The Leeds Rhinos Foundation and Wheatfields Hospice continued their mutually beneficial relationship last night with a service to remember lost relatives in the Lewis Jones Suite at Headingley Carnegie Stadium.
The evening service was organised by the Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice with the support of the Rhinos Foundation and offered a chance for families, friends and supporters of Rhinos Foundation and the hospice to come along and celebrate the lives of people who had been cared for by the nurses and staff at the care home.
The event involved readings from Phil Holmes, relative of the late Leeds Rugby Legend John Holmes, Rhinos player Mitch Achurch and guests from Wheatfields Hospice along with musical support from a choir who performed a series of festive carols for the occasion.
Attendees also helped raise funds for the hospice buying a selection of 2015 calendars, festive gifts and Christmas cards, entering the raffle with some signed Leeds Rhinos merchandise on offer, as well as making donations.
Holly Buckley from Wheatfields Hospice, commented on the significance of the event;
"I think the evening has been a great success, we've had some lovely feedback from the people that attended, a lot of people value the relationship they have with the Leeds Rhinos and to be able to offer them this kind of service where they can remember a loved one, a past Leeds Rhinos fan, or someone that has stayed at Wheatfields Hospice in an environment that is comfortable to them is a great opportunity for us. The amount of people that were here and the amount of money that would have been raised for the hospice, we can only deem it as a success.
The event was attended by Rhinos players, Mitch Achurch, Joel Moon, Brad Singleton and Brett Delaney who mingled with guests and lent their support to the hospice, where team mate Jamie Peacock’s father was cared for last year.
Mitch Achurch said afterwards;
“I think all of the boys really appreciate the opportunity to give back in these sorts of ways, last year we had a tough time with Jamie Peacock's dad being sick and when he lost him it was obviously hard for Jamie and it was hard for all of us, we all had to rally round him a little bit and Wheatfields had a big part in helping look after him, so for us to just come in and show some support for it, it's been a good night"
Guests were also invited to make a written dedication to honour their loved one prior to the event with all names to be displayed on the big screen at this year’s Festive Challenge on Boxing Day as well as kept in the Book of Honour at the stadium.
Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s ongoing relationship with the Hospice has already paid dividends
this year and the two organisations hope to continue the relationship into the future, Holly Buckley said:
“The relationship we have with the Leeds Rhinos Foundation is by far the most important relationship we have at the hospice, being on our doorstep within walking distance, it means an awful lot in that respect, so many of the people that stay in our hospice already have a relationship with the Rhinos, by being able to promote our relationship is mutually beneficial, the relationship already this year has seen an income of £12,000 for the hospice, which put into context would pay for more than 100 hours of nursing care, which is just phenomenal for us”
The Rhinos Foundation and Wheatfields Hospice would like to thank everybody who attended for their continued support and pass on their best wishes for this festive season.
The video of yesterday’s event can be seen below