One of our Food Safety Trainers has helped to raise over £60,000 for Acorn’s Children's Hospice.

First Response First Aid’s Food Safety Trainer, Joan Goodger has recently returned from China where she trekked the Great Wall with a group of others, walking up to 8 hours a day in all weathers (even snow) to raise over £60,000 for Acorn’s Children's Hospice.  She said that at times the steps were very steep and at times the only way to walk, was sideways. 

This year Joan’s son, Paul would have been 35 years old.  He was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, aged 8.  He died aged 12 in Acorn’s Children's Hospice, Selly Oak where the whole Goodger family lived for a while, supported by both hospice staff and volunteers.

Joan is passionate about raising money to continue supporting the hospice and the help they give providing care, support, fun and laughter for children with life limiting or life-threatening conditions and their families.  It was not easy for Joan who considers herself unfit, so she had to train hard and push herself out of her comfort zone to get on the huge A380 plane to fly to Beijing, where she was overwhelmed by the number of tower blocks, people and cars in the city.

This trek is just one of a whole series of fundraising activities Joan has undertaken.  This summer she did 2 or 3 car boots a week and because she had an Acorns banner and a collection bucket, people would donate without buying from her stall. At the end of car boots people would donate quality goods and she used to return home with enough for another car boot.  She also did a bucket collection at Tesco Burnt Tree Island and Morrison's Rubery which raised hundreds of pounds.  Previously, in 2003 she was part of a group (together with Terry Waite) who were locked in to Winson Green prison, raising £54,000 for Acorn’s hospice. 

You can read more about Joan’s story here and her Just Giving page is here.  To find out more about the work of Acorns go to https://www.acorns.org.uk/

Joan Goodger on the Great Wall of China.