Hoops boss helps to raise hospice funds
Event makes £217k
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers helped raise a stunning six-figure sum for Kilbryde Hospice.
The ‘An Evening with Brendan Rodgers’ event generated £217,000.
It was the idea of Glasgow businessmen Lord Willie Haughey and Steven Kilcoyne, who are both hospice supporters, and it was hosted by Tony Hamilton, from the Celtic Foundation.
South Lanarkshire’s hospice provides specialist palliative to patients with life-limiting progressive illnesses, and support to their relatives and carers.
Hospice chief executive Gordon Mchugh and fundraising manager Lesley Wiggins went to Celtic’s Lennoxtown training base to collect the cheque.
At the charity event Rodgers took part in a Q&A, with Kilbryde Hospice ambassador Andy Cameron playing it for laughs and entertaining the audience.
Mr Mchugh then delivered a speech which centred on the similarities between hospices and Celtic’s history.
He said: “Brother Walfrid created a football club which has always opened its doors to one and all, no matter their faith or colour, creed or race, and we at the hospice have the same mission.”
Mr Mchugh also highlighted the background of hospice founder Tony Mcguinness and his association with the club, being one of the founder members of the Celtic Executive Club and chairman of Celtic Boys’ Club for 21 years.
Clinical services manager Margaret Mary Cowan highlighted the work the hospice does through its day services and Care at Home programme.
She appealed for guests to pay the salary of a specialist in-patient nurse by purchasing a day at the presidential suite at Celtic Park with Lord Haughey, which raised £73,000.