PUB regulars raised hundreds of pounds in memory of a much-loved staff member who died of cancer.
Chris Parker and Michael Black, landlords of the Hampshire Boulevard in Hampshire Terrace, Southsea, held a series of fundraisers in memory of Dolly Godfrey, 52.
The cash went to the Rowans Hospice, which cared for Dolly in her final days.
They held a contest which saw customers firing popcorn from a 10ft cannon in the pub in June and August.
In another event the pair got customers to step inside a gunge machine for the worthy cause.
The event saw barman Brandon Ryley, 30, raise £1,000 in sponsorship.
A foam party in the pub’s garden also pulled in £500.
Now Chris and Michael are celebrating because their fundraising efforts have seen them raise £2,500 for the hospice, in Purbrook.
Dolly worked her way up to be the daytime manager in the 10 years that Chris and Michael have owned the pub, and she was diagnosed with cancer in November last year.
‘She was like the pub’s mum,’ said Chris, 42.
‘There’s 12 to 14 staff working here and they all loved her. We were devastated when Dolly told us she had been diagnosed with cancer.
‘What’s nice is that she managed to hold on see her son James Clarke and his girlfriend have their baby daughter Lillie.
‘It’s brilliant that we have raised this much money.
‘We just wanted to give something back to the people that helped her when she was suffering.’
Michael said he wanted to raise money in an unusual way because it reflected Dolly’s fun personality.
‘The things we put on reflected her outlook on life and personality,’ he said.
‘Her idea of a holiday was being on the beach in Barbados.
‘She was full of life and always the first one up on stage when we had parties.
‘We get people coming in asking after her and when we tell them what’s happened they burst into tears.’
The pub, popular with the gay community, has also raised around £2,000 for HIV charity Positive Action in the last couple of years and it will raise awareness of the condition during World Aids Day on December 1.
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