A Worcester man has retired in style by holding a fundraising party, raising over £12,000 for St Richard’s Hospice.
Bob Pudge, from Warndon Villages, Worcester, had been thinking of retiring from the construction industry for a while, and decided that a party would seal the deal.
Mr Pudge and his wife, Jane, thought that this would also be an ideal opportunity to raise money for St Richard’s Hospice, which had cared for a close friend of theirs, Sarah Veall.
Over 300 guests attended the event at the Holiday Inn in Stratford, which included a dinner and Michael Buble tribute band. The couple also arranged an auction and lots of other fundraising games, with prizes donated by local businesses.
Sarah, a journalist from Worcester, was diagnosed with spinal cancer and died in June of this year, aged 39. During her illness, Sarah was supported by members of the St Richard’s team including a specialist nurse, benefits adviser, complementary therapist and counsellor. The team also supported her family and boyfriend, Adrian Norsworthy, who plans to run 13 marathons in 2015 in aid of St Richard’s.
Mr Pudge said; “I’ve tried to retire before and been persuaded to stay on a while. This time, we thought if I held a retirement party it would make sure I did retire! Sarah was an inspiration to all who knew her and so we thought it would be lovely to be able to raise some money in her memory as well as celebrate this milestone in our own lives.
“We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from individuals and local businesses who generously gave us items for our auction and raffle and from our guests on the evening who bid on items and made donations. Jane and I are so pleased that we are able to make this donation to the hospice to thank them for all the compassionate care they gave Sarah and her family and help ensure that this very special care is available for other families during such difficult times.”