Chance meeting led to amazing opportunities!

A chance meeting with some old friends led to a series of extraordinary fundraising opportunities for Bev Hayes, a support worker at FitzRoy’s service in Bury St Edmunds.

Hearing about Bev’s work supporting people with learning disabilities, her two friends, Mary and Micky, chose FitzRoy to benefit from an event they were planning.

Emotions ran high at their Golf Day as Bev told moving stories about the people we support, including Gordon whose life was transformed when he discovered FitzRoy. With staff on hand to answer questions and a busy information table, they impressed everyone with their passion for their work. The event raised £1,500, but that was just the beginning.

The Golf Day sponsor, a local businessman, was so impressed by Bev’s commitment that he offered even more help, including distributing 35 collection tins around his businesses for six months.

Bev spent hours printing off labels for the tins and writing an information sheet about the Blomfield Street service. This will raise around £5,000. On top of this other traders and businessmen offered their services to transform the garden, and an anonymous sponsor offered to fund the cost of laying AstroTurf.

The Housing Association Havebury have recognised the fundraising efforts of so many local people and the impact the garden project will have on everyone living at Blomfield Street, and have offered to fund further garden work, such as installing raised beds.

The staff are planning an Open Day to thank the local community for their support once all the work is done.