4 Feb 2022 Community

Jan Shotton and the Travellers Rest pub’s amazing fund raising story

The Kirkwood are always humbled to hear amazing stories from supporters whose local communities come together to do amazing things in aid of our charity. The funds raised by the hardworking and dedicated members of our movement have a huge impact, helping to ensure our care is available to those in need across Kirklees. 

One such amazing supporter is Jan Shotton, who owns the Travellers Rest pub in Upper Hopton, Mirfield, with husband John. As well as pulling thirst quenching pints and delicious home-cooked food, Jan and her fantastic team have raised over £4,000 for The Kirkwood since 2018.  

Having built a loyal customer base which includes many people who have been involved with The Kirkwood, some as service users and others as volunteers and supporters, Jan and her team thought The Kirkwood would be the perfect charity to raise money for.  

She said: "The Kirkwood are a vital part of our community and offer so many more services than what people think of. Having had a close friend die in The Kirkwood’s In-Patient Unit after he was cared for, I know how much they do for family and friends too."  

Jan and her team have held various events over the past few years, including music festivals and Christmas markets. In 2019, Jan organised the very first Trav’s Fest Music Festival and raised £750. The event was so popular that when Jan was looking for ideas to support us during lockdown, she decided to hold the event again once we were out of lockdown. Finally taking place in 2021, this time the event raised £1,000!  

Jan and the team also held a magical Christmas market and they are already planning lots of fundraising events during 2022.  

That programme of fundraising events has already started, with Jan holding a James Bond casino night at the pub at the end of January. 

Jan has also supported us by holding raffles and nominating us each year for the Heineken Neighbourly Grant, which has not only led to donations from the brewery, but has also enabled us to provide delicious complimentary Christmas meals for some of our patients, their families and also our hard working volunteers! 

On her events Jan said: "The music fests are great because when we do them in August – and when it's a nice day – everyone's in the beer garden listening to fantastic local music. We are supporting The Kirkwood but also the local music scene.  

"We put on a Christmas Market last year which went down well and I'll definitely be doing that again this year.  

"With regards to the James Bond event, I used a local company in Leeds who came and set everything up, they were fantastic to deal with. We had a singer on too who was amazing and sang a load of great bond tunes. We raised a good amount of money which was great. Everyone had a brilliant time and that matters too." 

Jan is a passionate supporter of The Kirkwood and believes everyone in Kirklees needs to know about the services we provide.  

She said: "Lots of people don't necessarily know about all the different services The Kirkwood provide and so at every event we do, we try and explain to people what else they do. I really think everyone needs to know about the services The Kirkwood provide because more and more people may need to use them."  

Jan saw first-hand what The Kirkwood means to people when a random person walked into her pub on the casino night.  

She said: "We were all having a great time and suddenly this gentleman walked in and said to me, ‘I hope you don't mind me being here, I haven't bought a ticket but I've seen you’re raising money for The Kirkwood.’ He said his wife had spent her last few days in The Kirkwood In-Patient Unit and so knew exactly what they did.  

“He told me how important they are to the community. He spent £20-£25 on the roulette and then left. I thought that was incredibly poignant and brought it home when he came in and supported us by raising money for you because you had supported him."  

Jan says she and her husband John and the rest of her team will continue to raise funds for The Kirkwood.  

She said: "We are thinking of new ways to raise funds for you all the time but I'm keeping a few ideas under my hat for now because I have to think them through.  

"I'd like to say a huge thanks to all my staff who do a brilliant job. They really get involved in all the events and without them we could make raise what we have."