The Marlets Lottery!

last week I had a door to door salesman stop by, it was about 6:30pm and i was VERY Stressed with kids.

He'd asked me if i would like to support the Martlets Hospice by joining their lottery?! 
I didn't know what this meant, and i wasn't in the mood to find out, so politely told the guy that i would take some information about it and have a read. he said he would call back next week. 


I glanced at the leaflet, then put it into the box of "stuff" (on the stairs, where all important things go like School letters, free newspapers, takeaway menus.. etc... the stuff you "really" want, but don't ever chuck out! ahem, i mean recycle!)


I never thought the guy would come back, but today he did!


again, it was about 6:30pm and again... i was VERY Stressed! he said, did i remember him, to which i said "oh yes.. of course" (which i didnt!)
he asked if i had had a chance to read the leaflet he left (I lied and said Oh yes!!) and he asked if i would like to take part.
(I hate on the spot "needs an answer" questions, esp. from door to door salesmen)
so i said, "yes, i would love to help, how much will it cost me?!"


£4.34 a month.. 


thats not bad, so I was happy saying yes! I spend more than that a week on Diet coke!!


as i was filling out the form, he asked me if i knew what the martlets was all about. 
I didn't?! 


he then said, "oh WOW, you do not know what we are and you are still willing to help?"


me - "why yes, its only a small donation?"


guy at door - "WOW... you are the kindest person i have met! (i am????) i am actually blown away right now!"


me- (in thought) HUH????????


guy at door - "today, i have walked about the whole day, and not one person has offered to take part in the lottery/donation scheme, and here you are, not knowing who we are, willing to give up some of your money to help"


me - (Again in thought) WOW.. he is really passionate about this Martlets Lottery??


"Ok, so what is the Martlets Hospice? and what do you do?"


he then told me all about the Hospice. OMG. I had no Idea.....


they are a Wonderful charity, who look after people coming to the end of their lives, their Slogan being - "life is precious... right to the end"


this is the 1st line on their website - "We provide end of life care services to adults with life limiting illness including cancer."


I was so glad i had now said yes, as this is a service very much in need & ALL of the donations to the lottery go directly to the care of these patients.
in fact the guy doing the door to door sales, was in fact a worker/carer for the charity. he said they get NO NHS funding and they simply rely on the generosity of the community.


the guy gave me a receipt for the direct debit info i had just given him & said 
"I am still in shock, you are really really kind. I have had such an awful day, but you have given me hope, given me some gusto to try getting more people to join in"


he left with a smile on his face, but he left me with a lot more. 


I'm very ignorant to the services our community provide. I've "touchwood" not had to utilise any of them though.
but that doesn't mean i shouldn't know. I should know. and i should "help" and am so glad he did come back.
Cancer has been on the forethought of my mind recently, My Elder sister has (HAD.. touchwood is in remission) Pseudomyxoma Peritonei and here is her story. its a very rare form of cancer.
my younger sister Izi did the race for life in name of her last weekend, SO PROUD OF HER! (she's a complete couch potato, so was amazing she ran it!!!)
my granddad died of bowel cancer when i was a teenager, and i never said goodbye, something I won't ever forget.
also i have been talking to a wonderful friend on twitter who has just lost her mum to cancer. 
Cancer affects everyone i think, either you know about someone who has it, someone close to you has it, or you yourself may have it & a lot of people don't/can't recover.


the service the Martlets Hospice provide, is the last port of call to a lot of these people in the Brighton & Hove community and to the people involved it must be such a relief (i don't think thats the right word??) great support for all involved! to have these resources available to them.


I'm so glad this guy came back. I'm so glad i make him happy by making such a small but generous token of help and im so glad I now know what they do, as i am definitely going to be making more of an effort to help.


in the leaflet it says the TOP prize (weekly) is £1000. if i ever win.. (2nd prize £150, 3rd prize £100, 4th prize £50 and 40x £5 prizes) any of these. the money will go RIGHT back to them. 
they deserve it/need it more than i ever will.