Kentish Express Ashford & District
Charitable couple join hospices’ team
A charitable group has officially t eamed up with Pilgrims Hospices.
Victoria Friar, the hospices’ Ashford fundraising manager, has invited Ashford Charity Funds (ACF) to become an official fundraising group for the charity in Hythe Road.
The move has helped recognise husband and wife team, Gary and Marilyn Kirton, also known as Maz, for their long-standing dedication to the hospice.
ACF was set up in 2008 after Gary’s heart surgery, as a way of giving back by fundraising for various charities, especially those he was grateful to.
Mr Kirton said: “In 2009, Maz joined the domestic team at Pilgrims Hospices and two years later I joined the maintenance team. This spurred our decision to begin fundraising for Pilgrims Hospices.
“Our first event for Pilgrims was a charity football match which raised £6,000.
“Then for the last five years we have been holding regular bingo evenings, the first of which raised £120 but now regularly raises more than £500 per night.
“To date have raised more than £19,000.”
Between these activities, the pair have found time to organise social evenings and raffles, as well as support regular hospice fundraising events, whether by dressing as the hospice mascot called Raffles, taking part in the firewalk or working hard to help make the summer fair a success.
When the new football season begins in August, they will introduce their charity Premier League football coupon to follow how teams are doing, raise funds for Pilgrims and offer participants a chance to win the jackpot.
The next bingo night will be on Friday, May 5 and the pair will also host a charity walking football match on Sunday, June 11 at Charing Sports Ground.
For more details or to book a bingo table, call Gary on 07850 747198.