Woodlands Ward at Harrogate District Hospital has received a wonderful donation from the Black Shire Villains, local chapter of the Bearded Villains. The Bearded Villains are an international club for bearded men with thousands of members worldwide.
The core organisation’s aim is to unite men of all cultures, races, creeds and sexualities who are committed to kindness, fraternity and charity, and of course, the beard. Operating largely on Instagram (@Beardedvillains), they hold events and sell merchandise such as hats and t-shirts to raise money for a variety of causes.
The local chapter (@black_shire_villains on Instagram) is made up of 16 members mostly from Yorkshire and holds social and family gatherings as well as charity fundraisers. They have recently become a not-for-profit organisation.
They were inspired to nominate Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity to receive their first donation after the eldest daughter of Co-Captain, Graeme Roy, received care here last year.
The group’s Captain, Dom Fowles, said: “Supporting a children’s ward gives us a great sense of pride, and for Graeme it was a gesture of giving something back to those who helped his daughter when she needed it the most, and for that alone, all at the Black Shire Villains wish to thank you.”
Vicky Lister, Woodlands Ward Manager, said: “A huge thank you to the Black Shire Villains/Bearded Villains. The money donated will be used towards the artwork on Woodlands which promotes a more child friendly and less frightening environment for our patients. We are very grateful as a team for your hard work in fundraising for us, thank you.”
The Black Shire Villains are always ready to welcome new bearded members to their chapter and hope to raise even more money in the future for other local causes.
You can visit https://blackshirevillains.bigcartel.com/ or contact the group on: blackshirevillains@yahoo.com to find out more.