A board game lover from Morecambe who has raised thousands for a cancer charity has been rewarded with a lovely Christmas gift.
Neil Holroyd hosts an annual day of board games at the Lancaster House Hotel in Lancaster attracting 150 players from all over the country.
The event has raised £10,500 for Prostate Cancer UK, so staff at the hotel decided to reward Neil with a complimentary dinner and B&B stay for two. The Prostate Cancer UK board game day invites gaming enthusiasts of all ages and abilities to meet each year and pit their wits against each other.
Players come from as far afield as Tyneside in the North and Devon in the South. And perhaps surprisingly to those who are not aficionados, it is the non-traditional, modern and more interactive board games such as Wingspan, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne and Catan which prove most popular with participants.
From contemporary games like these to traditional favourites like Monopoly – preferably the Lancaster version played by guests at the hotel – there is something for everyone and Neil saw it as a fantastic platform from which to raise funds for his chosen charity. “The reason I started doing this was because Prostate Cancer UK was our adopted charity where I used to work and it’s a cause that perhaps doesn’t get as much coverage as others,” he said. “There are so many people to thank for their generosity over these years. Gamers are truly fantastic people and have always given their time to keep this event going and increase donations to this worthy cause. “We’ve also had great support from local businesses and I’d particularly like to thank English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues for their kindness in allowing us to host the event at Lancaster House. “It was a wonderful surprise when the hotel called me to say 'Happy Christmas' and offer me a free dinner and stay. My wife Lou and I are greatly looking forward to it.” The board game day raised £1,209 this year and Neil hopes that this figure will increase to match the 2019 record performance of £1,610. “With this being the 10th year of hosting Neil’s event, we really thought it was fitting to offer him some well deserved R&R to reward him for his tireless fundraising work," said Emma Underwood, general manager of the Lancaster House Hotel.
"The board game day is an extremely popular event here at the hotel and long may it continue.” Across the UK, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. More than 52,000 are diagnosed each year on average.
It is not always life-threatening, but more than 12,000 die from it each year.
If it is caught early and diagnosed, the more likely it is to be cured. Around 490,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer. For further information or to donate, visit here.
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