On cue for hospice event

Ben Spriggs, whose son Malachy is a patient at Brian House, is setting up a charity snooker tournament to raise funds for the Hospice Heroes campaign.
Ben and Malachy with Ben's treasured old snooker cue. PIC BY ROB LOCK
21-10-2013 — Ben Spriggs, whose son Malachy is a patient at Brian House, is setting up a charity snooker tournament to raise funds for the Hospice Heroes campaign. Ben and Malachy with Ben's treasured old snooker cue. PIC BY ROB LOCK 21-10-2013

Ben Spriggs’ 15-month-old son Malachy regularly attends  Brian House children’s hospice for a complex condition, and Ben says they only way he can really show his appreciation for the hospice is to raise money.

Ben, from Wesham, said: “Malachy is going through a lot of stuff and to be able to do this to say thank you to Brian House means a lot to me.

“They are fantastic people there, and what they do is amazing.”

Not only do the staff and volunteers at the hospice, on Low Moor Lane, Bispham, help Malachy, they offer support and advice to Ben and his wife, Natalie, and they are also there to help their other son, Ellis, four.

Ben, 24, said: “At Brian House they offer us support and give us respite when we need it mentally, and even if we have any problems as parents we can go them, sit down and speak to them.

“They listen to us and comfort us if we need comforting.

“Ellis is starting to understand what’s going on and that there is a problem with his brother, and the staff at Brian House are supporting him as well. They ask him if he’s OK, and if he needs anything it’s there.

“In all aspects of our lives, they are fantastic.”

Ben’s snooker tournament, planned for Q’s Snooker Club, on Lytham Road, South Shore, is one of a number of events in the pipeline to raise money for Brian House through its corporate challenge – a string of events being held to raise money for the facility.

A keen snooker player himself, Ben wants to get as many people involved as possible.

“It’s very important that people come down and help us raise what we can,” he said.

“We have a few snooker players from the local leagues involved to help us and they have been a big help. But the more players we have, the more money we can raise for this fantastic cause.

“I cannot thank the people at Brian House enough for what they have done, as a whole team. The only way I can think of what to do to repay them is to raise as much money as I can for Brian House.

“I just want people to come down and support us by signing up to play.”

The tournament begins at noon on November 2, but players should be at the club to sign up at 11am.

It will consist of a knock-out stage before the finals.