Forge Europa raises funds for Hospice care home & away

On the 3rd October the Forge Europa 100km sponsored cycle ride was completed by eight riders and so far has raised over £31,000 for two very worthwhile causes.

Forge Europa would like to thank all of the local and international businesses that have made a pledge and to everyone who has donated. The money raised will help CAFOD buy 372 bicycles for health care workers in Rwanda, Nigeria and Mozambique, and deliver a significant financial boost of £12,405 for St Mary's Hospice, enabling it to continue delivering vital palliative care and support.

Pictured: Peter Barton and Mark McIntosh of Forge Europa with Zoe Guest St Mary's Funding & Operations Manager.

Joynson Holland's charity partnership

Joynson Holland, the rise and recline chair division of the Willis & Gambier group, has announced a new partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support. The company will donate a minimum of £10 from the sale of every chair to the charity, with the aim of raising £1m within four year. They will also donate 100 chairs, via local retailers around the UK, to worthwhile causes.

Joynson Holland was established in 1892 and is a manufacturer of high quality chairs. Each chair features a quality motor and mechanism system, comes in a choice of leather or fabric, and features the simplistic rise recline and 180° flat bed system. All Joynson & Holland chairs recline 180° to a flat bed position, for maximum sleep comfort.

Joynson Holland chairs are designed to bring comfort and independence at a difficult time of life. The same core values they share with Macmillan, with the peace of mind that only a company with a rich heritage can bring to the consumer. The people supported by Macmillan can sometimes have very restrictive movements, and so motion products are seen as life-improvers in helping them to be independent in their own home. Joynson Holland chairs tip forward to make sitting down and getting up as easy as possible which is essential for people suffering from mobility problems.

Managing Director, Mark Symes says “The partnership with Macmillan is a no-brainer. We produce the type of chairs that Macmillan needs to help their patients “have good days”. That’s why we’re all doing it; to help people suffering from all kinds of mobility problems have a better quality of life. Money will be donated from the sale of every chair, plus we plan to donate 100 chairs across the UK to people who need them the most. This is an exciting, long-term collaboration that we’re all taking very seriously, and we want to ensure we do everything possible to help Macmillan.”

This initiative is believed to be a furniture industry first – a consumer-promoted product being sold in conjunction with a major charity. St Mary’s Hospice was lucky enough to receive one of the 100 chairs to be donated when Joynson Holland stockist, Jeff Dandy Director of Dandy’s Furniture Store Barrow, nominated the charity.

Pictured from left to right: Jeff Dandy presenting the rise & recline chair with Sandra Nield Willis & Gambier Area Sales Manager, Zoe Guest St Mary’s Funding & Operations Manager, Tony Morgan Willis & Gambier Sales Director.

St Mary’s ‘win a car’ super draw a resounding success

Funding & Operations Manager, Zoe Guest, said she was ‘delighted with the local community’s response to St Mary’s second car super draw’. Ticket sales reached a grand total of £37000. She expressed sincere thanks to all who bought tickets and supported the local provider of palliative and supportive care.

After 12 months of ticket sales the draw took place on Friday 10th December. Mrs Williams from Kendal was the absolutely delighted winner of a brand new Ford KA, and she accepted the vehicle’s keys from Linda Johnson of Alan Myerscough Ltd on Wednesday 15th December. Linda said the Ford dealership ‘was delighted to have been part of a successful fundraising campaign for St Mary’s’. Zoe confirmed that there will be another super draw and chance for anyone to win a brand new car, starting in January.

Pictured from left to right: Ray Cassley St Mary's Fundraiser, Linda Johnson of Alan Myerscough Ltd, the lucky winner Mrs Williams from Kendal receiving the keys to her brand new Ford Ka and Jim Goggin Business Development Officer at St Mary's. Ray and Jim worked tirelessly throughout 2010 to sell as many Superdraw tickets as they could and would like to thank all of those who have shown their support for St Mary's through ticket purchases.

A full list of the Superdraw winning numbers can be found here: http://www.stmaryshospice.org/lottery/superdraw.php

Christmas toy tombola draws in shoppers

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who helped out in Morrison's supermarket last week. We managed to collect a grand total of £2078.77 from our 'Christmas Friends' toy tombola. We feel that this is an amazing achievement and thank Morrison's for being so welcoming!

Pictured is our Fundraiser Ray Cassley who did an excellent job at drawing the shoppers in to have a go on our tombola. The little Christmas Friends proved to be a big hit with everyone a winner!

Day Services attendee raises over £1000 at birthday party

We would like to thank St Mary's Day Services attendee Mr George Andrews for donating a fantastic amount of £1350.70. George raised the money at his birthday party on 27th November through the sale of raffle tickets, a cake auction and donations from his family and friends in lieu of birthday gifts.

George would like to thank everyone who donated on the night. He would also like to especially thank his daughter Linda Darrick for helping to organise the party, Graham Standing for the party entertainment and Booth Supermarket for donating raffle prizes and for all of the help in selling the raffle tickets.

Pictured: