Jim Dobbs raised money for Saint Francis Hospice after hearing about its urgent appeal
Jim Dobbs, from Grays, started fundraising for the charity after finding out about the challenges it was facing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The hospice has seen a huge decline in its income since its charity stores closed and other fundraisers were postponed.
To support patients in the local community with life-limiting illnesses, the charity requires £8.5 million a year to keep it running.
It also employs 150 nurses, doctors, and specialist healthcare staff who are supported by 800 volunteers.
Speaking to Time 107.5, Jim said: “When I heard the advert saying that they needed as much funding as possible, I just thought of those poor nurses and carers that are there that are trying to do their work but in the back of their mind, they don’t even know if they’re going to get paid or not and it broke my heart really.”
‘Dobbo’ created ‘Jim’s Jukebox’, asking people to donate £1 to his JustGiving page and choose a song.
Friends would send him a link to a song, and Jim would use that as inspiration to reply with two other songs of his choice that related to the original track.
“People’s generosity was staggering,” Jim said. “They weren’t just donating £1 for a song, but 10 or 20.”
He admitted that “some choices were dubious, from 1993’s Mr Blobby to 2000’s ‘Can We Fix It’ by Bob the Builder, but it was all part of the fun.”
Saint Francis Hospice cares for 4,000 people across the boroughs of Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge, and Brentwood.
Anyone interested in fundraising for the Hospice can find out more from the team by emailing fundraising@sfh.org.uk.
Jim’s fundraising page is still available here if you would like to donate and he is happy to accept friend requests on Facebook from people who want to join in.
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Tags: Grays, Thurrock, Havering, Saint Francis Hospice
