A team dedicated to raising awareness for disabled golf celebrated a major victory after winning the second annual UChangeLives Golf Day at Seaton Carew Golf Club.
The AGD Disabled Golf Development team not only took home the top prize – a week-long golf holiday in Northern Ireland – they also secured significant financial support for their cause.
The event, which raised more than £30,000 for The PFC Trust and North-East STEM Foundation, provided a powerful platform for AGD to share its mission.
The team, composed of founders Andrew Gardiner and Dave Stocks alongside Alan Hartley and Barry Waring, moved the hearts of attendees, who collectively donated an additional £11,000 to AGD’s efforts.
Barry, a former Royal Marine and police officer, was deeply touched by the generosity. He lives with FMD, a progressive neurological condition that affects his movement. Despite playing with 30-year-old clubs, he maintains a two handicap and has his eyes set on even bigger prizes.
Andrew, a former world number one disabled golfer, said: “We set up the charity to fund ourselves to try to give the likes of Barry a good start next year. We saw that talent and wanted to give him the opportunity to chase the world number one title.”
The funds will be used to help Barry with essential expenses like new equipment, club memberships and travel to compete in major tournaments, including European Disabled Golf Association events.
The UChangeLives Golf Day was memorable beyond the team’s victory. Andrew had a heart-stopping moment on the third hole, where his tee shot for a hole-in-one came to rest on the lip of the cup, just missing out on the grand prize of a new car worth £25,000.
“If that had dropped in, we might have had 10 years of security for the charity,” said Andrew. “We couldn’t believe how close it was. We have raised an unexpected £11,000 just from today’s generosity, and Barry can now go and chase his dream. We are also excited to be heading to Northern Ireland to play some golf after winning.”
The UChangeLives Golf Day featured 20 teams, with notable participants including former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor and ex-Chelsea and Middlesbrough goalkeeper Ross Turnbull. Sponsors included Plastic Processing Ltd, Steel Benders UK, RTC North, M&R Swingers, Sisters of Swing, Meldrum Group, Dave McDonald, Venture Solutions, SST Group, Pro Investment Properties, Verso Wealth Management, Rephrase, Anirvan Banerjee, Academy Landscapes, Build Directory, Anderson Barrowcliffe, Durham Women FC, NE Cycling CIC and Premier Lakeballs.
Frances Connolly, founder of The PFC Trust, said: “We are so proud that our local golfers and businesses can come together for a great day while raising a lot for North East charities, clubs and groups. This year was especially wonderful because not only did we raise money for the two organising charities but also raised £11,000 for Barry Waring, a disabled golfer who needed help finding the funds to compete on tours. We’ve already had such a huge interest in next year’s event, so my message to any company thinking about getting involved is simple – don’t wait! Sign up as soon as you can, and let’s make an even bigger impact next year.”
Tania Cooper, chair of the NE STEM Foundation and managing director of Steel Benders UK, was also thankful for everyone’s support. She said: “The day could not have gone any better, except for someone missing out on the car, wouldn’t that have been amazing? The energy and generosity from everyone involved- – from the teams and sponsors to our incredible volunteers – was remarkable. The fact that we raised more than £30,000 for two amazing charities is a testament to the community spirit here in the North East. To see the additional £11,000 raised for the AGD Disabled Golf Development team, and specifically for Barry, was just the perfect ending to an already fantastic day. It shows that when we come together, we can make a real and tangible difference in people’s lives.”
