Mum Gets Dancing Shoes On for Finale to Hospice Campaign

A mother who has been fundraising for five years since her daughter died is working on a last fundraiser at Stonham Barns Park to help raise the £30,000 she has promised for the hospice which cared for her. The event is on Saturday 6 August. Her efforts over the time have far exceeded this wish and in total Wendy will have raised an incredible amount to support the work of St Elizabeth Hospice. The official amount raised will be announced on the evening.

Wendy Goddard, of Stowupland, has dedicated herself to raising money for St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich in memory of her daughter Zoe Goddard who succumbed to cervical cancer in 2016, aged just 27.

2020 marked Zoe’s and the hospice’s 30th birthday and Wendy had set out to generate £30,000 through a raft of fund-raising challenges involving the number 30 – with Ipswich Town Football Club and Stonham Barns Park owner Alan Forward backing her cause. Due to the pandemic, the final fundraising dinner which was planned for March and to be the final event of the campaign, was postponed. It will now take place in a few weeks and some tickets for the event are still available.

Mr Forward – who has donated £5,000 and is holding the Charity Dance and Auction Evening at Stonham Barns Park, in Stonham Aspal – has always aimed to help push Wendy past her original fund-raising target.

Stonham Barns Park has helped to raise money in a number of different ways, encouraging people and businesses to share their pictures on social media of ‘30 something’ for the #weare30 campaign, including 30 birds of prey, 30 cars, and inviting Wendy to fundraise at all the events held at the Stonham Barns Park shows and events including the ever-popular Christmas Craft Markets and most recently Charity Bingo.

Alan Forward said: ‘Wendy inspires us all with her tireless work for the St Elizabeth Hospice. She is driven to give something back to them in memory of her daughter and her family, who all received enormous comfort and support from the hospice team. As Wendy strives to serve the community with her efforts, we want to show Wendy that the community supports her. She will not only achieve her target of £30,000 through the Stonham Barns Park sponsorship including the dinner and raffle but absolutely smash her goals out of the park when you put all of her fundraising efforts together.’

‘We are absolutely in awe of her achievements.’

Wendy Goddard – small version 300dpi Adobe98 RGB

Wendy Goddard. Picture by Keith Suffling, idesign4 – [email protected]
The Stonham Barns Park evening includes Live Music from Its Fete an eight-piece band performing funk, soul and disco classics, a Live Auction, Raffle and a three-course dinner. Prizes include a helicopter experience, a trip for two to The Shard in London, a hot tub, a Weekend Holiday Stay at Stonham Barns Park with a golf voucher, and signed Ipswich Town Football.

The event is being staged in collaboration with St Elizabeth Hospice.

Money raised from the Charity Night will go to support St Elizabeth Hospice services caring for over 3,000 people every year. St Elizabeth Hospice is an independent Suffolk charity providing free services to improve life for people living with a progressive or life-limiting illness. Centred on an individual’s needs, the hospice provides specialist support, whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice. More information about St Elizabeth Hospice call 01473 727776 or click here https://www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/