Faversham business group ABG has raised £2,500 to help buy a specialised golf cart for their former chairman.
The group, which meets weekly at The Cave, Boughton, set off for a 5.5-mile circular walk from Chestfield Golf Club on Saturday 29th April.
Members, family, friends, children and dogs joined in, making the 40-strong group quite a sight as the route took them through Chestfield, into Tankerton, along the seafront, through the caravan parks and back up to the golf club.
Three wheelchairs were also taken, giving members an idea of the challenges faced by wheelchair users in simple tasks such as crossing roads, turning, or going uphill.
Three collection buckets were filled up with donated change and online donations were made too, using the QR codes on T-shirts, flyers and collection buckets.
The money raised is 10% of the £25,000 needed to buy a ParaGolf for Darren Bovis – so that he can enjoy golf again.
Darren, 54, relies on a wheelchair to get around after he was paralysed in 2019; an unknown vertebrae injury was aggravated as he raked leaves in his garden and he has been undertaking intense rehabilitation since, to walk again.
The injury has meant that he can no longer play golf, or even get round a golf course with his friends.
He said: “It’s not just playing golf I miss – it’s the social side of it too, and the mental health side of it that you get from being outdoors and enjoying sport.
“It’s very humbling that so many people want to help raise money for the kit – but having used it once before, I know it will be brilliant.
“Also, other people will be able to benefit from it too – others with disability or those who maybe can’t get round a golf course easily due to age or mobility. It won’t just be for my use.”
Current chairman Mark Isom, said: “It was a great day and we had a lot of support on the way too – people were very generous.
“The golf kit will add something back in to Darren’s life; we’ve seen him use it and it just opens up that world for him again – we can’t wait to see him have his own.”
ABG aim to raise £10,000 towards the kit and are planning more events later this year.
The sponsorship link is here:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/play-golf-again
Media coverage gained for this story:
KMTV – live interview in their studio – Monday 24th April
Meridian TV – Featured on morning news – Wednesday 26th April
BBC Radio Kent – live interview with Pat Marsh on April 15th
