Hospice banks on car boot sales, rides and donations

Pensioner Anne Smedley 79, of Ashgate, Chesterfield, has now raised over £65,000 for the hospice after she presented the charity with her latest £5,000 donation from car boot sales during last year.

Anne, who is affectionately known as the Car Boot Queen, collects donated goods all year round and sells them on at car boot sales and has been supporting the hospice for about ten years.

She said: “I will be 80-years-old on January 22 and I always joke that I will retire when I’ve raised £100,000 for the hospice.”

Brampton Brewery staff also completed a charity cycle ride from Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium to Norwich City’s Carrow Road in aid of Ashgate Hospice and have donated £3,041.70 towards the worthy cause.

Neil Collings, of Brampton Brewery, handed over a cheque to Lynn Jones of Ashgate Hospice with Mick Graley, Chris Radford, Kevin Lenihan and Adam Williams.

The hospice, on Ashgate Road, Old Brampton, also received a £2,000 donation from Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation to purchase new equipment.

Colleagues at Chesterfield’s branch of Barnsley Building Society, which is part of Yorkshire Building Society, raised the cash with raffles, a tombola and a soft toy sale and with a Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation donation.

Carole Clark, manager of Barnsley Building Society’s Chesterfield branch, said: “Ashgate Hospice is a cause close to many of our colleagues and members’ hearts so we’ve put a lot of effort in as a branch to raise money for new equipment.

“To be able to raise funds and secure a donation from the Charitable Foundation to purchase things that will make a difference to patients’ lives is something we’re pleased to have been able to do.”

A hospice spokesman thanked everyone for all their efforts. Those wishing to support the hospice in 2014 are urged to visit www.ashgatehospice.org for details or call (01246) 568801.