Whitley Bay Golf Club raises £9,000 to fight motor neurone disease

The fundraising was the idea of this year’s captain Jane Cubbins who picked the MND Association as her chosen charity after losing her cousin Paul to the disease two years ago.

Jane saw how the disease affected Paul and his family as he lived with it for six years until his death - and wanted to fundraise for the MND Association as a tribute to him to help to raise money and awareness for the charity as it fights the disease.

The year has seen the team organise quiz night, bingo, charity walks and more, and the kindness and generosity of the members of the club has helped to smash Jane’s target which originally sat at £1,000.

The money will be used to fund research into a cure for the disease which affects at least 5,000 people in the UK at any time.

The MND Association has research centres across the country and this fundraising will contribute towards a special research project at labs in Sheffield.

Jane said: “When I was originally chosing MND as my charity, and speaking with Paul’s widow and sisters, I said, ‘don’t expect too much, but any and every amount will help!’ They agreed wholeheartedly.

“Every penny raised in his memory is a wonderful tribute both to him, and other people and their families living with this disease.”

Speaking about the fundraising, regional fundraiser for the northeast, Dominic McDonough said: “Jane and her team have been absolutely astonishing this year and have worked so hard to raise an incredible amount.

“Every penny will make a huge difference and will fund research to find a cure to this terrible disease. It really does mean so so much and I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone.”

The MND Association was founded in 1979 by a group of volunteers with experience of living with or caring for someone with MND.

They have since have grown significantly, with an increasing community of volunteers, supporters and staff.