Charity round-up

Chester-based Residential Estates kicks off its’ year of fundraising for local hospice with a hike up Snowdon

Chester-based property company Residential Estates has chosen Claire House Children’s Hospice as their charity of choice for 2023. The company is organising events throughout the year to help raise both money and awareness for this amazing organisation. Claire House looks after children suffering with terminal illness and their families, providing not only support, but memories and wonderful experiences, to bring back a sense of normality to their lives.

On Thursday 20 April a team of six from Residential Estates took to Snowdon. It took just under three hours up and several hours coming down, but the team completed the challenge, with Natalie Smith, Residential Estates, stating, “Although it was an exhausting endeavour, reaching the top and looking out to a gorgeous view was worth every second. Overall, we’re so proud of each other for successfully tackling this challenge and hopefully making a small difference to the Claire House charity. We’re looking forward to the next event in a few weeks, possibly one of the other peaks, although the three-peak 24hr challenge may require some training.”

Over £30,000 for local children’s hospices at Spring Ball

A Wrexham-based business has raised a massive £30,500 for charity as its inaugural Spring Ball. Eco Ready Mix, a concrete, mortar and screed supplier, has been raising money to support seriously ill local children at Hope House Children’s Hospices for more than a decade. This year, to raise funds for the charity, the company decided to hold its first-ever ball at Carden Park. Nearly 300 people – including suppliers, customers, staff, friends and family from across the UK and Ireland – came together in their finest tuxedos and cocktail dresses for a fabulous night of fundraising.

Paula Billington, director and wife of managing director Gary Billington, said: “It was so great to get everyone together for this wonderful night of fun and more importantly fundraising. We have been supporting Hope House for many years now. We are so grateful to everyone who attended on the night for their amazing generosity, which has helped raise such a fantastic amount of money.”

If you would like to see how your business can get involved and support Hope House Children’s Hospices then visit hopehouse.org.uk/corporate

Carnival of colour returns

It was one of the brightest, messiest and most colourful family events of the year and was attended by more than 850 people – many representing businesses large and small from across Wrexham and Chester. This year the Foamtastic Colour Blast event will be making a welcome return: bigger, better and messier than ever.

It takes place at Chester Racecourse on 13 August in aid of the Hospice of the Good Shepherd and is expected to attract more than 1,000 participants who will literally be negotiating the course with flying colours. The untimed fun run around the racecourse kicks off at noon with a huge paint throw, before participants of all ages make their way through various paint stations and a fun foam bubble pit and then crossing the finish line to collect their medal.

“This is one of the biggest and most enjoyed events of the hospice fundraising calendar,” said hospice director of fundraising, Caroline Siddall. “It really does add some colour to the proceedings and will brighten up everyone’s day. There will be people running on their own, as a family or with friends or work colleagues, but all with a shared purpose: to support the fantastic work that the hospice team does in caring for individual and families when they are at their most vulnerable and frightened.”

Caroline added: “Like everyone else, we’ve seen our costs and bills increase phenomenally over the last few months. It’s only thanks to the kindness and generosity of local business and the public in supporting events like these that we can keep our doors open and make the difference that we do for so many.”

To register or to sponsor the event, visit www.hospicegs.com or telephone 01244 851811. All tickets include a Foamtastic Colour Blast t-shirt and medal on completion.

Wrexham charity recognised as National Changemaker

TCC (Trefnu Cymunedol Cymru/Together Creating Communities) based in Wrexham, North Wales, has been recognised as one of 100 Future Generations Changemakers at a recent awards ceremony at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff. The Changemaker list consists of 100 individuals and organisations large and small, that are seen to be making a positive difference to the world which surrounds us.

TCC was founded in 1995 and is the UK’s oldest community organising group. It tackles social injustice by supporting diverse communities to gain the power they need to enact change. This is accomplished through community organising – bringing together local groups, so they can set their own agenda, take action and improve their communities.

Future Generations Commissioner Sophie Howe stated: “This event is about recognising just some of the people demonstrating what happens when we put wellbeing first, work together and consider the long-term implications of our actions. It also highlights the need to support changemakers, so that they can improve society for everyone. The Future Generations Changemaker 100 is merely a snapshot of Wales’s brilliant changemakers and we want others to share the people who inspire them, to keep the momentum going for now and for future generations.”

Golf Day raises over £3000 for hospital

The Countess Charity Golf Day took place on Thursday 18 May at Macdonald Portal Hotel and Spa and was sponsored by invoice, finance and back office support specialists Zodeq. 14 teams took part and the players enjoyed a twocourse lunch at the hotel once they had finished playing.

Over £3000 was raised on the day, which will go towards the hospital’s Blue Skies Balcony Appeal. This is an appeal to build a balcony onto the Intensive Care Unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Fundraisers club together for Stick ‘n’ Step’s 21st birthday charity golf day

152 golfers took part in Stick ‘n’ Step’s annual golf day on Monday 1 May at Pryors Hayes Golf Club in Cheshire. With donations still coming in, over £26,000 was raised for the cerebral palsy charity, which is celebrating its 21st birthday this year. 38 four-ball teams took part in the event, with players coming from all around the UK. Sporting stars including footballing legends Derek Mountfield, Arthur Albiston, Stuart Pearson, Alex Stepney, Frank Stapleton and Alan McInally took part, while the winning team was led by Paul Rawlinson. Sky Sports commentator Rob Palmer organised the day once more in his role as Stick ‘n’ Step’s ambassador.

Players competed in vain to get a hole in one on the 9th to win a Honda CBR650R motorbike, courtesy of Smiths Honda. The event was followed by the traditional evening’s entertainment and auction to boost Stick ‘n’ Step’s fundraising efforts still further.

Stick ‘n’ Step Interim CEO, Sarah Smithson, said: “Every year we are bowled over by the wonderful support we receive from everyone involved in this remarkable event. I would like to say a very big thank you once more to everyone who took part to help us fundraise for the amazing children, who attend our centres, and their families.”

The event was supported by St James’s Place and its Senior Partner, Stephen Ogilby, from PFPS Wealth Management, commented: “We are so proud to be supporting such a fabulous local charity, helping children with cerebral palsy. We know that the cost-of-living crisis is affecting every one of us at the moment and it’s more important than ever to support local charities, such as Stick ‘n’ Step, which are working hard to continue to give free services to those who need them so much.”

Are you a keen golfer? Is your golf club captain looking for a charity to support? If so, Stick ‘n’ Step would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Stick ‘n’ Step’s fundraising team on fundraising@sticknstep.org