Ladybirds are up for Best of Hartlepool award

The Ladybirds is a group of women who first got together in 2013 to enjoy trips out, coffee mornings, and fashion shows.

The members are all retired and meet once a week on Wednesdays at Jacksons Wharf in Hartlepool.

Yet despite only forming three years ago, the Ladybirds has already raised more than £10,000 for Hartlepool & District Hospice and Macmillan.

The nomination for the closed group has put it in the mix for a Fundraiser of the Year award.

It read: “If you attend one of their fundraising events, they ensure fun.

“They treat their fundraising like a full-time job and they are retired ladies.”

Ladybirds founding member Marilyn Hamblet said of the nomination: “I am really pleased. I am happy to think the ladies have been recognised.

“We enjoy doing what we do.

“It is the same 15 of us as it was when we first started three years ago. We meet every week, we go out on trips and we are all good friends.”

The Best of Hartlepool awards are being held in association with Niramax, and in which Specsavers, Stagecoach North East and Hart Biologicals are category sponsors.

The deadline for entries in the competition is Saturday, April 2.

Judges will draw up a shortlist, then it’s on to the grand finale at the Hardwick Hall Hotel on Tuesday, April 26.

The awards will honour unsung stars. To nominate, send your name, address and telephone number, the name of the business or person you wish to nominate, along with their address, telephone number and email (if known)

State which category your nomination applies to (from the list of categories) and provide a description of the reasons for your nomination (no more than 300 words)

Post your nomination to: Nicola Meldrum, Alexander House, Second Floor, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland DH4 5RA.

Alternatively email [email protected] or [email protected].