An unusual fundraiser has generated more than £2500 after a group of mates from Burwell decided to dress to impress for a community challenge.
James Pryor brought together friends, family and villagers in Burwell for the ’12 Stops of Christmas’ in aid of the Arthur Rank Hospice.
On Christmas Eve for the last three years, James and a group of around twenty friends - wearing festive jumpers, t-shirts and fancy dress – have made their way around pre-approved stops dotted around Burwell including the Anchor, Five Bells, the Fox pubs and the British Legion.
This year James - dressed as Santa - and a group of twenty of his best friends invited those who spotted them to snap a ‘Selfie with Santa’.
James said: “What stood out to me the most this year was understanding just how many lives Arthur Rank Hospice touches on a daily basis.
“So many people are affected by life-limiting illnesses, not just cancer, but illnesses that a lot of us don’t fully understand or have heard of.”
Having presented the cheque to the hospice’s fundraising team, James was also given a guided tour of the Shelford Bottom facility.
He added: “I’m so proud that by creating this annual tradition, we’ve been able to raise money to help as many people as we can, while catching up with old friends and family.”
Ahead of the evening, the group shared a post on Burwell Community Notice Board on Facebook, explaining: “For a group of lads born and raised in this awesome village, we would be having a beer on Christmas Eve anyway.
“It’s been simply amazing to see how generous you all are as we try to make a real difference to people’s lives and have a laugh together by doing so.”
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity was delighted to be the beneficiary of the group’s festive fun this year.
Community Fundraiser Bec Beattie, said: “We are so grateful to James and his friends for choosing to support us, as well as the Burwell community for being so generous in their support.
“The amount raised of £2581.61 was fabulous by a gathering of friends.
“Just another great example of how ingenious our supporters can be when coming up with ways to raise funds for our essential services.”
To speak to the fundraising team about holding your own community fundraiser contact 01223 675888 or visit https://www.arhc.org.uk/community-overview.asp
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