Decorators strip down in nude calendar for Compton Hospice

 
A group of Wolverhampton decorators have pulled off the ultimate buff finish by posing for a cheeky calendar to raise money for Compton Hospice in memory of a workmate.

A group of 21 workers from C7 Decorators based in Shale Street, Bilston, have swapped paint stripping for stripping bare by shedding their overalls for the calendar, which goes on sale on Friday, December 3.

The painters and decorators wanted to raise money in memory of their supervisor Ron Harrison who died in Compton Hospice from cancer in August, aged 65.

It will be the first ever nude calendar sold by the Wolverhampton hospice and the decorators, who call themselves the C7 Calendar Boys, hope sales will raise £7,500 for the charity.

All the profits will go towards the £1m Raise the Roof appeal to redevelop patient facilities at the hospice’s Compton Road West site.

The calendar is set to be officially launched at an evening event attended by relatives, colleagues and friends of Ron Harrison at the Novotel in Wolverhampton on Thursday December 2.

The Women’s Institute inspired calendar features black and white photographs with splashes of colour showing the decorators in a variety of work settings with only strategically held equipment hiding their modesty.

Sponges and soap suds come to the rescue for one group of workmates pictured for August cleaning a company van, the picture for October shows one pair taking a tea break, while June sees a James Bond inspired shot of a group of eight colleagues dressed only in collars and cuffs with each hiding behind a well placed cork gun.

The workmates range in age from a glossy 18 to a more weathered late 40s and include managing director Justin Thomas, 36 who entered into the spirit of things with a rather unusual boardroom shot.

“The lads have all done if for Ron, most of them worked with him or were trained by him,” said Mr Thomas.

“They wanted to do the calendar because it reflected the fun side of his character and they wanted to raise money for Compton Hospice after the great care all the staff there gave to him.”

The grandfather had worked for C7 Decorators for seven years and had been a painter and decorator all his working life.

He had been diagnosed with mesothelioma and following chemotherapy at New Cross hospital he was admitted to Compton Hospice where he was an in-patient for three weeks before succumbing to the condition on August 26 this year.

The calendar launch will be attended by his wife Dee, 58, a clothes shop manageress, the couple were married for 33 years, along with the couple’s daughter Lynsey Horton, 33, a bank worker who lives in Castlecroft, along with their two grandchildren Owen, seven and Lucy, four.

“The calendar is absolutely fantastic it’s something Ron would’ve laughed about, I think he’ll be looking down and be having a laugh about it,” said Mrs Harrison.

The calendar costs just £10, with £7.50 going to Compton Hospice, and can be ordered through the C7 Decorators website www.c7decorators.co.uk and will be available from all Compton Hospice shops.

'Buy A Brick' - a poem by Vera Biddle

WE have received this wonderful poem from Vera Biddle, whose family has bought several bricks for our walkway of memories as part of our 'Raise the Roof' appeal, and wanted to share it.  Thank you to the Biddle family for your continuing support.  Pictured is Barrie Biddle with one of their personalised bricks.

If you would like more information on our 'Buy-a-Brick' campaign, please click here.

'Buy A Brick'

Down at Compton Hospice one day,

There is going to be a Walkway,

Where people can donate a brick,

On which they can write something nice to say,

It's going to be a lovely Walkway,

Where you can stroll down memory lane,

Have a quiet time to reflect,

On happier times again,

Many thanks to all the Doctors,

Nurses, and all the hospice staff,

We will all take a walk,

Down the Compton Hospice path.

 

Competitors scale tree tops in Compton Hospice Business challenge

  
A day of daring challenges including flying through the tree tops on a zip wire resulted in a team from Tata Steel being crowned Compton Hospice Business Challenge 2010 winners.

The Hel’s Raisers team, pictured, made up of members of the Tata management team, saw off competition from nine other teams after a day of obstacles and adventure at Kinver Edge outdoor activity centre.

Another Tata Steel team, Sally’s Army, were runners-up with Team Supreme from Wolverhampton letting agents Lawsons coming third.

Teams took on a range of challenges throughout the day, on Thursday October 14, including dropping objects into targets while descending on a zip wire, balance on rising columns of crates, grappling up a climbing wall, archery and rifle shooting.

Expert guidance and safety was provided by trained instructors from outdoor activity company Closer to the Edge, who organised the day.

The day raised more than £5,000 for Compton Hospice which will go toward the charity’s Raise the Roof Appeal, to help pay for the £3.5m redevelopment of the main patient unit at the Compton Road West site.

Payroll giving still proves best

We were very surprised to read this recent article in Third Sector stating donations through the Give As You Earn scheme are on the rise.

Unfortunately, at Compton Hospice, we have found the opposite to be true.

Payroll giving is one of the easiest and most flexible ways of giving a regular donation and it is totally tax-free.

Anyone can give if their pay is taxed through PAYE and their employer offers a payroll giving scheme.

All donations are taken from gross wages (i.e. before income tax) – which means donations are worth 28% more than its cost to the employee.

Midnight Halloween walkers set for fundraising treat

 
Supporters of Compton Hospice are hoping to provide a fundraising treat for the charity with the hospice’s first midnight walk, during the darkest hours of Halloween.

Lady walkers are set to take over the ghostly night time streets following a nine-mile course along roads around the hospice during the bewitching hour between Saturday October 30 and Halloween on Sunday October 31. Member of the hospice's fundraising team are pictured getting into the spirit of the walk.

Groups of walkers hope to banish the ghoulish spirits from the city centre for the women only evening by dressing in distinctive Halloween fancy dress.

The fun trek will raise funds for the hospice’s £1m Raise the Roof appeal, to redevelop patient facilities at the Compton Road West site.

Rusty bangers turned to cash for Compton Hospice

Supporters of Wolverhampton’s Compton Hospice can turn their rusty old bangers in to cash for the charity as part of a car scrappage scheme.

The hospice has joined a national car recycling scheme, at giveacar.co.uk, which turns clapped out motors into donations for the charity.

Under the scheme supporters donate their old car to the hospice, regardless of whether it is roadworthy, just like donating clothes to a Compton Hospice charity shop.

The car is either sold at auction for salvage or scrapped at an authorised car recycling facility with 80 per cent of the money going to Compton Hospice, the remainder is kept by giveacar.co.uk to cover their costs, up to a maximum of £50.

The car is collected by pick-up truck and disposed of an environmentally responsible manner.

Sue Chance, head of fundraising at Compton Hospice, said: “This is literally getting gold out scrap to help the hospice.

“It’s crushingly easy and provides another way for people to help Compton Hospice while taking an unwanted and often worthless car off their hands and disposing of it without damaging the environment,” she said.

For details go to giveacar.co.uk

Motor dealership staff get in to gear for 10-mile car pull

Staff at a car dealership are revving up for their greatest ever motoring challenge by pulling a car for 10 miles across the Black Country, to raise money for Wolverhampton’s Compton Hospice.

A team of 20 staff from Brindley Honda in West Bromwich are getting in to gear to put their feet to the floor pulling the Honda Jazz car along a route which will see them cross the region on Saturday September 11.

Taking it in turns a team of six are set the tow the near one ton car from Tipton to Compton Hospice in support of the charity’s raise the roof appeal, to redevelop patient facilities at the hospice.

The dealership staff will be accompanied by a team of supporters collecting donations along the route, which will include a stop at Wolverhampton’s Queen Square in the afternoon.

Fundraiser set in stones

WE are launching a brand-new appeal, offering you the chance to dedicate a beautiful birthstone in our stunning new grounds, in memory of a loved one.

Dream holiday thanks to Compton

OUR congratulations to Adrian Millard from Somerset who won first prize in our 2008 Grand Raffle and a huge thank you to everyone who took part, helping to raise more than £23,500.

Light up a life campaign raises a brilliant £22,000

WE were touched once again this year by the fantastic support for our Light Up a Life campaign, which has helped us to raise a fantastic £22,000 for the hospice. More than 300 people attended a special memorial service before Christmas to pay tribute to loved ones they have lost.