Fundraisers will have to be on their mettle – when a metal detector charity challenge gets under way.
Keen “detectorist” Stephen Grierson, of Fenay Bridge, hopes to raise a four-figure sum for charity Ruddi’s Retreat by inviting fellow enthusiasts to pay £10 a head for the chance to search for any hidden treasures lurking in a farmer’s field at Golcar.
Stephen, who devotes most weekends to his hobby, hopes to get 100 metal detectorists to take part, which will mean £1,000 for the Linthwaite-based charity named after young cancer survivor Ruddi Waterworth-Jones, which offers caravan respite breaks at Primrose Valley, near Filey.
Stephen, who runs Portcullis Site Services, based at Shepley, said the fundraising event would be held on Saturday, March 10, at a 75-acre site which will be confirmed nearer the time – to prevent so-called “nighthawk” metal detectorists getting there first and stripping the field of any finds.
Metal detectorists’ club Yorkshire Searchers will provide marshals for the event, which will also feature a raffle for prizes including clothing and finds bags donated by Crawfords Metal Detectors and a year’s subscription to hobbyists’ magazine The Searcher.
“It will be an open dig – a free for all,” said Stephen. “There’s nothing more satisfying than following someone and finding something they have missed! It’s an amazing hobby.”
Stephen said he took up the hobby about six years ago and had made quite a few finds on local sites, including ones at Scissett, Clayton West, Honley and Golcar, where landowners had given permission for him to go detectoring.
At Honley, he found a commemorative medal marking the official opening of Beaumont Park in 1883 by the Duke and Duchess of Albany. On the same day he unearthed several old coins, a trading weight, a lead hem weight used in dresses worn by Victorian women, and a selection of pewter buttons.
Stephen’s other finds – both uncovered at Briestfield – include an Elizabeth I groat and a 1789 bronze and dipped silver “love token” depicting a bow and two arrows. Stephen said the token may have been given by a convict to his sweetheart – before he faced transportation to Australia for his crimes.
Stephen has also found Roman and medieval coins and Saxon remains, including axe heads.
However, the focus for Stephen and his colleagues is on amassing as much loot as possible for Ruddi’s Retreat.
“We are good friends and supporters of the charity,” he said. “We organised a Valentine’s Night event this year which raised £4,000.
“We have booked the Briar Court Hotel for next year and it has already sold out.”
To register for the March 10 dig contact Stephen Grierson on 07931 711791 or Stuart Littlewood on 07711 177600
