A COWBOY will be firing off some arrows when he visits Burghfield next month and is inviting people to throw against him. But this is a darts world champion, and it will be for a good cause.
Bob Anderson is to be the special guest at a darts tournament organised by a Reading man who wants to thank Sue Ryder for the support they gave his family after his wife, Audrey, died last year.
Peter Bush, 69, has invited The Limestone Cowboy to come to Burghfield Community Sports Association for an exhibition match on Saturday, September 16. Those joining them will have an opportunity to take on the sporting ace, who won the 1988 BDO World Darts Championship.
“I am a keen darts player and thought it would be a great idea to tie in what I love with an event in memory of Audrey, whilst raising money for Sue Ryder,” Mr Bush explained.
“On the night, we will hold a raffle, and 14 people will win the chance to play with Bob.
“We are hoping to raise £1,000. It’s the least I can do for all the support Sue Ryder has shown me and my family.”
Mr Bush said that Audrey had liver and kidney cancer, and she was cared for by Sue Ryder nurses and Newbury Cancer Care at West Berkshire Community Hospital.
“Sue Ryder provided such exceptional, high-quality care for Audrey,” he continued. “There was nothing too much for the nurses, they were so kind. One of the nurses still checks in on my daughter to see how she is getting on. We were treated with nothing but kindness.
“We couldn’t believe how caring they were.”
Mr Bush is following in his wife’s footsteps – she was a fundraiser for The Kidney Foundation, and also a keen knitter of hats and blankets for baby units at local hospitals.
“Audrey was an incredible woman,” he said. “That is why I am holding the darts charity night, I want to be able to give back in some way.
“We shouldn’t need to fundraise for people to be able to access this type of care during the hardest of times, but that is unfortunately the reality we live in.
“I know my brain wasn’t functioning properly after Audrey passed away, and Sue Ryder helped so much. Everybody deserves that.”
After her death, Mr Bush received support from Sue Ryder’s Grief Kind Space in Thatcham, which offers support for people wanting to work through their grief.
“The Grief Kind Spaces are brilliant – I can go and talk to people who are also dealing with grief and say things openly that I may not feel comfortable saying to my family,” he said.
“I can talk without judgment about Audrey, but I also get to chat to other people about all sorts of things.
“The first time I went I was a bit nervous, but I took a deep breath and went in – and I’m so glad I did. Everyone was so welcoming and supportive. It’s a really amazing group of people, some people have said things that they have carried with them their whole life and never been able to tell anyone.
“It’s helped me learn that there’s no right or wrong way to grieve, and the Grief Kind Spaces are a great outlet to be able to speak freely.”
The darts charity fundraiser will take place from 6.30pm on Saturday, September 16 at Burghfield Community Sports Association, James Lane, Burghfield, RG30 3RS. For more details, or to book a place, call the community sports association on 0118 983 3423.
