THE PDC's official charity partner, Parkinson's UK, is celebrating after fans, sponsors and players teamed up to raise over £10,000 towards the "Targeting Parkinson's" campaign at the BetVictor World Matchplay.
The Sky Sports-televised tournament saw 32 players competing at Blackpool's Winter Gardens across nine days, with a range of activities creating a fundraising boost for Parkinson's UK.
Ahead of the tournament, sponsors BetVictor pledged a donation of £5,000 for every nine-dart finish landed during the event.
Although no player was able to achieve a perfect leg the leading betting company contributed £5,000 following Sunday's final, with champion Michael van Gerwen pictured above alongside Parkinson's UK Vice-Chair Mary Whyham, BetVictor's Jack Milner and Sky Sports presenter Dave Clark.
Van Gerwen also donated a signed playing shirt which was sold in a silent auction, while several other players also donated items and three-time World Matchplay finalist Dennis Priestley donated two "Dennis The Menace" dolls which he had used on his walk-ons during his playing days.
In addition to the small army of Parkinson's UK volunteers who were collecting donations from generous fans at the Winter Gardens, over a dozen local amateur darts players gave up their week to conduct the Parkinson's 501 Challenge inside the Arena Bar at the venue.
Fans could pay £5 per game to challenge the players to a leg of darts, with over 450 legs being played during the week, while fans could also purchase wristbands and pin badges and enter a raffle for signed darts memorabilia - with the activity raising over £4,000 itself.
England cricketers Alastair Cook and James Anderson donated the shirts which they wore for their leg of darts on stage at the Winter Gardens along with a signed cricket bat which will be auctioned at a later date.
The fundraising activity in Blackpool followed up the Parkinson's UK activity throughout the Betway Premier League earlier this year in their bid to raise £100,000 during 2016 towards finding a cure for the condition.
Sky Sports presenter Dave Clark, a supporter of Parkinson's UK, will undertake his Coast-To-Coast walk from St Bee's in Cumbria to Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire in September in his own bid to raise £20,000.
Online donations to Clarky's Coast-To-Coast Walk have already raised over £10,000 - you can find out how to get involved or donate via Dave's JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ClarkysC2C.
"We have been amazed by the generosity of fans, players, sponsors, officials and everyone else on the PDC circuit this year," said Parkinson's UK's Ian Savage. "This has been demonstrated by the fantastic sums raised during the BetVictor World Matchplay in Blackpool.
"On behalf of Parkinson's UK, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who contributed. We're especially grateful to Danny Sullivan and his dedicated team of volunteers who gave up their week to raise funds with the Parkinson's 501 Challenge.
"We would also like to thank BetVictor for their extremely generous donation, despite no player achieving a nine-dart finish during the tournament.
"The donations made throughout the week have moved us £10,000 closer to our goal ahead of the next big fundraising event, Dave Clark's Coast-To-Coast Walk in September.
"Dave is an extremely popular figure, and since been diagnosed himself with Parkinson's he has been a great supporter of Parkinson's UK, becoming their Champion of Walking this year."
Parkinson's UK will also be holding an exclusive darts dinner on Wednesday October 19 at the prestigious Grand Connaught Rooms in London. For further information on their "Bullseye Bash" and tickets, call 020 7963 3952 or email events@parkinsons.org.uk.
The Parkinson's 501 Challenge volunteers were: Danny Sullivan, Diane Wray, Neil MacDonald, Rebecca MacDonald, Julie Sullivan, Peter Christian, Debbie Christian, James Christian, Phil Norman, Scott Greenwood, Ray Rosato, Andrea Darville.