Tributes have been paid to a couple who have raised more than £300,000 for North East hospice over the past 24 years.
Sally and Glenn Pickersgill, who own Heritage Healthcare in Darlington, have announced they will be taking a break from fundraising after organising an annual charity golf day for St Teresa’s Hospice since 2002.
Nicola Myers, chief executive of St Teresa’s Hospice, led the tributes, saying: “Sally and Glenn are valued friends of our hospice, and we’ll never be able to thank them enough for everything they have done.”
“Now, after nearly 25 years of golf days, they have decided to step back and enjoy a well-deserved break from fundraising. They are handing over an incredible legacy for hospice care in our town.”
“The St Teresa’s Hospice golf day will continue, organised by our fundraising team – though I trust Sally and Glenn won’t mind us picking their brains occasionally!”
The business owners originally threw their support behind the hospice to help the charity open its bedded unit.
“We lost a close friend that year, and it made us think there should be something more in Darlington for local people facing the end of their lives,” said Sally.
“The closest end-of-life beds were in Stockton then, and we wanted to help Darlington families have a caring and loving place to go to in their own home town.”
Sally and Glenn backed the hospice’s 2002 Giving to Life bed appeal, which ultimately opened the charity’s first in-patient beds at its newly-acquired Woodland Road base.
Adrian Speir, owner of commercial property developer Landteam where Sally worked, suggested a small charity golf day in aid of the appeal and supported her to organise it.
The event quickly became a favourite with North East golfers, and in later years, Sally and Glenn took over organising it under the banner of their own company – with keen golfer Adrian always returning as a competitor and sponsor.
This year, the Heritage Healthcare Golf Day raised £17,416.50 for St Teresa’s Hospice, bringing the grand total raised since 2002 to £303,877. Jamie Cameron, from Forcett near Richmond, has played in every event since it was founded. He said: “I look forward to the hospice golf day every year. It’s a really fun event, and very well run.”
“It’s good fun, it’s good value, and the hospice makes loads of money each year!”
Sally added: “Without the continuing support from everyone that contributes – as players, sponsors, by donating prizes, or by pitching in – the event would never have grown to be so successful. I want to say a big thank you to everyone who helps make it such a special day.”
