I knew I wanted to do something that would be of benefit to both my physical and mental health, but I have no idea what made me think that running would be a good idea! I joined my local running club, Petts Wood Runners (PWR), and I began to feel better in myself. I then had the crazy idea of combining my attempts at fitness with raising awareness of cystic fibrosis, and I signed up to run the London Bupa 10k. I was amazed to raise £684.94 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and it is good that I’ve kept up my running.
We hosted a glitzy charity ball at the Selsdon Park Hotel and Golf Club in Croydon, Surrey, where 140 guests were wined, dined, and entertained by celebrity guests, including boxer Frank Bruno and Crystal Palace footballer Jason Puncheon. The evening raised a fantastic £3,500 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and £4,070 for St Christopher’s Hospice. The event was such a success that it was even reported in a local newspaper!
I would say ‘back by popular demand’, but it was actually by Kirsty’s demand that we found ourselves organising a second glamorous charity ball at the Selsdon Park Hotel and Golf Club in Croydon, Surrey. Guests numbering 170 enjoyed entertainment, and dinner and drinks served by, ahem, under-dressed waiters. It was truly a night to remember! The evening raised a whopping £2,061 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and £4,130 for St Christopher’s Hospice, who gave Kirsty immense support during her palliative care.
Kirsty sadly passed away on 6 August 2019. There were no words to express how inspired we all were by her determination and strength and her unfailing desire, even during the depths of her illness, to continue raising awareness of cystic fibrosis and to continue fundraising to help those people with the condition. It was then, as a way of keeping her memory alive, that I founded Angel Kirsty’s Wishes.
When the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic hit the UK, however, everything changed. We experienced a national lockdown from March to June 2020, local lockdowns from September to November 2020 and, through necessity, we all adapted to a different way of working. With the announcement of a pending second national lockdown in the New Year, I knew I had to come up with an idea for a ‘virtual’ fundraising event.
We hosted an incredible virtual magic evening for friends, family, and work colleagues, with psychological magician Roberto Forzoni, which left our guests mesmerized, astounded, and amused. The event, boosted by my new GoFundMe page, raised an amazing £1,390 for Angel Kirsty’s Wishes, and all funds were dedicated to granting our very first wish to a beautiful young lady named Shannon.
I arranged and hosted a company Christmas Raffle and raised £771 for Angel Kirsty’s Wishes. All monies were dedicated to granting our next wish for a special little girl named Sylvie. We met Sylvie’s lovely family and friends who, in turn, raised a marvellous £530 towards granting our next wish for a young lady named Georgina!
In a moment of madness, and in memory of her sister Kirsty, my lovely stepdaughter Louise signed up to run the 2023 London Marathon. Her dedication, commitment (and exhaustion!) paid off as she completed the marathon in five hours, raised a massive £7,332 and gained 295 supporters for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. #teamkirsty
When my company relocated to new offices in Canary Wharf, I and my work colleagues arranged a charity quiz night, on behalf of Angel Kirsty’s Wishes, in our prestigious brand-new premises. Due to the kindness and generosity of everyone who took part, we raised an astonishing £2,063. Huge thanks go to our fabulous colleague Peter who hosted the event, and to our wonderful colleagues Sally and Anna for all their help.
To date, in memory of my beautiful 25-year-old daughter, #teamkirsty have raised a total of £33,112. A massive thank you to everyone who has supported us so far. Without you, our achievements would not have been possible. We will continue to support the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and St Christopher’s Hospice, and we will continue to grant wishes to those young people who are so deserving of some happiness.
Our next charity event will be… watch this space!
