Brierfield man gives £20,000 to hospice in memory of mum and dad (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Brierfield man gives £20,000 to hospice in memory of mum and dad

8:00pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in News By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

A MAN has donated £20,000 to Pendleside Hospice in memory of his mum and dad.

Paul Turner, 61, of Bowland View, Brierfield, walked into the hospice and handed over a cheque after the money had been left in his parents’ estate.

His father, Wilfred, died last December aged 87, but had been a regular supporter of the hospice during his lifetime, as had his wife, Joyce, who died four years ago at the age of 83.

Paul said: “When I was a young boy, my grandfather died of cancer which is why my father wanted to give as much back as he could to charities like Pendleside, who look after people with life-limiting illnesses.

“In those days, you either died at home or, if you were lucky, you made it to hospital.

“There was nothing like the care you get in hospices these days.

“When my dad passed away, I wanted to continue doing what he had done before me.

“Pendleside is a fantastic charity and deserves all the support that it gets.”

Wilfred and Joyce ran the family business, North Valley Metals, for 40 years, before Paul and Wilfred decided to sell it four years ago.

Paul, who handed over the cheque along with his wife Maria, said: “Pendleside Hospice is a charity that was very close to my dad’s heart. They really wanted to be able to do this and to leave something positive behind.

“When you donate money to the hospice, you know it is being used for a positive cause and to help people, which is important.”

The money will be used by the hospice to provide care for local people suffering from cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.

Current annual running costs exceed £3.5million, of which more than £2.5million has to be raised from fundraising events and donations.