A darts match fundraiser has hit the bullseye for a leading palliative care and bereavement support charity.
Former BDO World Darts Champion, Bob Anderson, took on 14 hopefuls at the Burghfield Community Sports Association to raise money for Sue Ryder and Newbury Cancer Care.
The event was organised by Peter Bush to thank Sue Ryder for the support they gave his family after his wife, Audrey, sadly died last year.
“Audrey and I met in a pub called The Mitre which used to be in West Street in Reading,” said Peter.
“It was Audrey’s work’s Christmas night out and we got talking. The date was December 21, 1972. Audrey died on December 4, 2022 and she was buried on December 21, 2022, exactly 50 years to the day that we met.
“This Wednesday, September 21, would have been our 48th wedding anniversary. Audrey was an incredible woman. We have two wonderful children, Mark and Sarah.”
After Audrey’s death, Peter explained how he received amazing care from Sue Ryder’s Grief Kind Space in Thatcham, which offers support for people wanting to work through their grief. That spurred him on to organise the darts fundraiser.
“The Grief Kind Spaces are brilliant. I can go and talk to people who are also dealing with grief. I can talk without judgement 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.”
Peter had hoped to raise £1,000 for the charity but he double topped that with a further £200 thanks to a raffle and auction.
“I would like to thank everyone who took part and helped raise such a magnificent amount,” said Peter.
“Sue Ryder provided such exceptional, high-quality care for Audrey. There was nothing too much for the nurses, they were so kind. We couldn’t believe how caring they were.”
Former world champion, Bob Anderson, better known as The Limestone Cowboy, was joined by compere and scorer, John Fowler.
“Bob didn’t beat all the challengers, but he certainly well and truly beat me,” added Peter.
“It was a real pleasure to host him and John. They received a very warm welcome from everyone.
“I want to give a special thank you to our sponsor for the event, Pattie n Pulled, for their generosity and wonderful food. It has been hard work organising the event, but I hope to do more in the future.
“I am a keen darts player and thought it would be a good idea to tie in what I love with a night in memory of Audrey while raising money for Sue Ryder.”
