How A Pontefract Pub Raised Over £2300 For Leeds General Infirmary With A Raphinha Shirt

Sometimes, a local pub is much more than just a place to grab a drink. It can be the real hub of a town, a place where people come together to support each other. That’s exactly what happened at The Ancient Borough Arms in Pontefract, where a brilliant fundraising effort saw the community pull together to raise a whopping £2,316 for a cause that means a lot to everyone. The pub celebrates this fantastic achievement, which was all in aid of the amazing Leeds General Infirmary.

A cause close to home

So, what gets a whole community fired up to start raising money? Often, it’s a personal story. For the team at The Ancient Borough Arms, led by pub operator Dawn Chapman, the motivation came from a friend of the pub, John Szabo. Earlier this year, John Szabo was diagnosed with cancer, which is a tough thing for anyone to go through. But his story is one of hope and recovery, thanks to the incredible treatment and care he received from the staff at Leeds General Infirmary.

The journey from a cancer diagnosis to full recovery is never easy, but the team at Leeds General was there for John every step of the way. When a friend goes through something like that, it makes you feel a massive sense of gratitude towards the people who helped them get better. This feeling of wanting to say "thank you" was the spark that ignited the whole idea for the fundraising events. With the hospital being just a short drive from Pontefract, many people in the local community have their own stories about the brilliant care provided by Leeds General, whether for themselves or a loved one. The pub regulars knew they wanted to do something to show their appreciation for the vital work the hospital does every single day for the people of Yorkshire.

The community rallies round

When Dawn Chapman decided it was time to give something back, it wasn't a surprise to see the Pontefract community jump at the chance to help. It started with an idea for a raffle and an auction to raise some money. But before anyone knew it, things got a whole lot bigger. Two of the pub's regulars, Pam Keir and Neil Norton, made an incredible donation that took the fundraising to another level: a Leeds United shirt, personally signed by football legend Raphinha.

For anyone in Yorkshire who follows football, that’s a huge deal. Raphinha is a star who made his name at Leeds before moving to Barcelona and even being nominated for the Ballon d'Or – one of football's biggest awards. A signed shirt from a player like him is a fantastic prize. This amazing gesture seemed to kickstart a wave of generosity. Soon, other fantastic prizes were being donated for the raffle and auction, including:

• Framed signed photos of various Leeds stars from over the years
• Tickets to the Challenge Cup Final
• Donations from other local businesses

Suddenly, the fundraising events had some seriously good prizes up for grabs. This encouraged everyone to dig deep and buy tickets, not just for a chance to win but to support the incredible work of the Leeds General Infirmary. The pub was buzzing with excitement as the total started climbing, showing what a community can do when it comes together for a good cause.

Raising more than £2,300 for vital care

The combination of a great cause and amazing prizes turned out to be a massive success. The raffle and auction captured everyone's imagination, especially with that signed Leeds United shirt as the star prize. The final amount raised was an incredible £2,316, with every penny going to support Leeds General. This money will help the hospital continue providing its exceptional treatment and patient care.

Pub operator Dawn Chapman was blown away by the response. She said:

“To see the community come together to support such an important cause that’s very close to a lot of us from the Yorkshire area is a prime example of what makes our community so brilliant. John couldn’t speak more highly of the treatment and care he received at Leeds General Infirmary, and we all wanted to do something to show our gratitude for the incredible work all the staff at the hospital do, which is why we chose to fundraise for them.”

She also gave a special shout-out to the people who made it all possible:

“We’d like to extend our thanks to all the local businesses who donated raffle prizes alongside our guests, Pam Keir and Neil Norton, for donating the items to the raffle which really helped persuade people to donate, not that they needed much persuasion! As the total we got to would not have been possible without their generosity!”

This story is a perfect example of how a local pub can be a force for good. It's not just about the money raised; it's about the community spirit and the collective show of gratitude for a hospital that helps so many people from Leeds and beyond. After this success, the team at The Ancient Borough Arms is already planning more fundraising events. To keep up with what they're doing next, you can check out their website.