Italian Ryder Cup star Francesco Molinari, representing the Tour Players’ Foundation, the charitable arm of The European Tour, and title partner BMW, today took time off from his Masters preparation to help with the announcement of Shooting Star CHASE as the Official Charity of the 2013 BMW PGA Championship.
Molinari, who will be at Augusta National next week for the Masters Tournament, visited Shooting Star CHASE’s hospice in Hampton, Middlesex, to meet some of the children and staff of the charity who will benefit from a series of fund-raising initiatives before and during the Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth Club from May 23-26.
The three time European Tour champion, who claimed the vital half point against Tiger Woods to secure The Ryder Cup for Europe in the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ last September, was delighted to assist with the official launch of the charitable aspects of the Championship.
The appointment of Shooting Star CHASE was led by the Tour Players’ Foundation (TPF) board of Trustees who look to support charities local to venues of European Tour’s events and offer the opportunity of ‘Changing children’s lives through golf’.
Shooting Star CHASE is the children's hospice service, supporting families with a child or teenager not expected to reach their 19th birthday. Shooting Star CHASE currently helps over 600 families living in western London, Surrey and West Sussex.
The charity provides care free of charge 365 days a year within the families' own homes and community and at their two children’s hospices.
Both of their hospices are within 20 miles of Wentworth Club - Christopher’s in Guildford and Shooting Star House, Hampton, where today’s launch took place.
Shooting Star CHASE provide families support for every step of their journey, sharing the good times, and helping them through the tough times with practical, nursing and emotional support.
Among the services offered are: planned short breaks at Christopher’s and Shooting Star House; Hospice at Home care; day care, education and special activities; family support and therapies; symptom management and paediatric palliative care; short notice support for families in a crisis; care at the end of a child’s life and bereavement care and support for all the family.
Molinari expressed his delight at supporting such a deserving charity. He said: “When I see the devastating illnesses afflicting so many young children and their families, it hits home just how fortunate I am to be playing professional golf for a living.
“I am delighted that Shooting Star CHASE is the Official Charity of the BMW PGA Championship this year and we all hope that a large sum of money can be raised from the tournament initiatives to provide the care required for the sick children and their families.”
The main fundraising mechanic during the week of the Championship will involve the Official Programme and Drawsheet of the Championship with each and every spectator being able to show their support of Shooting Star CHASE by making the suggested donation of £1 in exchange for the Programme, 100% of which benefits the charity and which will be distributed at various points around the tournament sites by Shooting Star CHASE staff and volunteers.
Jamie Birkmyre, Championship Director of the BMW PGA Championship, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Shooting Star CHASE in this year’s fund raising activities at the BMW PGA Championship. As well as having both their Hospices, including Shooting Star House in Middlesex, in close proximity to the tournament venue, SSC is a superb vehicle for providing the best possible care for very ill children and their families. We hope that, through our various initiatives, including the Programme and Drawsheet donation, the BMW PGA Championship can raise substantial funds for a very deserving cause.”
Alex Rennie, Head of Corporate and Trusts Fundraising, Shooting Star CHASE, commented: “We are thrilled that Shooting Star CHASE has been given this fantastic opportunity to raise not only funds but much needed awareness of our work. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the sun will be shining and that spectators will show their support of the championship, and Shooting Star CHASE, by visiting our programme booths across the site.”
