It’s one of the most heart-warming moments of a club captain’s year – presenting the charity cheque at the end of a year in office. And David Bird, outgoing captain of Berkhamsted Golf Club, can feel especially proud after presenting the town’s beloved Hospice of St Francis with a truly spectacular donation.
At the end of his year as captain, Bird presented a cheque which was giant in all ways to the charity’s Head of Community, Lucy Hume. The sum raised, £12,546.89, surpassed even the outgoing captain’s most optimistic expectations.
“Everyone here is simply very proud to have helped raise such a meaningful sum of money” said Bird. “I think it is large enough to make a difference. The club has enjoyed a long relationship with the wonderful people at the hospice, and my wife also works there as a volunteer. It felt like the natural choice.”
The free Hospice of St Francis, which is a Berkhamsted-based charity, has helped thousands of people to live their precious lives well since 1979. On June 2, it received the Queens Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
“We were blown away by this donation,” said Hume. “It was absolutely amazing and we are incredibly grateful to David and the members at Berkhamsted Golf Club – especially in this our 40th anniversary year. The golf club and the Hospice have worked together in the community for decades, but this is truly exceptional.”
When the amount raised was announced at the golf club’s annual general meeting in late April, there was a spontaneous round of applause from the 150 people who attended.
“I nagged the life out of our members,” admitted Bird. “In the end we raised over double what I was originally hoping for.”
Among a host of fund-raising events during the year, a couple stood out. A charity auction last September produced over £5,000 worth of donations in a single night, with prizes donated by members, local businesses and other local golf clubs. And EasyJet donated four ‘fly-anywhere’ tickets with full baggage allowance, which raised over £3,000 on their own.