Ilkley Golf Club is organising a Fundraising Golf Day on Sunday 9th August 2009 to raise money to help Ex-Rugby player Darren Fletcher, 27, from Sheffield, purchase a £15,000 electric wheelchair and raise funds for leading spinal injury charity Aspire.
Darren, who used to play for the Wakefield Rugby Club was left paralysed from the neck down after a tragic accident when diving into shallow water on the Isle of Scilly in August 2007. Darren has been trying to raise funds to purchase the wheelchair which will greatly improve his quality of life. So far he has managed to raise £10,000 and the Ilkley Golf Club is confident that they can help Darren reach the target to get the wheelchair.
Darren’s dad Richard says, 'The support we have received from family, friends and even strangers is truly amazing. George Marshall, who used to work at Wakefield Rugby Club, has been incredible in his support of Darren. The wheelchair will dramatically improve Darren’s life, at the moment he relies on the help of friends, family and carers to push him around, the new chair will enable him to have much more independence'.
Jim Boddy, the Ilkley Golf Club Captain, has been planning to do the fundraising Golf day for a while but wants to raise money to benefit an individual. After hearing about Darren’s situation through George Marshall he decided that the funds raised from the Golf Open Day should go towards helping Darren and Aspire.
Jim Boddy says,'I really wanted to see the funds benefiting a real person. When I heard about Darren I knew I wanted to help him and Aspire. We expect to raise well over £5,000 which will really help Darren. The Fundraising Golf Day will be a fantastic experience to anyone who wishes to enter. Ilkley Golf Course is one of the top 5 courses in the county and is a real treat to people who want to take part in the event.'
Bill Cartwright, is the co-organiser of the day and he says, “We anticipate about 20 teams taking part, they will play a 4 ball stableford with a prize presentation at the end of the day to announce the winners and prize totals”
People who are interested in getting a team together and taking part should contact Bill Cartwright at the Ilkley Golf Club on 01943 600214.
Aspire’s Community and Events Fundraiser, Andrew Ogierman says 'It is amazing that the Ilkley Golf Club are supporting Aspire and Darren. The electric wheelchair will dramatically improve Darren’s life. It will enable him to be much more independent. Surplus money raised from the Golf Day will go towards helping other people with a spinal cord injury lead a more independent and fulfilling life.'
