In the Press.
Monkbar Hotel's 30 Grand Effort For Martin House Children's Hospice
Grand Effort X 30!
Monkbar Hotel Director June Nelsey with Martin House Corporate Fundraiser Brenda Peel.
Picture by Paul Cooper
A York city centre hotel has reached the next significant milestone in its fundraising support for a Yorkshire children’s hospice.
In just three years, the Best Western Monkbar Hotel has raised £30,000 for Martin House Children’s Hospice, thanks to the efforts of staff, guests and boxfuls of cuddly bears!
The majority of the money has been raised by the adoption of more than 6,000 cuddly “Marty” bears, which guests are encouraged to take home with them in exchange for a donation.
Other fund-raising initiatives over the last 12 months have included staff undertaking grueling triathlons and road races, and using its 20th anniversary celebrations as an excuse to support the hospice, which is located at Boston Spa, near Wetherby.
Monkbar Hotel Director June Nelsey said: “Even though we support a number of charities at the hotel, Martin House Children’s Hospice is our chosen one.
“I’m not sure we realized just how successful putting the cuddly bears on guests’ pillows would be. However, guests absolutely love them and ‘bear-ly’ any get left behind.
“The customers who stay with us come from all over the world. Not only do they get a lovely memento of their visit to York if they take a bear home with them, Martin House gets a valuable donation too.”
Martin House Corporate Fund Raiser Brenda Peel said: “The support we give to seriously ill children and their families costs in the region of £3.5 million each year to deliver and sustain.
“The majority of this money comes from donations, be it from individuals or businesses. We are incredibly grateful to June and the Monkbar Hotel staff and guests for their support over the last few years.
“Thanks to the success of the Monkbar’s take-a-bear-home scheme, a string of other hotels across the region have now adopted this as their fund-raising activity for us.”
Brenda added: “Next year we reach two major milestones, our 25th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of our teenage unit. We are indebted to everyone who raises funds on our behalf.”
24/10/2011