The annual St Barnabas Hospice Wine & Wisdom evening is set to raise more money than ever before
Now in its 22nd year, the annual St Barnabas Wine & Wisdom evening started in 1996 by Lincoln widower, John Davey, in memory of his wife, Anne.
In December 1992, Anne was admitted to the Inpatient Unit in Lincoln after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
John said:
“The Hospice was a truly wonderful place and the people there were incredibly kind. They took such good care of Anne but they also looked after the whole family too.”
“I will always remember the night I fell asleep holding Anne’s hand and I awoke to find that a blanket had been placed over me by one of the kind people there. It’s only a small thing but it is something I will never forget and it really meant a lot.”
“On Christmas Eve, carol singers who were performing in the Hospice. The sound of the music drifted into Anne’s room and the most remarkable thing happened, Anne sat up in bed for the first time in a long time and she sat and sang every carol. For that short time, I had my Anne back. She was just like her old self.
Anne died at the hospice age 56 on 13th January 1993, just eight weeks after being diagnosed.
Following her death, John organised two sponsored walks which raised over £8,000 for St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice. In 1996, John decided to organise a quiz night which became known as the annual Wine and Wisdom fundraiser.
John said:
“Wine and Wisdom began as a wonderful way to remember my wife of 29-years and also for our family and friends to remember her too. It also gave us an opportunity to raise money to help other families who need the valuable support of the Hospice.
“I am truly humbled by the amount of money the quiz has raised and it far exceeds any expectations I had. I never expected the quiz to become so popular and I wouldn’t have dared to dream that it would still be going now.
“It’s a lovely lasting tribute to my dearest Anne.”
In 2017, John received an award from St Barnabas for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Fundraising.’
Ella Beale, Community Fundraiser for St Barnabas, said:
“The time and effort that John has put into fundraising for our Hospice over the years is truly inspirational, and I am delighted to be working on such a wonderful event with a long history in the local community.”
This year’s Wine and Wisdom event will take place on Friday 2nd March from 7pm, at Waddington Village Hall on Mere Road in Lincoln. Teams of 5-8 people can register, and entry costs £6 per person. There are eight rounds, and some great prizes up for grabs.
To register for the event, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/wine-wisdom-2018 or for more information, contact Ella Beale on 01522 540 300 or [email protected]