Category: Community

A former winner of the BBC Mastermind programme was among contestants in the latest quiz in aid of East Cheshire Hospice.

Liz Horrocks, who won the prestigious TV show in 1974, teamed up with husband Shaun for the online quiz.

The couple came third behind winner Ashton Davies and Torside Queens as the event raised £800 for the Hospice.

It was run again by the ECH Quiz Team which has held five virtual quizzes during lockdown, raising an impressive £6,456.

It is the most donated by the group in a single year since regular quiz hosts Paul Morrissey and Mark Watson asked the first question seven years ago. There have been some 23 quizzes, raising just over £37,000.

The top three teams are members of Macclesfield Quiz League which is on the lookout for new members (www.maccql.com)

Liz plays for the Dolphin Dragons, one of two teams based at the Dolphin Inn pub on Windmill Street.

The retired teacher enjoys writing poetry, while Shaun is chairman of the Macclesfield Model Railway Group, hence the Poetic Puffers for their team name.

Liz has her own Wikipedia page and wrote an Arthurian Trilogy, the first of which The Edge of Doom was set near her Alderley Edge home.

Liz said: “I like quizzes and was thrilled to win Mastermind a long time ago. I’ve got what my daughter calls a sticky mind, although I trail behind quite a few quiz members in our league.”

Former Mastermind winner Liz Horrocks and husband Shaun.

Mark said: “The online quizzes were multiple choice with the quickest answers earning more points.  We try to strike a balance with questions. It’s a bit of fun for a good cause and we’d like to thank everyone for supporting us.”

Ashton, an English teacher from Poynton, took part by himself and normally plays for Church House, Bollington. He said: “It gave me an advantage because I didn’t have to confer with anyone!”

Last year Ashton took part in the BBC Radio 4 general knowledge quiz Brain of Britain, appearing in the same heat as Alice Walker from runners-up Torside Queens.

Ashton Davies, winner of the East Cheshire Hospice quiz.

Alice and partner Haydn Thompson play for the Queens Hotel in Waters Green and they have been on the TV quiz show Eggheads plus other shows, including Fifteen To One and Countdown.

Alice Walker and Haydn Thompson, runners-up in the  Hospice quiz. 

Question One…how can you raise money for East Cheshire Hospice without leaving the comfort of your own home?

Answer…by taking part in a fun virtual quiz on Friday, October 16, at 7.30 pm.

The four virtual quizzes so far during lockdown have been a big success, raising £5,655 for the Hospice, and the next is the last of the year.

Entry is £5 per household  and participants can play as individuals, or as a team, by registering at eastcheshirehospice.org.uk/events/virtualquiz/ where full details how to play are available.

The ECH Quiz Team have held quizzes on behalf of the Hospice for the last seven years and quiz masters are Paul Morrissey and Mark Watson.

Co-organiser Alison Brammer said: “The quizzes have been a lot of fun over lockdown, bringing our community together with some friendly competition and fantastic fundraising.”

The popularity of the ECH Virtual Quiz has even spread across the country and, among those who regularly take part, is the Poyntz Means Prizes team, comprising Steph Poyntz and partner Steve Copper.

Steph said: “I support the Hospice because of its important work helping the local community and it has cared for friends and colleagues in the past. I also know that state support is limited.

“I moved to Bristol to be nearer to family in Plymouth but still miss Bollington and Macclesfield where I’m from.

“The online quizzes are great fun and we like the jokes between the two quiz masters.”

Winners last time were Park Timers.

Quiz entrants Steve Copper and Steph Poyntz.

A rare piece of music memorabilia should prove a smash hit for Carl Lamptey’s fundraising campaign.

A platinum disc donated by Noel Gallagher will be sold at auction in aid of East Cheshire Hospice.

The former Oasis star was given the disc for the band’s studio debut album Definitely Maybe, released in 1994.

The collectors’ item has even more value since it is owned by Noel who wrote the songs for the iconic album and inspired the group’s success.

The Manchester City fan donated the coveted disc after he heard about the Hospice’s struggle for funds from the club’s ex-goalkeeper Joe Corrigan.

Joe is one of many sports stars and celebrities to rally round after the Hospice’s fundraising events were cancelled due to Covid-19.

They answered a plea from Carl, from Macclesfield, to support the Hospice which revealed it would lose £1m in fundraising revenue.

Personalities lending their name include ex-soccer players Ryan Giggs, Steve Bruce and Michael Brown,  singer Mark Morrison, actress Samia Longchambon and chocolatier Oliver Dunn.

Carl has been supporting the Hospice since his late wife Sarah was treated there for breast cancer in 2014.

His appeal inspired many to raise funds, including runners Finley Foote and Tom Hamlett; George Bailey who climbed 108,000 steps; Will Newton who had his head shaved and cyclist Erin More O’Ferrall.

Erin More O’Ferrall who raised around £2,500 after cycling 1018 kilometres.

Erin’s dad David and Bob Kaz raised £3,000 by playing 100 holes of golf in one day at Tytherington where they are members.

Carl said: “I’ve been overwhelmed by the support and want to thank everyone, whether they’ve sold cakes, knitted or done anything else to raise funds for our amazing Hospice.

“We’ve done it all together as a community during lockdown. The fundraising continues but I realise that with the kids going back to school and people returning to work it’ll be harder.

“I’m sure there’ll be a lot of interest in Noel’s platinum disc when it’s auctioned off in due course and want to thank Joe for sorting that out.”

Sylk Dance Academy, which has now reopened, launched a Flosspice.

Teacher Amy Mayers and students got into the groove, setting a trend which captured the imagination on social media.

*  To donate £5 to Carl’s Act of Kindness campaign text Kindness 5 to 70450. Change the 5 to any whole amount between £1 and £20. If you’d like to donate and refuse marketing communications, text Kindnessnoinfo and your donation amount to 70450.

Sylk Dance Academy teacher Amy Mayers gets into the Flosspice mood with students (from left) Daisie Newsome, Holly Eardley, Lewis Stainforth and Molly Goodwin.

A charity football match in memory of Macclesfield Parish manager Col Smith was a poignant occasion.

Two teams he managed and played for – Parish and St Peter’s which are part of the same club – met at St George’s Park, Windmill Street.

The club raised £750 for East Cheshire Hospice where Col died of cancer in March, aged 52.

Col, of Higher Hurdsfield, stayed involved at the South Manchester and Cheshire Christian Football League club despite battling illness for 10 years.

Many of his football friends were unaware of his condition. Col, who leaves wife Debs and son Josh, was a team leader at McDonald’s and a member of Bollington Life Church.

Appropriately, the inaugural match for the Col Smith Memorial Trophy ended in a 3-3 draw. Tom Shirley scored a hat-trick for St Peter’s with Drewe Rowley-Weaver, Josh Harrison and Danny Madden replying for Parish.

Parish manager David Mayers said: “Col was a real Christian gentleman and a passionate football man. He inspired so many through his friendship, love for the game and deep Christian faith. We will all miss him and today’s game was a fitting tribute.”

Col Smith

The Macclesfield Parish team with volunteers Lindsay Taylor (left) and Gaynor Webb from East Cheshire Hospice.  

League President Pete Riley (left) with Parish captain Liam Rowley-Weaver and St Peter’s captain Jonathan Slater.

Col’s son Josh with Liam Rowley-Weaver (centre) and Joe Wilcox.    

 

Musician John Jones has spent more than 30 years cheering up patients playing songs on his accordion.

Lockdown has limited his fundraising appearances lately and allowed him to reflect on personal sadness after losing his wife June (76) in March.

She took great pride in her husband raising more than £300,000 for charity from his performances, including £89,000 for East Cheshire Hospice.

John, from Macclesfield, said: “I’ve had a lot of touching comments since June died and although she was quite shy she always supported me.

“It’s been frustrating during Covid because I can’t play at the Hospice, in the hospital corridor or in nursing homes where I entertained residents with their favourite songs.

“It’s a privilege and a pleasure to support the Hospice and Macclesfield District General Hospital and in particular their staff in ICU where June sadly passed away after receiving such wonderful and dedicated care.”

John (78) still has the antique accordion his father Edgar played, providing many happy childhood memories and inspiring him to learn to play the instrument.

John, with his charity donation box, plays his blue accordion sporting the badge of his beloved Manchester City for public appearances.

He received the MBE from Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace in 2012 for charitable work and three days later was sat behind the goal where Sergio Aguero scored to clinch the club’s long-awaited title triumph in 2012.

John and his wife June at Buckingham Palace when he received the MBE in 2012.

John, a retired structural engineer, worked in the bridges section for Manchester City Council.

He said: “I’m grateful to all my colleagues in Stockport Accordion Club who’ve supported the Hospice by performing an annual concert at Broken Cross Club. We were due to play our 20th anniversary concert in December.

“The event has wonderful support from the local community who look forward to it with great enthusiasm.

“I’ve made lots of friends with people who’ve enjoyed my music. I performed outside the Hospice a few weeks ago with singer Helen England, a performance which is on the Hospice Facebook page.”

John Jones and his beloved accordion.  

The Macclesfield Open Art Exhibition is back – in an online format showcasing work from all ages and abilities.

The virtual display, featuring hundreds of works by mostly local artists, runs from Friday, June 12, until Sunday, August 16.

The exhibition, which ran for five years until 2018 at the Silk Museum, has been revived by organiser Geoff Archer to raise funds for East Cheshire Hospice.

Instead of paying an entry fee, artists have made donations to the Hospice and with most works for sale they are requested to make a donation in lieu of the commission on sales.

Geoff said: “The exhibition was extremely popular but eventually there was nowhere in town to hold it and in the current situation I thought it’d be interesting to do it online.

“The exhibition is open to all artists, amateur or professional and there’s no age limit. Most artists are from this area but we’ve had one entry from Australia, from an artist who used to live in Macclesfield.

“Artists were allowed to submit a maximum of three works. Usually there’s a selection process at galleries because of lack of space to hang items, but in this case everything submitted will be shown.”

The public can view exhibits at maccopen.org.uk.

Geoff, from Macclesfield, is a painter and was head of art at Henbury High School for around 30 years.

Geoff Archer with one of his paintings Pick Up which will be in the exhibition.