MEMBERS of a Wargrave golf course have raised more than £16,500 for a charity providing palliative care.
Hennerton Golf Club’s men’s captain, Geoff Knight, and ladies’ captain, Jill Thompson, chose Sue Ryder as their chosen charity of the year for 2023/24.
The captains and club members have worked hard to raise £16,519, organising events throughout the year including ladies golf and coffee mornings, a captain’s day with a Hogwarts theme and a cabaret evening.
Members also recently competed in the fifth annual Sue Ryder Cup, a contest which started in 2019.
Geoff is a long-standing supporter of Sue Ryder after a friend received palliative care from Sue Ryder Nurses.
He said: “I visited a close friend of mine several times during his end-of-life care and noted that he remained cheerful and was forever praising the care he was given by the Sue Ryder staff.
“This year The Sue Ryder Cup was played at Hennerton Golf Club as the finale of my tenure as men’s captain – just part of this year’s programme of events.
“I firmly believe the best and most effective way to fundraise is to create a platform whereby not only the charity benefits, but those donating also have a joyful experience – something I believe we have all achieved this year.”
Late last month, Fern Pilutkiewicz, head of hospice fundraising at Sue Ryder visited the club to receive a cheque.
Thanking the group for their fundraising efforts, she said: “Geoff and Jill have tirelessly fundraised throughout the year, and it was an honour to accept the cheque and thank their fellow members.
“I was warmly welcomed from the moment I arrived, and you could really tell how kind and generous the members of the club were.
“I would like to say a special thank you to Geoff who has organised the Sue Ryder Cup for the past five years. Geoff’s long-term support and fundraising efforts have been a vital contribution to Sue Ryder and the care we provide across Berkshire and South Oxfordshire.”
The Charitable Events Committee at Hennerton Golf Club are keen to find corporate-matched funding to increase the donation even further.
For more details, call the committee on: 07956 559290.
