By Isle of Wight Observer
A fund-raising day for the Island’s only hospice raised thousands of pounds on Sunday.
Goddards impressive new brewery, at Branstone near Sandown, is usually open only to members, but everybody was made welcome as the team held a day in memory of Alix Goddard, the company’s co-founder, and raised funds for Mountbatten.
Entertained by music and songs from The Watch and Jim Causley, with humourous anecdotes added to his performance, and enticed to buy raffle tickets to win a range of impressive prizes, donated by local businesses, many of those attending also made donations in memory of Alix, while enjoying the excellent beer brewed only yards from the bar and restaurant.
Henrietta, daughter of Alix and Anthony Goddard, a former High Sheriff, spoke movingly about the final days of her mother after finding out on September 6 that she had only a short time to live.
“My Dad, sister and I were blown away by how true the hospice is to their vision and values. Our Mum was treated with great kindness, dignity and respect – and we, as a family, were sort of ‘held’ during the time she was there,” she said. “She wasn’t treated like a ‘sick’ ‘elderly’ person – she was treated like the intelligent, independent, dignified woman that she was.”
She joked about the way the hospice kitchen learned how each member of the family liked their omelettes adding: “I’ve reflected that to die – surrounded by the kindness and dignity offered by the hospice staff and volunteers – preceded by quality time with my loved ones, a surprising amount of laughter and a lot of omelettes, is maybe not the worst way to leave the world.”
Alix Goddard died in Mountbatten on September 16.
The final amount raised is not yet known.
Tilly Walder 
Mal Butler