Darts players hit the bullseye for Angela's appeal

More than £2,300 was raised by enthusiastic darts players during a 24-hour marathon at a pub in Biggleswade, in aid of research into a rare cancer.
Gardeners Arms darts marathon, from left, Danielle Greenhow, Paul Papworth, Wayne Jeeves, Tony Robinson, John Young, Chris Hermit (Licensee), Keith Gillard, Scott Adderley, Alan Price and Malcolm Fage.
( not pictured are players Ken and Steve Barker).Gardeners Arms darts marathon, from left, Danielle Greenhow, Paul Papworth, Wayne Jeeves, Tony Robinson, John Young, Chris Hermit (Licensee), Keith Gillard, Scott Adderley, Alan Price and Malcolm Fage.
( not pictured are players Ken and Steve Barker).
Gardeners Arms darts marathon, from left, Danielle Greenhow, Paul Papworth, Wayne Jeeves, Tony Robinson, John Young, Chris Hermit (Licensee), Keith Gillard, Scott Adderley, Alan Price and Malcolm Fage. ( not pictured are players Ken and Steve Barker).

The marathon, held at The Gardeners Arms, was fundraising for Angela’s Small Cell Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at The Eve Appeal.

The event, which was organised by Paul Papworth, was supported by hosts Jan and Chris Hermit and Angela’s family and friends.

A total of £1,966.15 was raised through sponsorship gained by the 11 players who played darts non-stop for 24 hours, between May 20 and 21, with a further £88.47 raised by supporters who challenged the players during the event.

A raffle was organised by Angela’s family, with over 30 prizes and this raised an additional £289 thanks to participation of many of the regulars at the pub who also supported a collection box for wrist bands raising another £37.67, bringing the total to £2,381.29.

Many of the players originally took part at the very same pub, in a sponsored head or body shave, to support Angela when she was undergoing chemo in 2012, and this gave a huge boost towards the first £10,000 of Angela’s Fund. This darts event will now push the fund towards £50,000.

Jan kept the players awake throughout the night with supplies of coffee. Chris boosted morale and made the trophy presentations, courtesy of sponsor PSP Electrical, to singles’ winner Keith Gillard, runner up Paul Papworth and pairs’ winners Malcolm Fage and Paul Papworth.

As a finale, Chris sat beneath the dart board with a video camera as the 11 players, somewhat asleep by this time, threw a dart at the same time at the board just above his head and great fun was had by all.

In other fundraising events, Kim Biggs completed her sponsored Colour Rush last Saturday raising £400 and fundraising continues with Angela’s family having a car boot sale at G and M Growers on Sunday, June 19 and a Par 3 Challenge at Letchworth Par 3 Family Golf Centre on Saturday, July 2.

Tom Gordon is in training for his huge challenge to attempt all three iconic cycle climbs to the summit of Mount Ventoux in France in one day in the hope of joining the small number in the Cingles De Ventoux Club who have ever made it, as well as gaining sponsorship for Angela’s Research Fund.

Sean Halsey is half way through his year long sponsored slim and needs all the support

he can get. 5p collections are ongoing for an annual September handover and the Biggleswade University of the Third Age will also be handing over any money raised as their charity of the year.

Mark Butcher’s continual sales, including the Angela Claire collection of interior shabby chic, the Rustic collection and general upcycling of furniture, together with donated sale items, many of which come from regular collections from Dave Doggett, who has enthused residents of Millers Court, Biggleswade to support, is contributing too.

If you would like to support in any way, please phone Linda on 07730 319209 or message

Mark James Butcher on Facebook. If you know of anyone with small cell ovarian cancer,

please make them aware of the Patient Research Registry now set up at www.sc-ovca.org

supported by Angela’s Small Cell Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at The Eve Appeal.

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