it is, but I think that because it was the hospice, people didn’t mind us asking. We’ve been captains, but it’s our members who have made this possible.
“Choosing a local charity was key for us. We’ve got a large membership, who will at some point be touched in some way by the hospice. And we know the funding challenges hospices have, so it’s important to keep raising money and supporting them.”
She added: “I’ve had the best year ever. Being Lady Captain has been such an honour and privilege, and it is the icing on the cake to be able to do this for such a great charity.”
Emily Aitken, Head of Fundraising at St Andrew’s Hospice, said: “We would just like to say a massive thank you. This is an incredible amount of money, and we think a record for a golf club.
“The hospice costs more than £6.5 million each year to run, of which we receive just 18% from the Government. The rest we have to raise ourselves, so this donation is just so powerful. From everybody at St Andrew’s Hospice, thank you.”
Helena Salisbury, Charity Fundraising and Events Coordinator, added: “We currently have cuddle beds in five of our 12 adult bedrooms, and the feedback we get from patients is that they make such a difference.
“They are hospital beds, which have weighing equipment and alarms, but expand so that two people fit into it. That means a partner or child can be in it with a patient, giving them quality time to cuddle and be with each other.
“They are very expensive, so being able to buy another one is absolutely amazing. The rest of the money is going to Andy’s, our children’s hospice, for equipment for our nurses to take out into the community for Hospice at Home care.
“This money is absolutely amazing and will be going towards really useful things, so thank you so much.”