A North Wales hospital charity is offering its biggest-ever Christmas raffle prize \u2013 a massive \u00a3500 \u2013 as it races to raise money for vital equipment.<\/p>\n
The League of Friends at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan says the record-breaking festive windfall has only been made possible thanks to the generosity of Lock Stock Self Storage who have sites in Denbigh, Rhyl, Abergele and Llandudno.<\/p>\n
Chair Dilys Percival urged supporters to snap up tickets before the December 19 draw, praising Lock Stock for backing the charity \u201cin absolutely incredible ways\u201d during one of its busiest fundraising periods.<\/p>\n
The company already provides the League of Friends with a container at its Denbigh site which the charity uses to store equipment.<\/p>\n
Dilys said: \u201cThe \u00a3500 prize is the biggest ever cash prize we\u2019ve had in our Christmas raffle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe raffle has been going for a number of years but the \u00a3500 from Lock Stock is absolutely our largest cash prize and I think Lock Stock have been absolutely amazing with us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have given us invaluable support already because we have the container from them as well where we can keep the things we need for special occasions such as Christmas, Halloween, Mother\u2019s Day, Father\u2019s Day and other events.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dilys said a variety of other prizes were on offer in the festive raffle.<\/p>\n
The second top prize is a \u00a3250 voucher for the Serenity Spa in Marian Resort & Spa, Dyserth, with the prize provided by League of Friends president John Bellis.<\/p>\n
The third top prize is a Christmas hamper stacked with \u00a3100 worth of festive goodies, donated by League of Friends volunteers and supporters.<\/p>\n
Dilys said: \u201cThe top three prizes really are terrific prizes, and we have other prizes too, lots of other bits and pieces.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Christmas raffle will be drawn at 4pm on December 19 at the League of Friends tea bar at the hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople can come here to buy the tickets or from our volunteers.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the money raised will go towards buying equipment for the hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year we donated \u00a3200,000 to the hospital to buy equipment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hospital puts its bids into us for equipment and we choose with them what we would like to support.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example we have released money to the hospital to buy new chairs for A&E, which will be in place next year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Formed in 1974, the League of Friends has now raised more than \u00a38 million for the hospital.<\/p>\n
The organisation runs a sales table, tea bar and shop at the Bodelwyddan hospital and has plans to open an additional tea bar in A&E next year.<\/p>\n
Dilys revealed she has a deep family connection to the League of Friends.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI started helping when we came back from Covid because my mother Betty Williams did it previously and I came to help her.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said while last year was a special year for the group as it celebrated 50 years of work, next year was shaping up to be a significant year too.<\/p>\n
Dilys said: \u201cWe are having a tea bar in A&E next year on top of the services we already provide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ollie Beech, Lock Stock\u2019s marketing officer, said: \u201cThe League of Friends is something we have previously supported and it\u2019s something we are really passionate about.<\/p>\n
\u201cGlan Clwyd is obviously a very local hospital to our home town of Denbigh and serves many of the people who utilise our sites in North Wales.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an incredibly busy time of year for the hospital and the League of Friends in general.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe group do such incredible work on a voluntary basis so it felt right to support them and try to give back to our local community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people who work here are absolutely incredible all year round, not just at this incredibly busy time of year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see the stress that hospitals are under so the work the League of Friends do in fundraising for new equipment and supporting patients, doctors, nurses and support staff\u00a0is absolutely commendable.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really appreciate what they do for our community, and it\u2019s something we are in awe of.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s especially humbling when you come to the hospital at this time of year, and you\u2019re gearing up to spend time with your friends and family, and you see the League of Friends volunteers working here when they could be at home with their families.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are really pleased to be able to support them and can\u2019t wait to see the results of the raffle and hopefully it raises plenty of money for Glan Clwyd and they can make a real difference as they always do.\u201d<\/p>\n
League of Friends business manager Stephanie Park urged the public to buy a raffle ticket to support the group\u2019s crucial work.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cAll the money raised goes back to our hospital here, it doesn\u2019t go to any other hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt goes back into Glan Clwyd in forms of essential equipment which is desperately required here.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have over 100 volunteers and we are looking for more, especially because next year we will be having an additional mini shop tea bar based in A&E.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople interested in volunteering can pop in here and pick up a form or they can contact me on 03000 846 221 and I will send an application form in the post.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a Facebook page as well so people can find details there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lock Stock, founded in Denbigh in 2000, has a tradition of supporting local organisations and charities.<\/p>\n
The growing firm operates sites across Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire, Shropshire and Herefordshire and under its expansion plans will have 38 sites across the UK by 2026.<\/p>\n
Lock Stock estimates that 70 per cent of its customers are private individuals \u2013 house movers, students or those storing treasured belongings \u2013 while around 30 per cent are small businesses storing tools, equipment, and stock.<\/p>\n
The company also offers a unique off-site container hire and sale service, delivering units directly to customer locations with its own articulated lorry.<\/p>\n
For information about Lock Stock Self Storage, including off-site container hire contact them on 01745 817178 or go to <\/strong>https:\/\/lockstock.biz\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n