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Golf club raises thousands for charity that helped Mal
By Alicia Kelly

From left, Jayne Sale, Mal and John Bickerton's daughter, Droitwich Golf Club ladies captain Jane Beale, men's captain Martin Allen present Tim Stavart with the cheque for £35,264.99.
A DROITWICH golf club has raised more than £35,000 for research into Motor Neurone Disease after one of its much- loved members died from the illness.

We previously reported how John Bickerton, father of Droitwich golf professional John Bickerton, had vowed to continue fund-raising for the Worcester branch of the MND Association after his wife Marilyn, known as Mal, died, aged 60, last year.

The couple, who were well-known at Droitwich Golf Club, had planned an auction of sporting memorabilia to raise money for the charity which helped them after Mrs Bickerton was diagnosed with the disease.

The then Droitwich Golf Club captain, Martin Allen, and ladies captain, Jane Beale, also adopted MND as their charity during their year in office in 2007.

Mrs Beale said: "At the 2008 captain's drive-in on Saturday, January 5, Martin and I, together with Jayne Sale, who is Mal and John Bickerton's daughter, presented Tim Stavart from the Worcester Branch of MND with a cheque for £35,264.99 in memory of Mal.

"The final amount raised was slightly more - £35,280.

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"This fantastic amount is a tremendous reflection on the love and friendship the members at Droitwich had for Mal and John. "Their generosity and willingness to support all the fund-raising events throughout the year has been incredible and Martin and I are very grateful for all the support they have given us."

Mrs Beale said the money, raised by events including a summer ball and the auction, was double the amount ever raised previously for charity by the club and would now help support other sufferers and their carers in Worcestershire. Mrs Bickerton was diagnosed with the disease, for which there is no cure, in December 2005 after suffered tingling in her fingers and slurred speech.

By September 2006 she was unable to walk and died on Saturday, April 28, 2007 just 17 months after the original diagnosis. About 300 mourners attended her funeral, donating £1,200 to the association.

12:12pm Wednesday 16th January 2008


Marilyn, known as Mal, with husband John, father of golf professional John Bickerton. John senior had vowed to continue fund-raising for the Worcester branch of the M otor Neurone Disease Association.

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/...helped_mal.php