Badge sales boost garden appeal funds (From The Bolton News)

Badge sales boost garden appeal funds

10:53am Wednesday 31st January 2007 in

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A CHARITY champion, who has raised thousands of pounds for the Fred Dibnah Appeal, has now collected £500 to transform the gardens at Bolton Hospice.

Wendy Close designed and commissioned pin badges to raise money towards erecting a permanent statue to the Bolton celebrity steeplejack, who died at the hospice in November, 2004.

But she made the decision to turn her efforts into a two-pronged charity drive and has donated half of the cash she has raised by selling 1,000 gold badges for The Bolton News' Garden of Tranquillity appeal.

The appeal aims to raise £100,000 to create a haven of rest from the rundown grounds of Bolton Hospice.

Miss Close, aged 54, of Thorns Road, Astley Bridge, said: "I had such a good response from people when they knew half of the money raised was going to this appeal for the hospice because I think everyone believes it's a really good thing.

"I'm really pleased with how much I've managed to raise and I hope to collect even more in the future."

Little has been done to improve the grounds of Bolton Hospice since it opened 14 years ago.

Grass covers most of the open space, meaning people in wheelchairs and those using Zgimmer frames cannot use the gardens.

Patio areas are filled with cracked, broken and uneven paving stones.

Under the Garden of Tranquillity plans, pathways will be created to provide disabled access and there will be private seating areas where patients can spend time with their loved ones.

There will also be a water feature and a sensory garden.

If you want to contribute to the appeal, cheques and postal orders should be made payable to Bolton Hospice and can be returned to The Bolton News, Newspaper House, Churchgate, Bolton, BL1 1DE.

If you are organising an event contact The Bolton News health reporter, Jane Lavender, on 01204 537350.