Former postman raises £1m for Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal and now on the road to £2m

Last year Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal raised more than £168,000 across Yorkshire,.

More than 3,100 volunteers held street and supermarket collection in 370 sites handing out out daffodil pins in exchange for donations. This year the charity is hoping to smash that figure but needs more than 3,500 people from across the county to pledge their support by signing up to take part in a collection.

Among the army of volunteers is vintage car enthusiast and former postman, Mervyn Hoyle, 73, from Harrogate. Mervyn has dedicated 35 years of his life to volunteering for Marie Curie. Together with his sister, Valerie Sowerby, who now lives in Suffolk, it’s estimated that they have raised more than £1m for the terminal illness charity.

They began supporting the charity in 1985 after their mother sadly lost her battle with cervical cancer. Towards the end of her illness, she was cared for at home by Marie Curie nurses, which inspired them to embark on their charity endeavours. Mervyn has just scooped a national People’s Award from the charity in honour of his unstinting commitment and dedication.

“Having witnessed firsthand the level of care provided by the Marie Curie nurses, my sister and I decided immediately to give something back to help ensure that others in a similar position to us had access to the same support,” explains Mervyn.

“We’d fundraised for other charities including Save the Children and Help the Heroes but our personal experience of the nurses touched our hearts.”

Mervyn has channelled his lifelong passion of vintage cars into raising vital funds for the charity by travelling across the country with his barrel organ to play music to audiences in return for a donation.

“It’s an electronic organ and so it is easier than the paper ones,” he explains. “We have always been into vintage things and so it made sense to combine that with fundraising.”

He’s the proud owner of an Austin 10 Litchfield (1935), an Austin 7 saloon (1933) and an Austin 7 AVJ van (1936) – all of which have won numerous awards at vintage car rallies and shows.

Sporting his trademark blazer, dicky bow and Panama hat, he has become renowned nationwide for his charitable efforts and can regularly be seen at 1940s weekends.

Closer to home, he’s a regular fixture throughout the year at Harrogate’s cenotaph where he can be seen busking most weekends with his organ and car.

During Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal each year, Mervyn plays a vital role in street and supermarket collections, travelling as far afield as Otley, Ilkley, North Allerton, Sowerby Bridge, Stokesley and Whitby. In addition, this year he will be collecting at Morrisons from between 5pm and 8pm each day this week until March 15.

“My sister and I feel indebted to Marie Curie and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed playing our part in supporting such a worthy cause,” says Mervyn who is one of a host of volunteers the charity relies on to run its fund-raising appeals.

“It’s always a humbling experience talking to people who provide a donation as invariably they have their own story to share, reciting personal experiences openly and speak fondly of the charity.”

This month marks the launch of Marie Curie’s biggest annual fundraising campaign – the Great Daffodil Appeal – which runs throughout spring – and the charity is calling on people to sign up to help with supermarket and street collections.

And he has plans to drive around the coast of England, all for Marie Curie.

“We are on to our second million now and nothing will stop us,” he says.

By volunteering for two hours at a location near you and encouraging your community to donate and wear a daffodil, you will be helping to ensure Marie Curie nurses can care for more people with a terminal illness.

Last year, across Yorkshire, the street and supermarket collections raised over £168,000 at 370 different sites and more than 3,100 volunteers came out in force to give out daffodil pins in exchange for donations. This year the charity is hoping to smash that figure but needs more than 3,500 people from across the county to pledge their support by signing up to take part in a collection.

Another Yorkshire fund-raising stalwart in Eileen Bristow, from Osbaldwick.

Veteran volunteer, 90-year old Eileen, has notched up 21 years at Marie Curie after reading about a plea for more helpers featured in a local paper back in 1999.

Eileen has dedicated a day each week to the charity, she supports 
the community fundraisers and 
has undertaken various administrative and banking duties over the years .

She plays a fundamental role in ensuring the smooth running of the annual Great Daffodil Appeal by helping to co-ordinate collection boxes and daffodil pins.

“I joined Marie Curie after I retired to give myself a new focus and challenge and over the years have made lifelong friends,” says Eileen.

“Volunteering is a great way of interacting with new people and the girls in the office are highly-driven, passionate and enthusiastic, so it’s a joy to work alongside them.

“Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to attend many fundraising events and I look forward to continuing my work with the charity.”