Wilsons Auctions helps to raise £15k for NI Hospice

A fantastic £15,250 was raised for the Northern Ireland Hospice following the auction of 19 guitars, which were donated by one owner ahead of November's Unreserved Government Auction.

We are delighted to announce over £15,000 has been raised following the auction of a unique collection of 19 guitars donated to Northern Ireland Hospice.

Belfast man Brian Bennett, 63, whose late mother Nora volunteered for NI Hospice, donated the collectable Fender Stratocasters in honour of her work at the hospice and were auctioned during our Unreserved Government Auction in November.

Some of the guitars were signed by rock stars that Brian jammed with in Abbey Road Studios in London and at rock schools in Las Vegas, including Slash, Motley Crue's Vince Neil, Rolling Stones legend Bill Wyman and Def Leppard's Belfast-born guitarist Vivian Campbell.

Brian said: "I'm so pleased that the auction raised a great amount of money for Northern Ireland Hospice. It is a wonderful organisation that my mother was very proud to be associated with. The hospice delivers the best palliative care to Northern Ireland people when they need it most and we should all do our best to support its amazing services."

Watch Video: Click Here

Wilsons Auctions was delighted to get behind Brian's generosity, promoting an exciting night of bidding that reached enthusiasts across the world.

John Ardill, Wilsons Auctions' Belfast Branch Manager, said: "We were thrilled to be able to support Northern Ireland Hospice by facilitating the auction of such an impressive collection of guitars. Brian's generous donation certainly created a wave of excitement throughout the auction on the night and we were blown away by the amount raised especially knowing it is going to such a worthy cause."

Clearbox PR manager and Guns 'n' Roses fanatic Anna Morris, who won the bid for a Slash signed guitar, said: "I knew I was going to need to bid big but knowing the full hammer price was going to such a great charity made it all the more exciting and worthwhile.

"Brian's donation of guitars in memory of his late mother was such a beautiful and touching gesture and testament to how much support the carers at the Hospice provide to patients and their families in such challenging times."

Heather Weir, CEO at NI Hospice, said: "This is one of those projects that display the might of donors, corporation and supporters working for one aim. From Brian, to Wilsons Auctions and the media, to the people - all showed support for the one cause.

"It showed also what hospice can achieve. I have never known the organisation to be donated guitars, and this proves that there is no end to turning collections of any nature into much needed vital funds for the hospice."