Charity golf day raises more than £16,000 for Children’s Hospice
Golfers teed off at Chorley Golf Club for the second annual charity golf day in aid of Derian House Children’s Hospice — raising £16,803 for the children and families the hospice supports.
The Derian Open saw 20 teams, made up of 80 participants, take part in the event at Chorley Golf Club on Friday, 15 May.
Among the players were four bereaved fathers whose families are supported by Derian House. They played as a team in custom-made T-shirts bearing their children’s names, in tribute to their sons and daughters and to the hospice that continues to support them.
The dads meet monthly at the Chorley-based charity to talk, listen and share their experiences of grief.
After a morning on the course, teams gathered for a two-course lunch and awards ceremony, where they heard from bereaved father Nathan Hearn, whose daughter Charlotte was 10 days old when she died at Derian House.
Nathan, 51, of Claughton-on-Brock, near Garstang, said: “I felt really proud to take part with our group of Derian dads, wearing our children’s names on our shirts.
“I have huge gratitude for everyone who organised such a brilliant day. It was a great competition raising money for a great cause.
“I want to raise awareness of what Derian House does for children and families. You become part of a community, a network of support that is beyond what you might imagine.
“When our daughter Charlotte was born in 2017 with half a working heart, we knew our lives would never be the same.
“When surgery wasn’t possible, we chose to spend her final days there, and the care, love and humanity we received was incredible.
“They helped us focus on making memories as a family and supported us through everything, both at the time and in the years since. I can never do enough to thank them.”
Joining Nathan on his team was bereaved father Bradly Simpson, whose son Link was cared for by Derian House after he died aged four following a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.
Bradly, of Leigh, Greater Manchester, said: “As a bereaved father, having the opportunity to play was incredibly special.
“Not only because I was remembering my son, but because I had the privilege of playing alongside three other dads who share the same heartbreaking journey.
“One of the most emotional moments for me came on the 18th tee, when we each chose a song to be played. I selected a single my daughter recorded in memory of her little brother, ‘The Spirit in the Silence’, and hearing it caught me completely off guard.
“Trying to compose myself enough to hit a golf shot was harder than I expected, but being embraced by the other dads in that moment made it deeply moving.
“Any bereaved parent will understand the weight we carry, and the support from the team at Derian, who stand beside us and our families, means more than words can express.
“Sharing that day with the other dads was something truly special.”
Speeches were also heard from Caroline Taylor, Deputy Chief Executive at Derian House, Paul Morton, Chair of Trustees at the hospice, and Jim Murray, Managing Director of Thomas Hardie Commercials, the official partner for the event.
Special medals were handed out to winning player Phil Edmonds, of Plumbase Chorley, as well as the winning team Benefit Mankind.
The Blackburn-based charity has been a major supporter of Derian House, partnering with Blackburn Rovers to raise awareness and funds for the hospice, including a recent £10,000 donation.
Other awards, donated free of charge by John Harrison’s Sports, included boxed medals, bottles of wine and golf vouchers for Chorley Golf Club, as well as prizes for nearest the pin, longest drive and a wooden spoon for the last-placed player.
A raffle featured prizes including a two-night stay at Hawes Villa in Silverdale, golf at Marriott Worsley Park, Lancashire Cricket tickets, an Xbox, a PlayStation 5, vouchers for Antonello’s Leyland, Rise Preston and Waterstones, a Crazy Golf experience and family break packages.
A football shirt auction, featuring signed Manchester City and Manchester United shirts, also raised just under £1,000.
Kerry Salmon, Community Fundraiser at Derian House, said: “We can’t thank our amazing golfers enough – our second Derian Open was fantastic.
“Seeing the community come together to support Derian House, and the dads taking part in tribute to their children, made it an incredibly special day.
“Care is free to families at Derian House, but it will cost £6million to run the hospice this year. We rely on our kind-hearted supporters to raise 70p in every £1 as we only receive a small amount of funding from the government.
“I’d also like to say a special thank you to our official partners, Thomas Hardie Commercials – we couldn’t have done it without you.”
Derian House, based in Chorley, Lancashire, cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West.