A Lancaster hotel is giving a local fundraiser a night out to remember in recognition of the charity work he has done over the last decade.

Neil Holroyd has been raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK for many years across the Lancaster area. In 2013 he established an annual board game day, working in partnership with Lancaster House Hotel as the location to host his event.

Having raised over £10,500 in that time with the help of event participants and sponsors each year, the hotel decided to present Neil with a complimentary dinner and B&B stay for two to reward him for his sterling fundraising efforts.

The Prostate Cancer UK board game day invites gaming enthusiasts of all ages and abilities to meet each year and pit their wits against each other. It attracts around 150 players, from as far afield as Tyneside in the North and Devon in the South.

And perhaps surprisingly to those who are not aficionados, it is the non-traditional, modern and more interactive board games such as Wingspan, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne and Catan which prove most popular with participants.

From contemporary games like these to traditional favourites like Monopoly – preferably the Lancaster version played by guests at the hotel – there is something for everyone and Neil saw it as a fantastic platform from which to raise funds for his chosen charity.

“The reason I started doing this was because Prostate Cancer UK was our adopted charity where I used to work and it’s a cause that perhaps doesn’t get as much coverage as others,” explains Neil.

“There are so many people to thank for their generosity over these years. Gamers are truly fantastic people and have always given their time to keep this event going and increase donations to this worthy cause."

“We’ve also had great support from local businesses and I’d particularly like to thank English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues for their kindness in allowing us to host the event at Lancaster House."

“It was a wonderful surprise when the hotel called me to say Happy Christmas and offer me a free dinner and stay. My wife Lou and I are greatly looking forward to it.”

The board game day raised £1,209 this year and Neil hopes that this figure will increase to match the 2019 record performance of £1,610.

Lancaster House Hotel general manager Emma Underwood adds: “With this being the tenth year of hosting Neil’s event, we really thought it was fitting to offer him some well deserved R&R to reward him for his tireless fundraising work. The board game day is an extremely popular event here at the hotel and long may it continue.”

Across the UK, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. More than 52,000 are diagnosed each year on average. It is not always life-threatening, but more than 12,000 die from it each year. If it is caught early and diagnosed, the more likely it is to be cured. Around490,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer.