Pub launches remembrance wishing well to raise funds for hospice

Chorley pub staff brought the community back together for a fantastic charity fundraiser last weekend, as they unveiled a new wishing well in memory of special friends.

After months of being separated, punters of The Beaumont in Clayton-le-Woods raised an amazing £1,000 for St Catherine’s Hospice through a raffle and collection over the sunny bank holiday weekend.

Customers will soon be able to throw coins into the wishing well in the pub’s garden, in further support of the charity which cared for the best friend of assistant manager Martin Turner.

Martin explained: “St Catherine’s is close to the staff and locals of The Beaumont, so we’ve always raised funds for the hospice. We wanted to create a wishing well in memory of my best mate John Clark and others who have been cared for by the charity. Any change and donations which are thrown into the well will be donated to St Catherine’s, and we held a bank holiday raffle with prizes such as signed PNE shirts to generate extra funds.

“We know the charity has been struggling during the pandemic, with the main fundraising events unable to go ahead as normal and the shops and café being closed for so long. St Catherine’s is really depending on the community to raise much-needed funds this year.

“It’s hard to describe just how much the hospice does for people until you experience it yourself. When John was staying on the inpatient unit a couple of years ago, I was able to stay over and we just did normal things like play on his Xbox, and it really meant a lot to us. They look after everyone; not just the patients but their family and friends too.”

Martin added: “It was a really good atmosphere, it was cracking. The weather was great and everyone had a good laugh and donated. I’m really proud of how much was raised. It was a brilliant weekend and it’s so good to be back open again.

“I’d like to say a special thanks to the whole Beaumont team because it was a real team effort, especially assistant manager Claudia Reid and licencees Diane and Stuart Reid, as well as Reid Construction and Civil Engineering Ltd and Helen Standing from our brewery Admiral Taverns who each donated a brilliant £200.”

Marin’s friend John was diagnosed with cancer in October 2018 at the age of just 31, and was referred to St Catherine’s early in 2019 for pain management.

He described the hospice as a ‘home from home’ where could play his beloved guitar and Xbox, and praised the staff for helping him to achieve the things that were important to him, in the time he had.

Norman Cutler, who works in the community engagement team at St Catherine’s in Lostock Hall, said: “The wishing well is a really meaningful way for The Beaumont to raise funds for us now and in the future, in memory of their friends and loved ones. It really means a lot to us and I’d like to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the staff, customers and sponsors for their incredible donations to the hospice.

“We continue to be impacted in many ways by the pandemic. Our money box collections in shops, pubs and other local businesses have been hit by the lockdowns, and our own fundraising activities have been affected too, so we’re incredibly grateful for the amazing efforts and generosity of our communities as they help us to raise the £4million needed to meet our £5.8million annual running costs.

“We simply wouldn’t be here without the ongoing support of people like Martin and The Beaumont team, as we work with local people affected by life-shortening illnesses to experience quality of life, to the end of life.”

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