A FUND RAISING lunch which was in danger of folding has now been resurrected, raising almost £14,000 for one of the North East’s leading hospices.
Durham’s St Cuthbert’s Hospice had a long relationship with Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa and has held many events there over the years, to enable them to provide vital services.
Thos events have included golf days and the popular ladies’ lunch, which has successfully run for the past eight years.
Financial pressures meant the hospice had to announce redundancies last year as well as a reduction in patient services, with the fear that these special events would also go to the wall.
But then hotel owner John Adamson and St Cuthbert’s development manager, Kay Carrick, joined forces to ensure that the lunch went ahead – resulting in a major boost for the hospice’s coffers.
The revived lunch attracted more than 320 guests, who turned out in force to hear guest speaker Janice Baker – of the Channel 4 series Our Farm in the Dales and mother of television presenter Matt Baker who went to school at nearby Belmont Comprehensive.
Ramside Hall’s sales team also stepped in to help ensure the event was a success.
John Adamson said: “We have been long-time supporters of St Cuthbert’s Hospice and hosted events at Ramside Hall for a lot of years and when we heard about the financial difficulties we wanted to do even more to help to ensure these important fundraising events can still go ahead.
“Our sales team acted as The Box Office for the ladies lunch and it was fantastic to see so many people turn out and raise such a brilliant sum.
“We look forward to hosting them again next year.”
Bookings are already being taken for the 2026 ladies lunch which will take place Friday April 24, while the St Cuthbert’s Hospice golf day will be held on September 5 this year.
Anyone interested in either/both events can contact golfsales@ramsidehallhotel.co.uk Claire.Stephen@ramsidehallhotel.co.uk for further information.