Vickie proves she’s a hospice hero with her lockdown stall
HALIFAX RESIDENT Vickie Bullough has raised nearly £4,000 for Overgate Hospice by running a socially distanced garden stall.
Prior to lockdown, GP receptionist Vickie, spent her weekends volunteering at Overgate’s charity shop in King Cross.
The Elland hospice is close to Vickie’s heart, as eight years ago her best friend Carol spent her final weeks there.
After decluttering her home on Free School Lane, Vickie decided to set up a table with her unwanted goods, asking people to leave a donation for the hospice.
On the first day, Vickie took
‘I’ve met so many lovely people. It’s been a fantastic project’
£23.50, however after spreading the word on Facebook, she managed to take over £400 in one day. Over 23 sessions, she has managed to raise nearly £4,000.
After running the stall for a few days, neighbours and friends began donating items for Vickie to sell.
“My hallway has become a bit of a deathtrap with all the boxes of stuff that people have donated.
“We’ve had a real ecclectic mix of stuff on the stall. People have donated all sorts of things, from books and CDs to boxes of greeting cards, to tomato plants.
“It’s been really heartwarming to see how the communityhave embraced really embraced the stall and got involved.
“I started off with just one table and now my front garden is filled with five tables of stock,” said Vickie.
As well as raising vital funds for the charity, Vickie says that the stall has kept her occupied during these unsettling times and allowed her to make new friends.
“I’ve met so many lovely people. It’s been a fantastic project and helped me have some social interaction whilst following social distancing.
“The only blip we’ve had, was the spouts of bad weather, as we couldn’t leave stuff out in the rain.”
If you would like to donate or shop to Vickie’s stall, visit Free School Lane in Savile Park.
Overgate hospice are still accepting direct debit, online and telephone donations, and have began to reopen their charity shops.
For more information or to donate to Overgate Hospice, ring 01422 379151 or email them at fundraising@overgatehospice.nhs.uk.
WHAT DO YOU THINK What do you think makes Overgate Hospice in Elland so special?
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