Marple Santa Dash 2018 raised over £7,000
Now that things have settled down after a somewhat hectic but very satisfying Christmas season, I am delighted to be giving you an update on the Romiley and Marple Lions Club activities. I have waited for details of the sponsorship money raised on behalf of Kidneys for Life so that I could report as accurately as possible on the totals raised by or on behalf of the Club.
232 people took part in the Marple Santa Dash (the most we have ever had), enabling us to pay £2,320 into the Lions Club Charity Account. £2,000 was raised in the Dragon Miniature Railway's Father Christmas Grotto and a further £840 hosting breakfast and teatime sessions with Father Christmas in the Marple Garden Centre (Wyevale) Restaurant.
Thank you everyone for your support!
As usual, I have to say thank you to so many people, especially the volunteers at the Dragon Miniature Railway and staff at Marple Garden Centre. I think it is most important that we should acknowledge the wonderful support we receive every year and also let people know what we do with the hard earned money that they so kindly donate to us.
The Santa Dash was a wonderful success in 2018 and I must put on record my personal thanks to Carol Bonham and Victoria Thomson, of Kidneys for Life, for all their help and support. Over £2,000 has already been received by them in sponsorship money (maybe with more to come), which indicates that the Lions were involved in raising over £7,000 during the Christmas period.
For possibly our best Dash ever, we had our usual "Dream Team" on duty. The local Air Training Corps performed marshalling duties along the route and Sarah Dalby, our expert trainer, made sure that everyone was fully prepared for the Dash. Changing facilities were kindly provided by Marple Scouts in their hut in the Memorial Park and Lawrence Fernehough (Crabtrees of New Mills) had his flat back lorry ready for Sarah to use as her "stage". Marple Band provided the perfect musical welcome at the Garden Centre and Paul Cain (Smiths of Marple) was on hand to transport the weary Dashers back to Marple. My thanks to everyone, including Tina Bowker (M.C. Catering) who supplied the mince pies.
If I have forgotten anyone, please forgive me. All the Dashers were wonderful and I hope they will be joining us again for an even better Santa Dash on Sunday, 1st. December, 2019.
Worthy causes supported in 2018:
Thanks to you, the Lions are able to help many worthy causes – locally, nationally and internationally. Here are just a few of them (2018):
- National Library for the Blind (RNIB)
- Hazel (The Well-Being Boat)
- New Horizons (Marple)
- Mellor Country House
- Chernobyl Children’s Project
- Beechwood Cancer Care Centre
- Kidneys for Life
- Kids Cancer Charity
- Debra
- Motor Neurone Association
- Reuben’s Retreat
Get involved with Romiley and Marple Lions
Visit their own web site to learn more about Romiley and Marple Lions Club (link in menu).
Photos curtesy of Kidneys for Life and Joanne Andrews.
