Oswoldtwistle Pub Raises Over £6,000 For Ronald McDonald House Charities

The Rhoden Inn, a popular local pub in Oswoldtwistle, has raised £6,094 for its local branch of Ronald McDonald House Charities. In honor of the Rhoden Inn’s incredible fundraising efforts, a room at the Manchester House, part of Ronald McDonald Manchester, has been named after the pub. 

The pub is part of Proper Pubs, the award-winning community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns, which has more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.  

On Saturday 8th June, the Rhoden Inn hosted a family fun day for the local community to raise money for Ronald McDonald. The day featured an array of fantastic entertainment including an ‘Under 30s vs Over 30s’ football match, children’s games, live performances, an auction, a raffle – donated by other nearby businesses including Whittakers Butchers, Priory Van Rental and fellow Proper Pub, the Tinker & Budget – and a selection of food trucks offering burgers, ice cream and more.  

In addition, the operators invited several other local businesses along, including Sweet Valley Gifts and Tower Fudge, to showcase their wares throughout the day.   

Ronald McDonald is a national charity providing free accommodation and support to families with children in hospital. Operating 14 houses across the UK – supported entirely through donations and volunteers – it allows families to stay close to their children for as long as they need during critical times.  

At the helm of the Rhoden Inn is community hero, Beth Lancaster who has been running the pub for the past four years with her partner, Damian Hodgson. Having grown up in the area and spent many years working in the pub industry, Beth has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Rhoden Inn and has worked tirelessly to create a vibrant space that enhances all aspects of local life.  

Most recently, the Rhoden Inn began sponsoring the first ever female, under-16s football team at the local sports centre, Heys Sports Complex, and also hosts an annual Halloween and Christmas party specifically for children and families that might not otherwise be able to celebrate. 

Operator at the Rhoden Inn, Beth Lancaster, commented: “We are absolutely over the moon that we managed to raise so much money for such a fantastic charity that is so close to mine, Damian and our whole family’s heart. The work they do at Ronald McDonald is truly incredible so being able to support them in this way feels very special. 

I’d also like to thank each and every person that came to our fun day to show their support, our customers for their continued loyalty and of course to our fantastic team for all their hard work in cementing the Rhoden at the heart of Oswoldtwistle.”  

Proper Pubs operators are always looking for ways to bring people together and support meaningful causes through a regular schedule of entertainment and fundraising initiatives. This includes everything from donating to the local foodbank to hosting weekly bingo, karaoke, live music, darts and pool nights.  

Matthew Gurney, Operations Director for Proper Pubs, said: “On behalf of myself and the whole team here at Proper Pubs, I’d like to thank Beth, Damian and the team for all their incredible hard work at the Rhoden Inn and ongoing community support which seems to know no boundaries! It’s wonderful to see community spirit in action and it stands testament to our values here at Proper Pubs.” 

Proper Pubs is always looking for ways to support its communities through an annual schedule of events and fundraising initiatives. This year – for the third consecutive year running – Proper Pubs donated over 17,600 Easter treats to local communities across the UK.  What’s more, in the lead up to Christmas 2023, Proper Pubs donated 20,000 Christmas selection boxes and other festive treats to local charities and has been recognised for its defibrillator fundraising and installation campaign which has already saved 11 lives.