Coseley group celebrate three decades of supporting Compton Care
Fundraisers danced the night away as they celebrated three decades of supporting seriously ill patients.
Members of Coseley Support Group were in high spirits after revealing they had raised a total of £100,000 for Wolverhampton's Compton Care sine 1989.
They celebrated the achievement with a special get-together earlier this month and have now vowed to continuing supporting the Compton Road West hospice.
Committee member Iris Gamble said: “I used to be a palliative care nurse so I know all about the excellent work Compton does, which is why I wanted to help them and fundraise.
“Coseley Support Group started in 1989 and we began by organising coffee and chat events and we would knit and sell the items that we had made all in aid of Compton.
“In the early days we would raise a few hundred pounds from dances and as the group grew, we began to raise more and more money.
"We’ve had so much fun over the years and held some wonderful events including a few shows, which always go down really well with the local community.”
Coseley Support Group, which is made up of six committee members, has been supporting Compton Care since fundraisers came together in 1989.
A string of fundraisers have been held over the years, including barn dances, coffee mornings, raffles and coach trips.
Ms Gamble she said the group was ‘thrilled’ to have raised the cash, adding: "People are so generous and it’s lovely to see so many people supporting us and helping such a wonderful charity.
"Never did I think we would raise £100,000. It’s such an achievement and myself and all of the other members of Coseley Support Group are absolutely thrilled and we are going to continue raising money for Compton for as long as we can.”
The group handed over handed a cheque for £4,000 to Hamish Shilliday, Compton Care's director of income, during a celebratory event at Coseley's St Chad's Church.
The grand total raised will fund the equivalent of 205 meals for a patient staying on Compton Care's inpatient unit, plus 100 overnight visits from healthcare assistants providing care in homes.
It will also fund 100 visits from community nurses providing care and support in patient homes, 50 occupied bed days on the inpatient unit and 100 counselling sessions.
Mr Shilliday said: “We are overwhelmed that Coseley Support Group have raised such a phenomenal amount for Compton Care and so grateful for their dedication and continued support over the last 30 years.
“Because of them we are able to continue to provide extraordinary care for our patients and their families living with complex and incurable illnesses.
"We look forward to supporting them both now and in the future with all of their fundraising efforts.”
Compton Care, formerly Compton Hospice, supports people living with a complex, long term or incurable condition across the Black Country, Staffordshire and Shropshire.
