A sell-out Hyde Rotary event has raised more than £1,500 for a local charity in a fitting tribute to former Rotarian Kevin Maddox.

The Motown event was held at Oaklands Hall in Hyde recently with all 180 tickets quickly selling out.

Hyde Rotary President Barry Carey said: “The evening was very, very well received and enjoyed by everyone. It was incredibly popular and a sell-out, with all 180 tickets going almost immediately. We were literally inundated with requests and could have sold them twice over.

“The event was a fitting tribute to Kevin who had organised the entire event before Covid, but we sadly lost him during the pandemic.

“But the event held in his memory certainly did him proud and he would have been delighted with how well it all went.”

The event was put back twice due to the pandemic, but eventually staged on March 18.

Sadly Kevin, 68, passed away following a long battle with cancer last year.

He had been a driving force in local Rotary for many years and was President of Hyde Rotary not just once, but twice, in 2008-09 and again for 2016-17. He had first joined Hyde Rotary in 2003 and went on to be presented with the Paul Harris Fellow recognition - the highest award in Rotary.

In his Hyde Rotary Community Services Chairman role, Kevin was actively involved in organising a range of social events, including the Motown evening.

“We do greatly miss him,” said Barry, adding that Kevin had organised the latest event for them and it was rightly therefore held in his memory, with Barry also giving a fitting tribute on the night. 

SPECIAL OCCASION: Rotarian Alan Oldham, Joyce Howarth Chair of Friends of Tameside Young Carers, Hyde Rotary President Barry Carey and Kevin’s daughter Natasha Maddox. 

DJ Andy Stott provided the entertainment throughout and in an added mark of respect to Kevin, stuck exactly with the original playlist he had chosen for the night. 

The event  was held to raise funds for the Friends of Tameside Young Carers and will help fund a day out for young carers. 

Joyce Howarth, Chair of the Friends of Tameside Young Carers, gave a speech about the charity on the evening and said they were extremely grateful.

The group, which has been established in Hyde for more than a decade, traditionally takes children, generally under the age of 12, on trips to places like Chester Zoo, to give them a break and in recognition of their caring duties. 

Joyce said: “The money raised will be for as many young carers as possible to enjoy an activity outing  during the summer months. This year this will be either in Wigan or the Lake District. Young people are able to enjoy hiking, archery, zip-lines, bush craft, and canoeing.”

MUCH MISSED: Kevin Maddox.

Tameside has very nearly 500 young carers, all of whom are under the age of 18, and who care for someone who may be ill or disabled, usually a parent or sibling, and almost always someone in their own family. 

As such they are an almost invisible group who tend to keep their extra duties to themselves. 

Of that 500, about one fifth, 100 young people, are under the age of 12 - with the Friends’ group established to provide extra support and recognition for them all. 

Joyce added: “Friends of Tameside Young Carers was set up in 2008 to support young carers in Tameside aged eight to 18 years of age by enabling them to access recreation, sport and leisure time activities so that they are able to enjoy the same experiences as their peers.

“We are most grateful to members of Hyde Rotary whose fundraising skills will help us to achieve our aims by funding these activity events.  

“I have no doubt the young people will have a wonderful experience.  Thank you Hyde Rotary for your continued support, it is very much appreciated.”

A raffle on the night helped to boost the funds raised and special thanks go to Morrisons Hyde, The Red Angel Hair Company, Graice’s, Énergie Fitness Ricky Hatton and Sonia Healey for their donations towards the raffle on the night.

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