CHARITY CHEQUE PRESENTATIONS 2024
The club presented its annual charity cheques for 2024 at its October Annual General Meeting and 40th Birthday party.
The sum of £1,500 each was handed over to the club’s two nominated charities – Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance and Macmillan Caring Locally. The cheques were presented by club treasurer Ursula Bonner.
Martin and Jill Andrews represented Dorset Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance for which they are local volunteers. Martin explained the work the air ambulance does, not just using its helicopter but also mobile ground teams in cars.
He said that each mission costs around £3,500 so, which no national funding, the support of local organisation such as 1020 is vital to maintaining the service.
Macmillan Caring Locally was represented by Barry Wilson who is now well-known to club members. He showed a short film which highlighted the work of the charity not just within the Christchurch unit but also through its Community Specialist Palliative Care Nurses.
Both charities have subsequently sent formal letters of thanks to the club. The meeting agreed to continue supporting the two organisations for the coming 12 months.
MACMILLAN GOLDEN PARTNER AWARD
Bournemouth & Poole MGOC has been given Golden Partner status (in recognition of its many years supporting the charity) by Macmillan Caring Locally which is this year celebrating its 50th anniversary.
This means that the club will be invited to take part in numerous activities throughout 2024 – this has already begun with the club’s regular Quiz champions taking part in a fund-raising quiz night on Friday 23 February.
The next event in which members can participate is a Car Boot Sale on Sunday 16 March – £10 per car.
Later in the year, Macmillan Caring Locally hosts a Summer Fete at Christchurch Hospital on Saturday 15 June at which we hope to have a club stand and display (note this is the same date as the Ferndown Fete on the Field at which we are already exhibiting).
More details on 1020’s participation in the anniversary events will be announced when they are available.
You can see more about the charity’s events planned for 2024 at www.macmillanlocal.org/events-and-challenges/
CHARITY CHEQUE PRESENTATIONS 2023
Cheques for £1,500 each were presented to Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Macmillan Caring Locally at the 2023 Annual General Meeting,
The money was primarily collected during the club’s annual Garden Party and Picnic at Athelhampton House and topped up with the sale during the year of various donated items and other fund-raising activities.
Receiving the Macmillan cheque, Trust Secretary Neal Williams thanked club members for their continued support and explained how vital our contribution is to the work of the charity especially their care in the community programme that supports end of life cancer patients remain in their own home.
At the same time, Neal said the day-to-day work of the hospice at Christchurch Hospital continues as does the fund-raising for their new unit on the site which is in the full planning stage.
A collection of books and jigsaws donated by club members were also delivered to the Christchurch Unit a few days later – these will go into the patients’ library.
Receiving the cheque on behalf of DSAA was paramedic and volunteer John Bizzell who said that our donation alone was sufficient to purchase equipment, such as a defibrillator for their mobile paramedic teams.
He also promoted a new scheme called the Pillow Partner which is a training aid designed to allow anyone to practice CPR – full details on this can be found at www.swast.nhs.uk/restartaheart
CHARITY CHEQUE PRESENTATIONS 2022
Club treasurer Andy Munden presented giant cheques to our two nominated annual charities Macmillan Caring Locally and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance at our 2022 Annual General Meeting.
The cheques were collected by Neal Williams (left) Trust Secretary for Macmillan Caring Locally and Tracy Bartram from DSAA.
CHARITY CHEQUE PRESENTATIONS 2021
At our annual meeting in October 2021 I was delighted and proud to present cheques for £1,200 each to our two nominated charities; Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) and Macmillan Caring Locally.
Collecting the cheque on behalf of DSAA, Leanne Colverson updated members on the work of the air ambulance during the pandemic and how they have adapted to ensure the safety of staff and patients against the Covid virus.
Afterwards she commented; “It was great to see you all again and thank you once again for the clubs loyalty and continued support.”
Representing Macmillan Caring Locally was Barry Wilson who provided details on their ongoing work and also the construction of the new unit at Christchurch Hospital.
Afterwards I received a letter from trust secretary Neal Williams (see below) thanking us for our support and revealing that our fund raising day at Athelhampton House in August was the first public event that they had attended since the start of the pandemic 18 months previously.
I am also pleased to report that the meeting gave its approval to the committee recommendation that we continue to support these two deserving causes over the coming 12 months.
The meeting also agreed to arrange a fund raising event on behalf of the Dorset Cancer Care Foundation which is supported by several club members.
For 2021 Bournemouth and Poole MGOC has chosen to continue supporting its two long established nominated charities; Macmillan Caring Locally and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
MACMILLAN CARING LOCALLY
At the club’s January 2021 virtual club night it was agreed to donate £1,000 from club funds to Macmillan Caring Locally.
At the same meeting members were able to see a presentation by Neal Williams from Macmillan Caring Locally that featured a walk-through film of the artist’s impressions for the planned new £12 million Macmillan Hospice at Christchurch Hospital.
The scheme for the enlarged 20 bed unit (the existing unit has 16 bed spaces) has already been granted planning permission on the site of the existing hospital car park and with £6 million already raised they hope to start construction later this year.
Neal explained that their original layout will be modified to take into account provisions required to account for on-going coronavirus protection. The building will be divided into sections for the public (including a coffee shop), private bedrooms (each with its own outdoor space) and offices.
After the meeting Neal wrote to the club; “I was absolutely thrilled to receive your donation of £1,000. It is so kind of you to think of our charity at this most challenging time.
“What a year 2020 was for everyone. We are so proud of our teams at the Macmillan Unit and in the community, for the way they adapted to the constant changes required to keep their patients and colleagues safe during the pandemic.
“Despite all that has challenged us, we have been humbled by the heart-warming response of our community and supporters, the random acts of kindness, and the true spirit shown when people face adversity. Thanks to people like you, who have so kindly thought of others less fortunate, we are able to maintain the outstanding care that the Macmillan Unit provides.
“On behalf of our patients and their families, I thank you for your kind gift.”
DORSET AND SOMERSET AIR AMBULANCE
The club has received the following letter in response to its 2020 donation of £1,000 to DSAA.
Communications manager Tracy Bartram was due to give a presentation on the work of the service to the February 2021 virtual club night.
JIGSAWS FOR MACMILLAN
Club members donated a collection of jigsaws which were delivered to the Macmillan Unit at Christchurch hospital in October 2020. They were being distributed to cancer patients in their homes.
VISITING DORSET AND SOMERSET AIR AMBULANCE
Sunday 17 September 2017 – cheque presentation.
