£2m milestone for auctioneer
LOCAL charity powerhouse Jeremy Hopkinson OBE has smashed his £2 million fundraising target after officiating at the Glitter Ball in aid of Martin House Children's Hospice.
The Glitter Ball, which was held at the Majestic Hotel, treated over 300 guests to a champagne reception, four-course dinner, grand prize draw, auction, entertainment and a disco.
Mr Hopkinson took charge of the gavel at the charity auction, selling 13 lots, which included a cooking and dining experience with Marco Pierre White, a chance to tandem-skydive with the Red Devils, and a signed England rugby union Centenary Match shirt.
The auction raised 8,725, bringing Mr Hopkinson's fundraising total to 2,004,000.
Honours list
He said: "I'm delighted to have burst through the two-million barrier and would like to thank all those who have helped me do it, especially those who have donated prizes and auction lots over the years."
In addition to auctioneering, Mr Hopkinson has run marathons around the world and even cycled across the country to raise money for his favourite charities.
He was awarded an OBE for charitable services in the Queen's Birthday Honours list of 2008.
Despite having achieved his fundraising target, Mr Hopkinson has no plans to retire from his charity work just yet.
Auctioneer
He said: "I'm just going to keep on going. When I lost both my parents to cancer in 2003 I realised that if you have a chance to help other people have a healthier and happier time while they're here, then you should do that."
This year is set to be a busy one for the Harrogate-based estate agent. He is not only growing his own business, which he set up in the autumn, but has also named Marie Curie Cancer Care as his nominated charity for 2010 and has agreed to be auctioneer at 25 more charity events.
He is also a member of the Crystal Committee, a fundraising group which is organising a three-day event at Ripley Castle. The lake-side extravaganza, which runs from May 21-23, will include a clay pigeon shoot, a ball and a family fun day.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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