On Saturday, March 1st, the Beeswing pub, part of Punch Pubs & Co’s leased and tenanted estate, hosted a spectacular 15-hour Sky Sports-sponsored charity event to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
The event culminated in an all-singing, all-dancing knockout tournament, with competitors and spectators donning creative costumes, including nuns, a ladybird, and even a hotdog!
The stars of the show, professional darts player Simon ‘The Wizard’ Whitlock and his professional son, Mason Whitlock, and Robert Thornton, joined in the action, mixing with locals and the community in an ‘Ally Pally’ style event. Adding to the excitement was professional referee Nile Gott, who kept the energy high, introduced players, and tallied the all-important scores.
Publican Beth Robinson, renowned for her passion for community and fundraising, was thrilled with the day’s success. “It was the best day in the pub I’ve ever had!” Beth exclaimed. “I don’t think we could ever recreate what we did; it was simply amazing. Once again, I’ve been blown away by the support of our community.
“It was hard work but so worth it, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Not only did we all have the best day, we cheered, we laughed, we ate cake, and we danced and sang the night away. We raised an incredible amount of money and, most importantly, we shared our personal stories of cancer and how it’s affected us. That was the aim for us.
“I couldn’t be prouder of what we achieved or more grateful to everyone who helped organise, including Punch Pubs, Sky Sports and Macmillan, and to everyone who took part, or visited the pub on the day. We wouldn’t have achieved this alone, and with more donations still rolling in, I’m so excited to see the end result.”
This event was particularly meaningful to Beth, who has shared her own experiences with cancer and how it has affected her family. She wasn’t the only one with a personal reason to participate. Simon Whitlock spoke about losing his 59-year-old dad to cancer, and the Beeswing’s resident DJ, Adam Jackman, donated his entire earnings from the day, as his wife has just been treated for cancer for the second time.
“It’s incredible when you start these conversations and realise just how many of us are affected by this cruel disease,” Beth said. “We know we can’t eliminate it, but we can talk more, share our stories, and raise vital funds to increase awareness and support. I would recommend anyone give this style of event a go. It’s not about how much money you raise; it’s creating awareness that matters most.”
While the final fundraising total isn’t yet confirmed, Beth has surpassed Macmillan’s previous fundraising record for a darts event, raising over £6k. Donations can still be made using the online JustGiving page https://www.justgiving.com/page/beth-robinson-lee-3.
Photographs courtesy of TGR Photography & The Northern Echo
