23 Sep 2024 Community

Scissett Community Club raises £4,000 for The Kirkwood

The Scissett Community Club has raised over £4,000 for The Kirkwood, one of three local hospices supported by the club throughout the year. This impressive donation was part of a larger fundraising effort that saw the club raise £12,000, which was evenly split between The Kirkwood, Wakefield Hospice, and Forget Me Not Children's Hospice. The funds were generated through a variety of community events, ranging from raffles and tombolas to more daring activities like abseiling and wing walking.

Terry, one of the key organisers behind the fundraising efforts, expressed immense pride in what the club achieved: “The Scissett club raises funds for a different charity each year and we've done so for the past twelve years. Over the year just gone, we decided to raise funds for three local hospices, which we hoped would please everybody in the club. The three hospices included: Wakefield Hospice, The Kirkwood, and the Forget Me Not Hospice."

The Scissett club involved its entire community in the effort, with members and even local officials contributing to the cause. Terry noted: “We had the then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak donate through MP Mark Eastwood, three bottles of the House of Commons whiskey, which we auctioned off.” He added that all the hard work paid off, saying: “All the fundraising has been hard work, but to raise that amount of money has been very rewarding, and it’s something as a whole club we are very proud of."

The connection between the club’s members and the hospices goes beyond fundraising. Terry and his fellow organisers, Susan and Daphne, have deep personal ties to Wakefield Hospice, where both Terry and Daphne worked for many years, and Susan has volunteered for two decades. These personal connections motivated the group to include The Kirkwood, Wakefield Hospice, and the Forget Me Not Children's Hospice in their fundraising efforts.

Susan shared how personal experiences shaped their choice of charities: “We have reasons why we wanted to raise funds for all three hospices. Firstly, The Kirkwood, which is our local hospice, it covers the village of Scissett. We then have this close connection to Wakefield Hospice, and finally, the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice is also a good cause too. To raise £12,000 overall for all three charities was a brilliant achievement and one we are all proud of.”

Daphne, who also played a vital role in organising the events, emphasised the importance of community involvement and how much support they received from local businesses: “We had a lot of local businesses get involved too; the uptake on providing us with various things such as raffle prizes was phenomenal." She added that the hospice movement is close to the hearts of many in Scissett, stating: “When you talk to people in the village, a lot of them mention that they have used the hospice’s services in some way, shape, or form. The hospice movement is very close to a lot of people's hearts, and so people care passionately about raising funds to keep those services going."

The Scissett club’s efforts have transformed the once traditional working men’s club into a hub for family-friendly community-driven events. Daphne reflected on this change, noting, “The club used to be a working men’s club, but as society has changed and times have changed, the club has changed with it. You get a lot of ladies in the club now having events, and it’s a more family-oriented place to be."

Thanks to the dedication of Terry, Susan, Daphne, and the entire Scissett Community Club, The Kirkwood has received vital funding to continue its essential work. The £4,000 donation will help the hospice continue providing critical care to individuals and families in the local area. Terry, Susan, and Daphne all agree that their efforts, while challenging, have been incredibly rewarding, not only for their club but for the entire community they serve.