Cookstown quizzes raising thousands for excellent causes

Two kind-hearted friends from Cookstown are helping to raise thousands for local charities by hosting regular pub quizzes and raffles in The Belfast House Bar in the town.

To date, Tanya Kelly and Jason Lennon haved raised more than £2,700 – and counting – for organisations, such as ‘the Hub’ in Cookstown, and ‘Charis Cancer Care’ – and their next fundraising night will be for the ‘Niamh Louise Foundation’, a charity that provides a safe environment where anyone can drop in to chat about worrying thoughts, thoughts of suicide, and/or self harm.

Speaking with the ‘Herald, Tanya recounted how she approached her friend, Jason Lennon, with the idea of running a traditional pub quiz and raffle, all for a great cause.

“I had hosted a few quizzes for work, just for fun,” says Tanya. “They were always a great night’s craic, so I thought about starting to do it for a good cause.”

Choosing a different local non-profit organisation or charity to donate to following each quiz, the duo got to work.

“The proceeds of our first quiz went to the Hub in Cookstown,” explains Tanya. “Carol from the Hub does a lot of fantastic work in the community, so it just felt right.”

With 22 teams of five turning out for the first quiz night, the enjoyable event raised a whopping £1,350 for the organisation. “Our second quiz was in aid of Charis Cancer Care,” continued Tanya.

“We hadn’t planned on doing a second quiz night, but the first was so successful that we had to.”

The second quiz night welcomed 21 teams of five, and raised an astonishing £1,380 for Charis.

“Our next quiz date is yet to be confirmed,” Tanya said. “But, we will be donating all proceeds from it to the Niamh Louise Foundation.”

The quizzes, which have proven to be a massive hit amongst locals, are hosted by both Tanya and Jason – following a bit of ‘Dutch courage’! – and the winning team earns a £50 bar tab on the night.

During each quiz, the pair sell raffle tickets during the break, and then proceed with the raffle after the quiz.

“A lot of the proceeds rely on the raffle,” says Tanya, who has, in the past, kindly received donations from such local businesses as Pizza Deck, Progressive Fitness and Physiotherapy, and Elysium Ink tattoos, and even vouchers for a hot stone massage, gifted by Carol Doey who runs the Hub in Cookstown.

This quizmaster duo hope to make their quiz nights a regular occasion, and are planning to host their next one some time in April or May – all in the name of fun, and for excellent causes.