Rugby players swap kit for butler outfits to help kids’ hospice
A RUGBY LEAGUE club is putting some muscle into this year’s Bling Fling businesswomen’s charity lunch, to help raise thousands of pounds for Huddersfield’s Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.
Dewsbury Rams players have volunteered to pitch in with a team of “Butlers in Bowties” who will meet and greet guests as they arrive.
They will circulate with raffle tickets during the event and generally assist the organising committee to ensure everything runs smoothly in order to raise as much as possible for the hospice and hopefully top last year’s total. The Bling Fling is back for the second year running on Friday, May 3, at The Arches in Dean Clough, Halifax.
This year’s lunch will have a floral theme, with beautiful single stem flowers available for guests to buy and enter a special prize draw, plus more chances to win throughout the event.
Vicki Davenport, head of The Bling Fling Committee, said: “We’d like to say a huge thank-you to the lads for being such great sports in coming along to help raise funds for such an amazing cause.
“But – sorry ladies – please don’t all suddenly form a scrum for tickets, as the tables are all already sold out.
“However there is still chance to sponsor the Floral Bling Fling or donate some lovely prizes for the raffle.”
Steven Downes, a spokesman for Dewsbury Rams, said: “Once again this shows that Dewsbury Rams is dedicated to backing worthwhile events. We hope everyone has a terrific day and the event goes superbly well and raises a lot of money for a muchneeded cause.”
The first “Diamond” Bling Fling, with its glittering jewellery theme, raised an impressive £17,750 for the Brackenhall-based hospice, which supports families of children with life-shortening illnesses.
Jess Lees, corporate fundraiser at Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, said: “It costs us £4 million a year to help change the lives of all the wonderful children and families who use our services every day.
“Without events like the Bling Fling to bring in funds and the support of caring people like the whole team at Dewsbury Rams, we wouldn’t be able to carry on doing what we do.
“In fact, what we really need is to keep growing, because we can currently only reach 15% of the families who need us, so we do appreciate all the help we can get.”
To find out more go to www.theblingfling.co.uk