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Charity ball adds to fundraising team’s total
Relentless fundraising and a charity ball has led a team of family and friends to raise more than £40,000 for the Hospice.
Alongside their family and friends father and daughter Darren and Connie Gibbs launched their Zena 10 fundraising in June 2014, which marked the 10th anniversary of the death of Darren’s partner and Connie’s mother Zena Butcher, 37.
They initially hoped to raise £10,000 for the Hospice, which helped the family through Zena’s six-year battle with a malignant brain tumour.
However, the efforts of the Zena 10 fundraising team have led to more than £40,000 being raised for the charity.
The team’s latest fundraising event, a charity ball which was held on what would have been Zena’s 49th birthday, October 22, was organised by Zena’s sisters Mandy Smart and Tracey Butcher alongside Zena’s daughter Connie.
The ball raised £3,000 for the hospice, which when combined with all of the money raised by the fundraising group means to date £41,655.97 has been raised in Zena’s memory.
Tracey said: “This year’s Z10 charity ball was much easier to organise, and with the support from friends, family and local businesses it meant that a great time was had by us all. Because of the continued success and enthusiasm for Z10 we are now planning for 2017.”
The funds raised will help the Hospice’s Nicky’s Way programme which helps children and young people cope with their emotions, before, during and after bereavement.
Both Connie and Darren received support from Nicky’s Way, following Zena’s death in 2005.
Nicky’s Way is the only service of its kind in Suffolk. It is open to any youngster who lives in West Suffolk or Thetford and has been bereaved, whether connected to the Hospice or not.
It is a service which helps young people feel less lonely and isolated following the death of a loved one, giving them the opportunity to share their emotions and help families talk together about their loss.