Peterborough Sue Ryder hospice fundraising couple's collections hit £100,000

A kind-hearted couple who have been charity collecting for nearly a decade have broken the £100,000 barrier.

Sue and Pete Woolfitt have volunteered about 3,000 hours during more than 300 bucket collections for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough.

They have raised money in sunshine and snow, and even broken bones have not put the pair off.

Mrs Woolfitt, 68, said: "My mum and dad brought me up to give something back in life. Every penny really does count."

She first volunteered in the coffee shop at the hospice in 2004 after retiring from her career with British Gas, and quickly enlisted her retired serviceman husband, now 71.

They were inspired to volunteer as Mrs Woolfitt's mother died of cancer, and three of Mr Woolfitt's former colleagues were treated at the hospice.

The couple, who have been married for nearly 50 years, first started bucket collections in 2010, seeking donations in their home city of Peterborough, as well as in nearby Stamford, Oundle and Huntingdon.

Their stints typically last for 10 hours at a time, and injuries such as Mr Woolfitt's broken hip or his wife's broken ribs have not stood in their way.

She said: "We say the same 'thank you' to people, whether someone gives us £1 or £70. We meet some incredible people."

Hospice director Allison Mann said: "We can't thank Sue and Pete enough for their incredible dedication to our hospice over the years. We are so grateful for their fantastic fundraising."