Some of the top shooters in the country are set to take part in a charity clay shoot at Eriswell Lodge in a bid to boost the funds of the Every Heart Matters appeal which is aiming to raise £500,000 for a new cardiac unit at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds.
The event is taking place on Monday, August 6, at the complex in Brandon Road, Eriswell, with invites already sent out to several top world and British champions.
They include George Digweed, Ed Solomons, Georgia Moule, Mark Winser and Hannah Gibson.
Digweed is regarded as the most successful sportsperson from the UK and has a raft of titles including 26 World Championships, 18 European Championships, 116 International Championships, 16 World Cups, 10 European Cups and 11 British and England Championships.
The top shots will captain one of the 30 teams of five people due to take part in the event and each team will be able to bid for them.
Stuart Smith, who with his father Nigel runs the shooting range, said: “We have put out invites to several of the top shooters in the country and we are just awaiting their replies. It’s a very good list. I have been in the sport for 12 years now and they are some of the top people around.”
The cost for a team of five is £500 and Stuart added: “The event will help generate funds for the appeal and the new unit is going to make a big difference for patients and I am very glad that we can be a part of helping that.
“I am pleased to see the facility grow and hope that it makes the difference that it is supposed to.”
Sally Daniels, campaign manager, said, “We are so excited to work with Eriswell Lodge on this event and can’t thank Stuart enough for all his support.
“August is a little way away but we want to get the message out now so people have time to fundraise for the £500 team fee. It’s for a great local cause and we hope businesses will see it as a fantastic opportunity to enjoy team building both beforehand and on the day. I am also sure that there are some rather competitive shooters out there who would love the chance to compete against each other whilst under the watchful eye of top class professionals.”
The appeal is being run by the My WiSH Charity’s Every Heart Matters Appeal, which supports West Suffolk Hospital, and aims to raise the money to build a brand new cardiac diagnostic unit at the hospital.
The West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is investing £5.2m in developing a state of the art cardiac suite that will provide quicker access to more treatments, but the £500,000 the My WiSH Charity is hoping to raise will lead to the whole unit, which is currently fragmented on different floors, being brought together in one purpose-built centre.
Full terms and conditions for the shoot can be found at www.mywishcharity.co.uk.
And if you would like to donate to the Every Heart Matters Appeal you can do so by going to Justgiving.com/ehma or text EHMA17 £10 to 70070.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here