Darts league teams rally to help hospice

Generous fundraisers from across the Five Towns have paid for a new furniture van for Pontefract’s Prince of Wales Hospice.
Prince of Wales Hospice darts and dominoes league buy furniture vanPrince of Wales Hospice darts and dominoes league buy furniture van
Prince of Wales Hospice darts and dominoes league buy furniture van

Members of the Hospice and Charities Darts and Dominoes League - which has raised more than £100k for the hospice since it started more than 20 years ago - collected £14,000 for the van after hospice bosses said they had a backlog of furniture to collect but not enough transport.

Bill Henderson, the retired police superintendent who runs the league,said: “Our aim has always been to raise as much money as possible for the hospice and other charities.

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“Over the years we have specialised in purchasing most of the vehicles which the hospice needed. We have bought every mini-coach used for the transportation of patients to and from day care and virtually every furniture van and other vehicle needed for the hospice shops.

“A few months ago the shops’ general manager mentioned they couldn’t keep up with the house clearances they had been asked to do because of a shortage of transport.

“Teams from the league rallied to the call and within weeks had raised enough money to buy another furniture van. For the first time we looked for a second-hand one because of the urgency, and with the help of a local mechanic, Peter Crossley, we were lucky to find one.

“The van is now in use by the hospice, and proudly displays the words ‘purchased by the Hospice & Charities Darts and Domino League.’ It is thanks to all the teams who take part in the league that this has been possible.”

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The league – which raises cash through entry and registration fees, donations, tournaments and other fundraising events – has also made donations to other charities including the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, the Anthony Nolan Trust and the Dr Jackson Cancer Fund.