A fundraiser is baking 2,500 mince pies this Christmas to help raise funds for Ashgate Hospice in memory of her brother and is urging others to join her. 

The hospice’s Mince Pie Madness fundraiser invites North Derbyshire to turn a tasty tradition into a festive fundraiser with friends, family or colleagues. 

Ann Taylor started making mince pies and selling them in 2020 raising £2,267 for the hospice – this year setting another target of £1,000. 

She supports the hospice after her brother Paul Fields was cared for on the hospice’s Inpatient Unit following his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). 

Ann, from Killamarsh, contacts local supermarkets in December for donations of ingredients and will use 150 jars of mincemeat over the nine days she will bake this year. 

“I’ve been inspired to make mince pies for Ashgate Hospice in memory of the amazing care my brother received in 2018 after he was diagnosed with MND,” said Ann, 55, who sells the mince pies over Facebook at a suggestion donation of £4 per dozen.  

“I was watching the news in 2019 and saw Kevin Sinfield committing to seven marathons on seven days after his friend and fellow Leeds Rhino’s player Rob Burrow was diagnosed with MND. I thought if he can do that, I’m sure I can whip up a few mince pies!  

“I start in November by contacting local supermarkets for donations, the hardest part is getting them to commit, the amount of mincemeat is phenomenal.  

“I bake on set days around work and cap it at 24 dozen a day. Two jars of mincemeat makes three dozen mince pies and this year I’m doing nine days. 

“It’s hard work but I love doing it – I am always keen to support Ashgate Hospice in memory of Paul.” 

Paul, a keen motorcyclist who had been looking forward to enjoying his retirement, died in November 2018, aged 58 – just months after he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.   

Doctors told Paul he had a progressive form of Motor Neurone Disease in June, just two days after his father died. 

After this Christmas, Ann would have baked just short of 6,500 mince pies for the hospice, which has helped raise vital funding for end of life care across North Derbyshire. 

This year, Ashgate Hospice is inviting others to join its Mince Pie Madness fundraiser to help raise funds so the hospice can be there to support other patients like Paul when they need it most.  

Rachel Broughton, Senior Corporate and Community Fundraiser at the hospice, said: “Mince Pies are a very important and delicious part of Christmas. Why not take some inspiration from Ann and turn this tasty tradition into a festive fundraiser with your friends, family or colleagues to help everyone get into the Christmas spirit! 

“There are plenty of ways to fundraise with Mince Pie Madness, whether you prefer eating rather than baking them, download our fundraising pack from our website and start a challenge that works for you!” 

Find out more about how to get involved with Ashgate Hospice’s Mince Pie Madness challenge on the hospice’s website. 

Thank you to Tom Hodgson for the header photograph used in this story.