£4,000 gift by mystery donor to Gomersal man's fundraising campaign (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

£4,000 gift by mystery donor to Gomersal man's fundraising campaign

7:00am Tuesday 9th October 2012 in News By Claire Lomax

An anonymous donor has given £4,000 to a devoted husband who is raising money for the hospice where his wife spent her final days.

A banker’s draft for the generous amount was posted through the letter box of Bill Vaines, 74, of Spen Lane, Gomersal, who is raising money for Wakefield Hospice under the banner of Carol’s Cause.

Hospice fundraisers believe the donation was prompted by an article published in the T&A when Mr Vaines explained how he had promised his wife Carol he would raise money for the place where she had been shown such kindness and treated with dignity.

Mrs Vaines was diagnosed with transitional cell cancer on January 5, 2011. The previously fit 62-year-old deteriorated quickly and on February 26 she was told it was terminal and was transferred from Pinderfields Hospital to the hospice, where she passed away on March 11.

Mr Vaines remained true to his word and he was joined by family and friends, including daughters Emma and Katie, on a sponsored Walk to Remember to raise money for Carol’s Cause.

The Carol’s Cause fundraising team, which also included Mr Vaine’s friend Alan Keyworth and Carol’s nephews Andrew Sibson and Greg Story, had aimed to raise in excess of £1,000 to help other families facing the same experience. They have surpassed this target and hope their own efforts will generate £2,000, in addition to the £4,000.

Mr Vaines said the bankers draft was hand-delivered and accompanied by a note saying to put the money to Carol’s Cause as it had been raised for people who had suffered cancer and to help families in their grief.

Mr Vaines said: “From my point of view it proves that Carol was well liked and well loved.”

Emily Murphy, fundraising co-ordinator at the hospice, said she nearly fainted when Mr Vaines presented the donor’s money.

She said: “Wakefield Hospice would like to say a tremendous thank you to the anonymous supporter for their outstanding generosity and donating £4,000 towards Carol’s Cause. We appreciate your wish to remain anonymous but hope this mention goes a small way to expressing our sincere gratitude.”

If you would like to donate to Carol’s Cause visit bt.com/ mydonate and search under the fundraising name Bill Vaines.