HILARIE STELFOX meets some of Huddersfield’s most successful charity fund-raisers – six women who founded a support group for the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and banked an astonishing total of £100,000

IT ALL began when Noreen Rochford saw an appeal in The Examiner for people to support a new venture – a children’s hospice in Huddersfield.

"I saw the article," says Noreen, who lives in Deighton, "and decided to reply. It just touched a spot.

"I’d done some bits of fund-raising for the Bodyscanner appeal years ago and the hospice (Kirkwood). I wanted to help."

That was back in 2004 when the Forget Me Not Trust children’s charity faced the mammoth task of finding millions to build and equip the hospice which is at Brackenhall.

To date £2.2m has been spent on the building, which is scheduled to open in the early New Year and will be named Russell House, but more is needed to finish the top floor.

Once up and running, the hospice will require £2.5m each year to meet its costs.

Noreen, who was working full time as a social services warden, quickly rallied the support of friends – Margaret Baxter from Newsome; Betty Smith, Eileen King and Hannah King, all from Meltham; and Mary France from Taylor Hill – to form the Friends’ Support Group. Noreen’s husband Terry is their treasurer.

It is one of only two major fund-raising groups working for the Forget Me Not charity.

"And we could do with more," says Gina Fielding, Partnership Development Manager.

"What they’ve done is so fantastic. They’ve raised an awful lot of money, it’s quite incredible."

Over the years, the support group has tried and tested virtually every kind of fund-raising activity, from coffee mornings and cheese and wine evenings to fashion shows, even a golf tournament and concert with Honley Male Voice Choir. Their very first fund-raiser was a make-up party.

"We’ve had our failures," said Noreen, "but we’ve also had some really successful events."

Perhaps their most lucrative fund-raisers have been the popular lunches they host in Meltham Sports and Social Centre, attended by more than 100 people at a time and supported by centre director Mick Pogson.

"We’ve had about 10 so far and raised about £1,000 at each one," added Noreen.

The £100,000 is made up of a myriad large and small sums of money – some donated by well wishers in lieu of flowers at golden weddings and funerals; others collected at supermarket check-outs or simply handed to one of the women by friends and acquaintances.

Extended family, children and grandchildren have all given their support.

Individually, the women have made their own contributions – Hannah, for example, went for a month without washing her hair and raised £700; while Eileen tackled the Three Peaks walk.

"We have done the Examiner charity walk," says Noreen, "and we’ve been given donations by people who have seen articles about us in the paper."

Although the women were all friends at the start of their enterprise together, the support group has, they say, brought them closer.

So much so that Hannah, who is Eileen’s daughter-in-law, has ambitions to write a play about what she calls "our journey to get here."

"We have become so close together, really bonded," says Hannah.

"And there is some great material for a play, like the time we spent an hour debating what sort of ham to have at an event. We’ve had a lot of laughs."

A couple of years back the support group was nominated for a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

"We didn’t get one," says Noreen, "But to be honest we’re not really bothered. We don’t do what we do for awards, we do it because we want to help the charity."

And so, the fund-raising goes on.

The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice is staging a fund-raising fashion show at the Holiday Inn, Brighouse, on Sunday, November 27, featuring clothes from its chain of charity shops and local fashion retailers.

Tickets are £25, including drinks and lunch, or £10 for drinks and show only, available from Labels in Market Street, Huddersfield, or by calling the hospice on 01484 411040.

The lunch starts at noon and the show at 2pm.

THE top fund-raising ventures for the group have included:

A coffee morning at Huddersfield Town Hall in 2006, which raised £832.

Golf tournament three years ago in Elland – £2,450

Concert in 2008 at a Huddersfield Conservative club – £1,100

Garden party in Elland this summer organised by Sandra Radcliffe, a friend of Noreen – £646

Cheese and wine party in April this year organised by another friend of the group, Monica Dixon – £945.

Three lunches in Meltham this year – a total of £2,984.