A team of Halifax fundraisers have raised over £1,000 for Leeds-based national charity, Epilepsy Action, by holding a pool tournament, pub crawl and auction.
Lisa Geoghegan and Guyon Patton arranged the events, which took place in November at The Queen's Head Tavern, Keighley Road, in memory of Lisa's son, Michael. Michael died five years ago, aged 18, after having an epileptic seizure. His epilepsy was not diagnosed until after his death. Lisa and Guyon decided to raise money for Epilepsy Action to help raise awareness of epilepsy in the Halifax area.
The weekend started with a 17-strong pub crawl, for which people made a £5 donation to take part. Over 30 players then competed in a knockout pool tournament, which was supported by the Halifax Invitational Pool League and the English Pool Association. The weekend was rounded off in style with an auction. Local businesses DrainsAid, Sandown Transport and ADL Chainsaw Carvings all generously donated prizes for auction.
Lisa said: "It was a fantastic weekend and everyone had a great time. We'd like to thank everyone who supported us and donated money to such a good cause, particularly in these tough times. The winner of the pool tournament, Gary Greenwood, won a £50 prize and he donated it straight back to Epilepsy Action!
"We'd especially like to thank auctioneer Pete Emmett, pool tournament organiser Alison Oxley and Peter Sutcliffe, the landlord at The Queen's Head. Dave Gaunt and Danny Varley also provided valuable support with their live music entertainment."
Michael White, fundraising officer at Epilepsy Action, went along to The Queen's Head to collect a cheque for £1,003.29 on the charity's behalf. He said: "We'd like to say a huge thank you to Lisa, Guyon and everyone at The Queen's Head for hosting these events for Epilepsy Action. The vital funds they have raised will make a huge difference to the lives of people affected by epilepsy."
Epilepsy affects 456,000, or one in 131, people in the UK. The money raised by Lisa and Guyon will help fund the vital advice and information services provided by Epilepsy Action. The charity helps over 685,500 people every year through a range of services. These include its branch network, advice and information services and Epilepsy Helpline freephone 0808 800 5050.
For more information about Epilepsy Action, visit www.epilepsy.org.uk