Award-winning Daisy Sadler edges closer to £25k target after picnic party

The 'bring your own picnic' event at Broughton and North Newington Sports & Social Club raised more than £800 for the 73-year-old woman's campaign in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity.

Daisy's efforts - travelling to Scotland and back in a horse-drawn wagon - have not gone unrecognised as Horse & Hound magazine named her 'inspiration of the year' in its 2018 awards.

Around 60 people enjoyed live music and a disco with their takeaways and sandwiches while raising money for The Imogen Whitby Fund - a Middleton Cheney girl who died of a brain tumour last year.

Daisy said: "It went well, we had lots of local people turning up with was lovely and we made over £800 at the party with donations so that's good for the charity."

The picnic party came on the back of a glitzy awards ceremony for Horse & Hound at Cheltenham Racecourse on November 8.

Daisy was one of four shortlisted for the prize and she said she lost her breath when they revealed she had won.

“I was absolutely amazed when my name was called out," she said.

“I never thought we would raise so much money and to receive this award was truly unexpected.”

Daisy completed a 1,000-mile trip to Edinburgh and back with her Belgian draft horses Olive and Arthur and Tad the dog in September.

They left in April and travelled around ten miles a day, visiting the Kelpies monument in Falkirk and meeting many people along the way.

Daisy said: “It was such a wonderful experience, there were many challenges - the weather, the hard roads, finding verges, but everyone was so kind, jolly and generous, they brought me all sorts, especially cakes!

“It took a moment or two to get back into the swing of things, but myself, and my horses Olive and Arthur are well and we will be taking a rest over the winter.

“We will continue to support The Brain Tumour Charity in the future. Brain tumours are so devastating and we need to do more to raise awareness of the disease.

“Everyone I met on my trip really appreciated it when I told them about the cause and they wanted to hear more.”

So far, Daisy has raised more than £23,500 for The Brain Tumour Charity, and says she is taking a break now to look after her other horses, but hopes to reach £25,000 before closing the online fundraising page.

The charity's director of fundraising Geraldine Pipping said: “All of us at The Brain Tumour Charity wanted to say a huge congratulations to Daisy on her incredible achievement.

“She truly deserves Horse & Hounds Inspiration of the Year Award and we are incredibly grateful for her continued support.

“We receive no government funding and rely entirely on voluntary donations and gifts in wills, so it’s only thanks to supporters like Daisy and her family and friends that we can progress towards our twin goals of doubling survival and halving the harm caused by brain tumours.”

To make a donation to Daisy’s Just Giving page go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sydsplodsgoesnorthFor more information about The Brain Tumour Charity, visit www.thebraintumourcharity.org