£174,000 Petworth quiz is awaiting your answers

This year, with their sights on raising £20,000 for a new room to store patients’ medicines, Friends of the nursing homes are giving the annual Christmas quiz fundraiser an even bigger push.

Andrew Brooke, who set this year’s questions, said: “The nursing home is special in that it is run by a charity so any surplus goes back into helping care for the patients but that does not usually leave enough to pay for improvements. Most of the money needed for improvements comes from a dedicated band of volunteer fundraisers who organise various events each year, including the distribution of the quiz. This year it is hoped the funds raised will pay for a new room where staff can store the patients’ medicines and carry out the daily work of preparing to administer them. At present this has to be done in a room little bigger than the cupboard.”

Last year, he said, £23,357 was raised to improve the main sitting room where visitors can meet friends or family. “I think all who use it agree the room is now a comfortable and attractive place and the refurbishment was a great success.

“This year’s project will be at least £17,000. With extra facilities, which are desirable but not essential, it will be over £20,000.”

He urged all who had not yet returned their quizzes to put their thinking caps back on as the closing date is not until January 24.

“Christmas may be over but there is still time to post your entry,” he said. “You don’t have to get all of the questions right to be eligible for a prize and for those of a more imaginative turn of mind there is a prize for inventing a proverb using given letters of the alphabet.”

More than 23,000 copies of the quiz are distributed but, said Andrew: “Each year we get back about one entry form for every ten sent out and I’m sure the reason we don’t get more is that once Christmas is over people think it’s too late to send them in. You may win a prize even if you haven’t been able to answer all the questions.”

There are still copies of the quiz available by contacting Petworth Cottage Nursing Home on [email protected]