East Sussex beach club raises much-needed money for diabetic children
Beach club members raised money for children with diabetes by throwing corn bags on a beach.
Pett Level Beach Club raised £1,700 by playing cornhole, an American game that involves throwing corn bags at a target board with a hole.
If you get the corn bag through the hole you score three points. If you land on the board you score one point.
The cash was presented to Katerina Hawkins, a nurse at the children’s diabetes unit at the Conquest Hospital.
The funds will be used for the children to visit farms, play crazy golf and other activities.
They will also used to help families with equipment.
Katerina said: “This wonderful donation will help with days out and the children’s ability to monitor and control in many ways.
“We recently had a mum who told us that her six-year-old daughter had asked her mummy why she was different from the other children at school. Mum said she felt lonely and isolated but when they became involved at the unit the little girl realised she was not alone in dealing with her condition and made new friends as a result of getting together.”
The idea came about as the club’s manager Carla May Smith has a daughter with type 1 diabetes.
Carla said: “Since we have joined the unit we have made new friends, formed new friendships and support each other in guiding our children through life with diabetes.
“Watching my daughter smile alongside children just like her is something I’ll never take for granted.”
Committee members Belinda Wood and Phil Brain came up with the idea of helping the unit by having a ‘cornhole competition day' on the beach by the club terrace.
Members including Cedric James, Bob and Sally Parsons, their daughters Jilly and Nikki and brother-in-law Dave, who travelled from Hampshire to help out, rallied to support the cause.
Businesses that donated prizes to the raffle, which raised more than £500, included Heringtons Solicitors, Cove Kennels and Cattery, The Clam at Pett Level, The Old Butchers Shop at Pett, The Funky Hen Secret Boutique in Icklesham, Wakehams Farm Shop and Garden Gems nursery.
The club, which started in the early 1950, has more than 1,200 members.
New members are always welcome to join the club by the beach. It is open six days a week from noon until 8pm Wednesday to Sunday, 4pm until 10m on Monday for the quiz night and closed on Tuesdays.