Golf day for children's charity smashes £100,000 target

A golf day set up to support a great cause has smashed its £100,000 charity target.
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The Washington based charity Niemann-Pick UK (NPUK) helps to ease suffering from an incurable condition which mainly affects children. Niemann-Pick disease is a rare, life limiting condition.

The charity had already reached £96,000 and had a fairway to go past the magical £100,000 mark. But they made it with the golf day at Ramside Hall. The total figure is yet to be finalised, but organisers expect it to be around £8,000 which would easily take it past the target.

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It was the 15th time the annual tournament had been held. A total of 86 golfers made up 21 teams, each team paying £250 to enter. Each hole was sponsored, with car dealers Pulman offering a VW Polo Active 95PS to the first golfer to hit a hole-in-one at the 15th.

The charity golf day took Niemann-Pick UK past its £100,000 target. Picture by Stu Norton.The charity golf day took Niemann-Pick UK past its £100,000 target. Picture by Stu Norton.
The charity golf day took Niemann-Pick UK past its £100,000 target. Picture by Stu Norton.

No one quite managed that, although it has happened in the past. The tournament itself was won by car dealers SG Petch.

NPUK’s chief executive, Toni Mathieson, is originally from Sunderland and became involved with the charity after losing her three children to Niemann-Pick disease type C.

Her brother-in-law, Craig Mathieson, was one of the organisers of the golf day and competed himself for the Black Horse, finishing a respectable sixth. However, the day at Ramside was all about the charity.

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Craig said: “We’ve managed to get past our £100,000 target which is just fantastic.

Organiser Craig Mathieson tees off at the Niemann-Pick UK charity golf day. Picture by Stu Norton.Organiser Craig Mathieson tees off at the Niemann-Pick UK charity golf day. Picture by Stu Norton.
Organiser Craig Mathieson tees off at the Niemann-Pick UK charity golf day. Picture by Stu Norton.

“I think it’s a great milestone to have reached. It was also a great day with beautiful weather. Everybody has a great day. But the most important thing is that the charity benefited and got some great exposure too.

“Many thanks go to Pullman and to Ramside for hosting it. But I really just want to thank everybody who helped.”

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The project is backed by Lord of the Rings actor Billy Boyd, Royle Family star Ralf Little and comedian Isy Suttie.

This VW could be won for a hole-in-one at the 15th. Sadly no one managed it. Picture by Stu Norton.This VW could be won for a hole-in-one at the 15th. Sadly no one managed it. Picture by Stu Norton.
This VW could be won for a hole-in-one at the 15th. Sadly no one managed it. Picture by Stu Norton.

Anyone wishing to contribute or find out more about the charity should visit www.npuk.org/niemann-pick-disease.

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