An Evening with Geoff Miller – Charity Fundraiser

On the 9th of April 2022, Lowerhouse CC’s Joey Hawke, an on-call firefighter for Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and Duncan Fraser a Sailor in the Royal Navy will embark on a new, crazy challenge raising funds for two very worthwhile charities. 

Joey and Duncan will aim to climb the National Three Peaks (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon) in full fire kit and breathing apparatus and to make things that little more challenging, will also be cycling between each mountain, totalling around 500 miles. 

They aim to complete this challenge in around 6 days. You know they love a challenge and this one will be the toughest so far.

In support of Joey and Duncan’s fundraising efforts, An Evening with Geoff Miller will be held at Lowerhouse Cricket Club on Friday 25 March 2022 from 20:00.  

Tickets are priced at only £20.00, and supper is included in the price, the amazing comedy impressionist Les Gibson is also on the bill with fundraising and a small auction on the night.

All profits will be donated to the charities above.

Geoff Miller is one of the best after dinner speers in the circuit and provides great entertainment detailing his own professional cricket playing career with both Derbyshire and England and his involvement as a selector for the England team in later years.

Geoff is very much sought after, and we are delighted to be able to engage with him to support the event for Joey and Duncan.

Tickets are now available and can be reserved by emailing tony@lowerhousecc.com leaving your requirements or queries and contact details and Tony will be in touch.

Alternatively, contact Joey or Duncan who will assist you with your purchases.

The Fire Fighters Charity –

This Charity provides services that enhance quality of life for serving and retired firefighters, fire personnel and their families through a range of support programmes including physical rehabilitation, psychological support, recuperation, and a confidential helpline which provides impartial advice, guidance, and support on a wide range of concerns. They know that everybody is different, that no two injuries are the same and that no two people are affected in the same way by incidents they experience. The personalised support can involve one or more possible pathways, delivered in several different ways- over the phone, online using digital technology, out in your local community or at one of their centres; Harcombe House in Devon, Jubilee House in the Lake District or Marine Court in West Sussex. Their aim is always the same, to help them move forward positively in life. www.thefirefighterscharity.org.uk

MIND –

This Charity provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Their goals are to support people likely to develop mental health problems, to empower people who experience a mental health problem to make informed choices about how they live and recover, to ensure people get the right services and support at the right time to help their recovery and enable them to live with their mental health problems. To open the doors to people with experience of mental health problems participating fully in society. To gain equality of treatment for people who experience both mental health and other forms of discrimination.

Their range of services includes supported housing, crisis helplines, drop-in centres, employment and training schemes, counselling, and befriending. www.mind.org.uk

Unfortunately, suicide and mental health issues have impacted people both Duncan and I have crossed paths with throughout our lives and although it is a subject spoken about more than ever before, it still feels like such a taboo subject. To know that the money we raise will go towards counselling sessions that could be the first stages into changing someone’s life for the better makes us even more determined to put our all into this challenge, and we hope that people empathise with us the goal we are trying to achieve.

We are very aware that the last couple of years have been anything but normal and it cannot have been easy for all Charities and Organisations so we are setting ourselves this challenge in the hope that we can provide a little bit of a difference for our Charities. The Firefighters Charity has been chosen by us as we believe they offer immense support to firefighters and their families nationally and know first-hand the importance such a service has to the dedicated firefighters who provide a vital service to the UK throughout their career. The service is well equipped to provide firefighters and their families with emotional and practical help when they need it most. It is imperative that funding for this Charity is continued as without it they would not be able to access the services that they so greatly need and could ultimately have a detrimental effect on their emotional wellbeing and need for practical assistance.

Very similar to The Fire Fighters Charity we have just chosen MIND as we believe they offer lifesaving support to people who need it the most. It’s no great secret that mental health has become a growing public health concern, it’s affecting more and more of us in the UK and has had a huge impact on our physical and mental health during the pandemic. We need to find better ways to protect our mental health and we feel MIND offers that help.