Delicious mince pies, mouth-watering cakes and endless cups of tea and coffee – the perfect recipe for fundraising for Mary Hindle and friends.
Selling Christmas cards has also been hugely successful for Mary who has raised almost £17,000 for charity over nearly two decades.
More than £12,000 of that total has been donated to East Cheshire Hospice where her late husband Ian (63) was a patient. The rest is split between cancer charities.
Mary will never forget the care and compassion the family received when Ian died in the Hospice in September 2011, four years after he was diagnosed with cancer.
Mary Hindle at home with her mince pies.
The HR consultant was treated by The Christie which has also benefitted from her donations, along with Macmillan and Cancer Research.
Mary, a retired teacher, holds a charity day every November at her home in Prestbury.
The event raised a record £2,020 last time when Mary again received help from friends Angie Entwistle, Carol Waters and Linda Richardson.
Mary said: “I couldn’t do it without them. I send out about 100 invitations by email in early October and we had about 80 guests last year between 10 am and 3 pm.
Mary (centre) makes her latest donation to East Cheshire Hospice staff.
“They buy Christmas cards supplied by the Hospice, eat cake, buy raffle tickets and cakes and put generous donations in the pot. Hospice staff come along to support.”
Mary, a member of The Tytherington Club, was busy making mince pies in the days before when she baked cakes with friends.
Mary said: “I make about 35 dozen mince pies to sell to friends for donations which go into the Hospice pot.
“The donations have increased over the years. It used to be a fiver but now people will often put in £15 or £20.
“Guests also like the Hospice Christmas cards and are happy to buy them.
“People feel as though they’re doing something for charity. Everyone has been touched by the Hospice or known someone with cancer.
“The day has turned into a lovely social occasion to which everyone is welcome. It’s an opportunity to meet friends old and new and buy early Christmas cards.
“While old friends have been supporting the day for years, there are always new acquaintances.
“My heart is with the Hospice because that’s where my husband spent his final three weeks.”
Mary has been a volunteer at the Hospice since 2016, helping on reception once a week.