Alicia Gordon, age 11, will benefit from the Dial-a-Dream charity. She tried out golf with Wanstead Golf Club's outgoing captain John Kemp

Wanstead golfers help Dial-a-Dream charity to survive for another year with fundraising efforts

Alistair Kleebauer, Senior reporter Tuesday, January 15, 2013
1:10 PM

A Wanstead charity that grants the wishes of very sick children will be able to keep going for another year thanks to fundraising golfers.

(l-r) Bob Heath from Dial-a-Dream, Alicia Gordon, John Kemp and Jeannie Hollick

John Kemp, 47, the outgoing captain of Wanstead Golf Club, Overton Drive, presented the Dial-a-Dream charity with a cheque for £25,000 on Sunday.

He and Jeannie Hollick, 64, outgoing captain of the ladies’ section, picked the Addison Road-based cause for their fundraising efforts over the last year, including calendar sales and raffles.

Bob Heath, one of the charity’s founders and its honorary secretary, said: “We have to say a big thank you to the golf club.

“It will keep us going for another year.

“We would have been struggling, it was a well needed cash injection.”

Mr Heath said seven to eight wishes will now be fulfilled, including eleven-year-old Alicia Gordon’s dream to go on The Simpsons ride at the Universal Studios theme park in Florida.

The Bromley youngster, who underwent chemotherapy treatment last year, also visited the club.

The amount raised smashed the club’s previous fundraising record of around £13,000.

Mr Kemp said: “When you look at what the children and families go through, we felt it was a nice cause to give the money to.”