Member Article

Local event hits £200K fundraising for neonatal unit

This year’s instalment of popular charity golf day, the Niamh Rutherford Golf Classic, has seen total fundraising for Leeds’s vital Neonatal Unit smash the £200k mark.

Held on 20th May 2016 at Leeds Golf Club, the golf day, which is organised and sponsored by Allied Irish Bank (GB) was attended by 100 golfers made up of clients and professionals from the business community in and around Leeds.

The event, which is now in its 23rd year, is a fundraiser for the Neonatal Units at Leeds Children’s Hospital, which will contribute towards much needed medical equipment for sick and premature babies born in the region.

The charity golf day was first held as a one-off event in 1993. Set up originally by Mr Pat McCabe following the Unit’s successful treatment of his granddaughter, Niamh, the event proved such an enjoyable and worthwhile way of raising funds that it is now a firm fixture on the local golfing calendar. Golfers play to win the Pat McCabe Memorial Trophy, honouring the life of its founder who sadly passed away a few years ago. This year’s winners were Gordons LLP.

Now aged 24, the event’s namesake Niamh Rutherford, attended the golf day and presented this year’s cheque to Dr Lawrence Miall from Leeds Children’s Hospital Neonatal Unit.

Dr Lawrence Miall, Consultant Neonatologist at the Children’s Hospital said “The Niamh Rutherford Golf Classic has been a fantastic source of support for the Leeds Neonatal unit over the last 20 years- seeing Niamh grow from a tiny premature baby to a healthy young woman is very rewarding for us, and the equipment this event has funded has helped provide intensive care life support to literally hundreds of babies. Thank you to everyone who took part and especially to the team at the Allied Irish Bank for their on-going support”

Siobhan McGarry, Relationship Manager at Allied Irish Bank (GB) said: “We are thrilled that this year’s event has seen the total fundraising value surpass the £200k mark. We at Allied Irish Bank (GB) are delighted to have assisted the Unit in purchasing essential medical equipment which has benefited hundreds of premature babies over the last two decades. We are very grateful to our customers and associates for their ongoing support which has enabled us to continue to host the event and raise funds for such a worthwhile cause.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Caroline Marsden .