Performers pitch in to donate Easter goodies to food bank
DONATIONS OF TOMBOLA PRIZES AFTER CANCELLED EVENT
THERE’S no business like show business when it comes to providing Easter treats to a food bank serving families in Hessle.
Singers, songwriters, musicians and more donated chocolate eggs and other goodies to All Saints Church for distribution after the coronavirus precautions forced the cancellation of plans to raise money at an annual tombola.
The performers, all members of the Humberside Variety Branch of Equity, were looking forward to taking the total raised from their Easter egg-stravaganza to more than £1,000, having collected more than £930 over the past six years.
But with social distancing keeping people at home this year’s event at St Stephen’s shopping centre in aid of the Daisy Appeal had to be cancelled.
Instead of reaching their milestone and handing over some cash for the charity the performers – who also include actors, directors, buskers and children’s entertainers – decided to find a deserving cause for their mountain of chocolate.
Equity, the union for professional actors and entertainers, has about 48,000 members across the UK with a local branch of about 160 members who meet every month in Hull, Scunthorpe, Cleethorpes and Scarborough. Honor Pallant, who runs the Spinoff Theatre Company, suggested they support the Daisy Appeal.
Christie Clifford, a singer and secretary of the branch, said: “We’ve held annual events at St Stephen’s since 2014 with an Easter egg tombola and a variety of entertainment depending on who was available on the day.
“This year we were forward to putting on show and passing the milestone.
“Unfortunately, we had to rethink but thankfully with the help of All Saints Church we managed to make sure all the Easter eggs went to families who need them.”
Rev Gemma Turner, Vicar of All Saints Church, said: “Just a big thank you to all the members of Humberside Variety Branch of Equity who collected the Easter eggs in support of the Daisy Appeal and have kindly donated them to local children who depend on the food bank.
“I know we are in challenging times with the coronavirus and these Easter eggs I am sure will bring much joy.”
Claire Levy, fundraiser for the Daisy Appeal, said: “It’s such a shame the performers had to cancel their show this year.
“We’re extremely grateful to Humberside Variety Branch looking another £1,000 the of
Equity for their support over the years and we’re delighted they chose to help the food bank.
“We’re looking forward very much to helping them pass that £1,000 target next year.”
The Daisy Appeal has a target of £8.2m to complete a radiochemistry and cyclotron unit which will produce radioactive tracers at Castle
Hill Hospital and provide the opportunity for patients to receive more personalised care leading to earlier diagnosis and giving them better treatment and quality of life.
Once the facility is fully functional patients from a wider geographical area will have access to its services, improving accuracy and detection rates for cancer, heart disease and dementia in Hull, the East Riding and North Lincolnshire.
The charity aims to play a leading role in clinically relevant PET-CT research over the next two decades and to show that the technology can be brought to the individual patient, quickly and effectively.
To find out more about the Daisy Appeal, visit www.daisyappeal.org