A £4,000 donation has been handed over to the Sandra Chapman Cancer Centre and Ward 17 at the James Paget Hospital after a 40-mile Kayak challenge undertaken by members of Lowestoft-based Orient Lodge 4085.
Ian Moir, Chaplain of Orient Lodge, supported by members of the Lowestoft Volunteer Lifeguard Corps and the Orient Lodge support team, undertook a 40-mile kayak paddle around Lowestoft, Gorleston and Burgh Castle in August 2022 to raise money for the centre.
Starting at the Lifeguards Lowestoft beach headquarters they headed up the coast to the mouth of the River Yare between Gorleston and Great Yarmouth before following the river inland to Burgh Castle and then taking the River Waveney via St Olaves, back through Oulton Broad to Lowestoft, completing the kayak paddle over the course of two days.
The route was designed to circle the James Paget hospital via the waterways which encircle the hospital.
Through sponsorship from local lodges and fundraising, the team managed to raise a total of £4,000 to purchase two special treatment chairs, and on Thursday, 29 June, members of the lodge visited the James Paget centre to formally hand over the donation to staff at the Sandra Chapman Centre and Maxine Taylor, their hospital charity manager.
John Holland, one of the lodge members who was in the support team, said the fundraising had been a real team effort to raise money in memory of his wife Josie, who has since sadly passed away, and had received treatment in the Centre and Ward 17, the centre is treating many of the areas lodge members and families as well as the general public who suffer from this terrible disease.
Maxine Taylor said:
We’d like to thank everyone involved in the kayak and everyone who supported the fundraising. This generous donation will purchase two more of the specialist chairs which provide additional comfort for patients receiving treatment for cancer.
This will directly benefit those using the Centre and the Ward and we’re grateful for your support.
The Lodge’s 2023 Chaplain’s Challenge will be raising money to support Lowestoft girl Jessica Butler and will take place between the 11th and 13th of August, the aim being to kayak along the whole coast of the Province of Suffolk.
You can find out more about this event on the Lodge's website, it will see the team kayak up the east coast from the Woodbridge area to Pakefield.
Donations for this event will be gratefully received and can be given through the Lodge relief chest on the Home page of the website.
