17 Jan 2025 Community

The Kirkwood’s Jailbreak Fundraiser a Huge Success, Raising Over £10,000!

The Kirkwood is excited to announce the tremendous success of its Jailbreak fundraiser last year, where eight brave “prisoners” volunteered to be “arrested” and locked up for the day, raising over £10,000 to support individuals with life limiting illnesses in Kirklees.

A huge thank you goes out to our incredible participants: Charles Haigh, Steve Forrest, Tim Bamford, Antony Kitson, Qaisar Mahmood, Joanne Keeling, Tyler Hawkins, and Nicky Battye. Each of these dedicated volunteers generously gave up a day from their busy lives to take on the challenge of raising their bail money to support The Kirkwood’s mission, inspiring friends, family, and colleagues to contribute to their release. Their enthusiasm and commitment made the event a true success, helping to secure vital funds for The Kirkwood’s services.

Nicky Battye, Business Development Manager at Concept Recruitment, and one of our prisoners commented on the event “I’d encourage anyone to take part in a charity jailbreak. It’s not only a great adventure but also an incredible opportunity to make a positive impact. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you’ll leave with stories, all while helping those in need. Truly unforgettable!" and the food was amazing!”

Another one of our prisoners, and Councillor for Dalton, Tyler Hawkins commented “I had a fantastic time at the 2024 Jailbreak alongside my brilliant fellow prisoners, who together raised so much money throughout the day for a worthy cause. The Kirkwood staff and team at 1014 really took care of us. Who knew going to jail could be so much fun!"

Julia Owen, Community Fundraiser at The Kirkwood, expressed her gratitude, saying, “I cannot express my gratitude for the 8 convicts that we arrested and sent to jail earlier this month. With their cooperation and the support of their friends, family, and colleagues who sponsored them to raise their bail money, we raised over £10k on the day, which is phenomenal. We had such a great time, and this will certainly be an event that we will run again next year. TenFourteen in Holmfirth were the perfect hosts (and prison guards), helping us set the scene for the Jail and providing us with some amazing food!”

The Kirkwood would also like to thank TenFourteen in Holmfirth for hosting the event with their signature hospitality and lively atmosphere, creating the ideal setting for a day filled with community and generosity.

The funds raised from the Jailbreak event will go directly to supporting The Kirkwood’s mission, ensuring compassionate care for those facing life-limiting conditions. To everyone who contributed to making this event a success—from our “prisoners” to the donors, sponsors, and TenFourteen—your generosity has made a real difference.

We have some exciting news! Our next Jailbreak event ‘Bad Girls’ will be taking place on Friday 28th March 2025! If any ladies would like to take part, please contact on 01484 557 911 or email fundraisingadmin@thekirkwood.org.uk

To learn more about supporting The Kirkwood’s work, please visit our website or contact our fundraising team.