Charity wreath making event raises £5,000

A charity wreath making event has raised £5,000 for Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA).

Nicola Pettit, 63, from Elloughton, East Yorkshire, set up the annual event five years ago with her daughter.

She usually organises one session, but Nicola said it became so popular that she arranged three sessions this year.

Nicola said: "I'm really quite passionate about getting people together and raising money as a charity event, having fun and doing something that they probably would have just bought from a shop."

After Nicola's friend, Margaret Lidster, lost her husband to Motor Neurone Disease (MND), they started to organise the events together, raising money for MNDA.

Margaret, 59, said: "If I can help one family like we were helped then that's my job done as I see it."

Her husband, David, was diagnosed in October 2023 and passed away in August 2024.

"He had quite a quick form of MND," she said.

Margaret added it was great to see so many people taking part in the event.

"In past years, we've only done one wreath making session whereas this year we've done three.

"So it has grown, and we could have probably done another three if we had the time."

This year, the money raised is also going towards the RDA in North Ferriby to fund a mechanical horse for disabled riders.

Nicola said: "I just want to give something back. If it helps, that's great."

"While people enjoy it and they want to keep coming, we'll keep providing it," she added.

Serena Coope, 51, has been to a wreath making event with her friends every year and, this year, she decided to attend Nicola's.

"I lost my mum to MND six years ago so it's something close to my heart," Serena said.

"It helps talking to other people because you're the only people who understand what it's like when somebody's passed away with a condition like that," she added.

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