There’s an air of mystery surrounding the Doddinghurst Ladies, who hail from, you guessed it: Doddinghurst. No one knows who formed the group, or how. 

Carol Dodd took over the club seven years ago. She believes that a cluster of ladies who were regulars at All Saints Church formed the group some 30 years ago. 

Every single penny that the Doddinghurst Ladies have raised, they’ve donated to Saint Francis Hospice. Every Friday, the members meet in Priest House, which was built in the fifteenth century.

‘It’s just a good natter like most ladies do when they get together!’ Carol explained. 

Since the coronavirus plunged the nation into lockdown, Priest House has been off-limits. Yet, that didn’t stop the ladies from adding to the incredible £50,977.89 they’ve already raised for the charity. 

They’ve been putting aside what they would’ve spent on tea, coffee, cake, quizzes, raffle tickets and book swapping to raise over £800 for us since the lockdown began. Since joining the Doddinghurst Ladies, the Hospice’s nurses have cared for two dear friends.

‘They both wished to spend their final moments there,’ Carol remembered. ‘As soon as you walk in, you can feel the kindness and happiness that makes Saint Francis Hospice such a special place. So please do whatever you can to help through the pandemic, so that the Hospice can continue caring for people in their place of choosing.’

If you’d like to be a part of the Doddinghurst Ladies, then Carol would love to hear from you at carolanndodd@yahoo.com

In the meantime, you can help secure the future of Saint Francis Hospice by supporting the charity’s Urgent Appeal for as little as £3 a month. That’s less than a piece of cake. You can find out how you can do something extraordinary for local people living with life-limiting illnesses here.