Wendy Close has been working tirelessly to raise funds for the Fred Dibnah Appeal, to collect enough money to put up a permanant statue to the Bolton celebrity steeplejack.
She designed and commissioned 1,000 Fred Dibnah green and blue pin badges which she has been selling.
Now she has decided to turn her efforts into a two-pronged charity drive and is donating half of the money she raises from gold pin badges to The Bolton News, Garden of Tranquility appeal.
Miss Close, aged 54, said she will be giving 50p of every pound she raises to our efforts to raise £100,000 to turn the rundown gardens at Bolton Hospice into a haven of rest.
Miss Close, of Thorns Road, Astley Bridge said: “I’m sure Fred would have supported this appeal if he had still been alive because he used to be a firm supporter of the hospice.
Fred lost his battle with cancer at the hospice in November 2004.
Miss Close said: “It’s a fantastic appeal, these people need somewhere nice to sit because I’m sure a lot of them are really fed up and depressed, but a nice garden could really cheer them up, so I wanted to do anything I could to help.”
The pin badges, which bear Fred’s initials in the shape of his trademark flat cap, cost £1, and can be bought from outside WH Smiths in Victoria Square most Fridays and Saturdays.
The Bolton News launched the Garden of Tranquillity appeal when it was revealed that the open space at the hospice is covered in grass, making it difficult for people using walking frames and wheelchairs users to access the gardens.
Patio areas are made up of broken and cracked paving stones and the borders are sparsely planted.
The appeal money raised from the appeal will be used to create new pathways, provide disabled access, pay for private seating areas and go towards a water feature and a sensory garden.
Donations can be made by cheque or postal order, made payable to Bolton Hospice and returned to The Bolton News, Newspaper House, Churchgate, Bolton, BL1 1DE.
(source Tuesday, 5 December 2006)
