Local lockdown Hero raises over £3,000!
When the pandemic hit, for locally-renowned quizmaster ‘SpeedQuiz Rob’, it resulted in the cancellation of all his bookings for the foreseeable future. It is testimony to Rob Marsh’s devotion to his craft and commitment to helping others that he went on to develop a suite of weekly online ‘Lockdown Quizzes’. These would not only see him raise an incredible amount for charity; but also become an important part of family life during what has been a difficult time for so many of us.
Likewise, local child bereavement charity Jigsaw (South East) faced their most challenging year. At a time when many of their normal fundraising channels: community events, street collections and their own events were cancelled, they were also faced with a growth in the number of bereaved children and those facing loss, who would need the charity more than ever.
Sophie Bewley, Jigsaw’s fundraising coordinator, explained; “We were delighted when Rob contacted us to tell us his online quiz nights would be in aid of Jigsaw. We are very community focused as a charity and the people who have taken part in these quizzes have shown just how a community making small, regular donations can add up to make a huge difference.”
Rob would donate £1 to Jigsaw (South East) from every ticket he sold each week. As well as becoming ‘regulars’ Rob found that the quiz teams were also incredibly kind-hearted; “The generosity of all the teams has been incredible. I offered cash prizes for the top three teams each week, but almost every time, teams donated the winnings to Jigsaw. In a global pandemic, where many were furloughed or out of work, people were still so quick to donate. It was truly amazing.”
As Rob’s quiz fame grew, families of all generations from across the UK settled down every Sunday night to take part in the virtual Zoom SpeedQuiz, with teams vying to get to the top of the leaderboard.
Jigsaw’s Youth Ambassadors Hannah and Molly (both 20 years old), who have both experienced first-hand the support that Jigsaw can offer, took part with their families every week. Hannah from team ‘Romaine Calm’ reported; “The quiz meant we could still connect with family and friends and it very quickly became a highlight to our week. We were so excited when we finally came in first place and got to say the magic words: we would like to donate our prize money!”
22 teams joined Rob for his final Sunday night Zoom SpeedQuiz in July. As Rob made his final weekly donation, alongside the prize money donated by the teams, the fundraising total stood at a staggering £3,210! Reflecting on his incredible achievements, Rob said; “15 months since going online, over 1,600 tickets sold and almost 6,000 questions, and we’ve raised £3,210 for Jigsaw South East. It’s been an absolute blast, and I’ve loved every minute.”
Frank Sims, Charity Director for Jigsaw (South East) concludes; “We know that there are around 1,000 children who lose a parent every year across Surrey and West Sussex, and these incredible donations will help us to deliver support to bereaved children in 2021 and beyond – a huge thank you to all who took part.
For more information about Rob Marsh’s Speed Quizzes visit: www.facebook.com/speedquizrob/
Jigsaw South East is a registered charity (RCN 1147696 ) supporting children in Sussex and Surrey through the loss of a loved one. We provide information, advice and guidance to help support bereaved children and young people and those facing the death of a loved one.
