Putting the Fun in Fundraising
KMF have raised over £50,000 for Dougie Mac Hospice
Last year, we set ourselves a target of raising £50,000 to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of both KMF and Dougie Mac Hospice. Our extraordinary fundraising efforts have meant we have smashed through the initial target and raised an incredible £70,000. The money donated to the charity will help to support the unbelievable care the hospice gives to adults and children with life-limiting illnesses in Stoke-On-Trent, North Staffordshire, and the surrounding areas.
The fundraising efforts began in April 2022 with the "Walk of Hope," which was a huge 100km walk along the Thames path finishing in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. The team of "Merry Men," completed the challenge in under 24 hours raising £25,000. The team at KMF have also designed and produced 400 Dougie Mac 'Everlasting Flowers' which have become a huge success as a memorial gift and are sold online and in local Dougie Mac shops. Other staff members participated in the Dougie Mac Bike Ride 2022 where they cycled the long distance of 108 miles to Llangollen and back.
Throughout the rest of 2022, KMF hosted a variety of different events such as a 'Bonkers' Bingo night with special guest appearances from Elvis and Santa who looked uncannily like Gary Metcalfe, our Special Products Team Leader. Other events have included Raffles, a Murder Mystery Evening, a Christmas Tree Collection, and a KMF Christmas Jumper Day.
In April 2023, team member Matt Hobson ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon and Production Director Dan Higgins ran the London Marathon in just over five hours, both raising over £13,000. We also manufactured and donated the table decorations for the 50-year anniversary Dougie Mac Ball, designed by paper artist Suhail Shaikh.The next challenge has been postponed twice due to bad weather but, on 26th May three KMF team members are facing their fears and jumping out of an aeroplane from 20,000 feet in a Tandem skydive. To end the huge celebration year, 12 willing participants will be taking part in the gruelling 100km canoeing challenge. They plan to canoe from Inverness to Fort William on the Great Glen canoe trail in Scotland all within 72 hours, with the additional fundraising total to be added at a later date.
The total raised to date was unveiled outside the KMF headquarters where Gareth Higgins MBE Managing Director presented the £70,000 cheque to the hospice.
KMF would like to thank everyone who has volunteered, taken part in our challenges, and donated to support such an amazing charity and look forward to continuing with our support for the Dougie Mac for many years to come!
