Fenland pub raises �20,000 with three events in four months

STAFF and regulars at a Fenland pub have raised an astonishing �20,000 with three events in just four months.

An annual golf day, a cycle ride and a charity auction were all it took for the Black Bear in Walsoken to reach the milestone.

“What a fantastic amount of money,” said landlord Joe Hill, who runs the pub with wife Debbie. “It has been a brilliant effort by customers and the fundraisers who helped us achieve this total.

“It goes to show that, even though there is not a lot of money around at the moment, people will dig deep and spend their money for good causes.”

The money will be split between the leukaemia unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where Mr Hill’s step-grandson is having treatment; and for Acorn House, charity-run accommodation for parents also at Addenbrooke’s.

The pub holds a golf day every year and usually raises about �1,000 but this year’s event, held in April, raised just over �2,000.

Mr Hill said: “One of my customers then told us about his granddaughter being treated in Addenbrooke’s Hospital for a tumour and asked if any of the money we raised at the golf day could go to Acorn House. His daughter had been using the facilities there and wanted to give something back.

“We decided to hold a bike ride from Hunstanton to the Black Bear for Acorn House and we had 63 people take part.

“When the money started coming in afterwards we knew we were going to get a lot, even then we only expected �4,000 or �5,000. But it kept coming and coming and far exceeded our expectations.”

The final event was a charity auction about three weeks ago, which raised �1,500 and took the total to �20,000.

The two cheques will be presented at the pub next Thursday at 7.30pm.