Halifax pub raises more than £10,000 for families following tragic accident

A Halifax pub has raised more than £10,000 after its community came together to support four local families affected by a tragic car accident earlier this year.

The Ivy House Inn in North Halifax welcomed local residents for a special fundraising day in August, organised by publican Peter McNamara following the deaths of three young men, Cass, Tom and Corey. A fourth man, Spencer, survived the accident.

The four men and their families were well known in the area, with many of their friends regulars at the Ivy House. The accident had a significant impact on the local community and Peter wanted the pub to provide a place where people could come together and show their support.

That support extended well beyond the pub itself. Local musicians and volunteers gave their time for free, while businesses from across the area donated prizes and made contributions towards the fundraiser. The families also supported the event, which included raffles, a tombola, face painting and other activities throughout the day.

The response helped the Ivy House raise more than £10,000, with the money set to be shared equally between the families of all four men.

For Peter,  his connection to the Ivy House stretches back to his teenage years, when he was a regular at the pub. He became a business partner in 1993 before taking over as sole licensee in 2000.

Peter McNamara, publican at The Ivy House Inn, said: “We are a tight-knit community and the lads who were involved in the accident were very well known to us all in North Halifax, as were their families.

“They had many friends who are regulars at the Ivy House and it was the only way that we could show their families how much we all cared about them and what they were going through. They had to know that we were there to support them.

“For me, the Ivy House has always been the hub of the local community, which has always come together in the hour of need for others. I feel very proud and honoured to be involved somehow in a little of that.”

The fundraiser also marks the return of a tradition at the Ivy House. Before the Covid pandemic, Live at the Ivy House was held annually with the sole aim of raising money for charity.

Following the events of this year and the response from the local community, Peter plans to continue the annual fundraiser for as long as he remains at the pub.