Silver Cross of St. George: Richard Meyer
Cancer
is a nasty illness and affects almost every family in the country at some stage. When Richard Meyer’s daughter, Katherine, died in March 2012 at the age of only 41, he decided to do something positive to help other sufferers and set up the Cockadoodledo Trust — with emphasis on the letters “DO”.
The objective is to create a greater awareness of the wonderful work carried out by around 230 hospices in the United Kingdom and to raise funds to help offset the £800 million that it costs to run them annually, 70 per cent of which comes from private donations. Amazingly, the number of hospice volunteers is more than 125,000.
The trust operates a charity garden in a secluded woodland glade by the Cotswold Hills in rural Gloucestershire, home to a number of rare poultry breeds housed in a copy of the Prince of Wales’s chicken house at nearby Highgrove. Not only does the garden raise funds through charity activities and artistic retreats, but is also available as a place of reflection for those who knew Katherine (pictured with her father) or for anyone else to remember a close relative or friend who also succumbed to cancer.
Katherine loved chickens and gardening, and before she died spent some time in St. Peter’s Hospice, Bristol, which caters for patients from a wide area, its main aim, like all hospices, being to improve their quality of life. Last year they cared for more than 2,000 patients and 6,000 family members, offering individual and specific care to all. They were so good that Katherine described it as a five star hotel!
As a response, Richard created the TEN for TEN Campaign in which he appealed for ten millionaires to donate £1 million each, or for one million members of the public to donate £10 each. The address is Katharine’s Farm, Swinhay, Wotton-under-edge, GL12 7PH. The website is www.cockadoodledo.org.uk and the email is info@cockadoodledo.org.uk Also, anyone can text Hens 10 £10 to 70070. Well done Richard and all your family. We take great pleasure in awarding you our Silver Cross of St. George and wish you well as you continue to raise funds to support the vital work of more than 200 hospices across the country.