Newton Aycliffe Sports Club will house a quiz evening next month as local fundraiser Paul McGeary edges closer to smashing the £30,000 barrier as he raises funds for blood cancer charity Bloodwise.
The 35-year-old Newtonian, who has twice battled Leukaemia in recent years, has spearheaded a campaign – dubbed #NotOneInch – which has seen friends and family rally together in a series of fundraising drives since December 2014.
To date, a huge £28,282.23 has been raised, and McGeary hopes the latest venture will go some way to assisting the push near to the £30k barrier, as 2017 draws to a close.
The quiz takes place on Friday September 29 at the Moore Lane Sports Club, starting at 7:30pm. Entry costs £5 per person, and includes a pie & pea supper. All teams are welcome on the evening, but are advised to reserve their place in advance.
On the evening, a raffle and auction will take place, along with the usual fun and games such as heads & tails, and stand-up bingo. Spot prizes will be ongoing throughout the evening.
In reaching out once more to the community, McGeary said: “The £30k mark has edged closer in recent months, thanks to the latest vision and efforts of Will (Swinburne) and Daryll (Hall), and now we look forward to the quiz evening which will hopefully propel us closer.
“It’d be amazing to mark the three-year anniversary of my first cancer and the launch of the fundraising campaign, if we were to burst through the £30k barrier. That’s certainly my aim in the coming months.
McGeary, in remission from APL for a second time since his initial diagnosis, is appealing to the local community once more in seeking not only teams to join him on the evening, but also for donations towards a raffle and auction which will take place on the evening, which is being co-hosted by his mother Mary Warke, along with family friends Andrew and Marie Matthews.
“Any bottles of wines or spirits people may have, unused Christmas or birthday gifts, any local businesses who wish to get involved, we want to hear from you,” said McGeary shamelessly.
“We cannot do this without the ongoing support of our friends, family and neighbours, and we appreciate every single ounce of support that we get along the way. This has been a real community effort, and we hope it continues long past our next milestone.”
To register your interest in the evening, to donate, or to purchase raffle tickets, people are urged to contact Paul (07703732342) or Mary (07903827639).
