A SUMMER OF FUNDRAISING TO REMEMBER
Wendy's Story
In the summer of 2018, Wendy of Oakley, Hampshire, decided to organise a huge garden party to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and a local charity called The Pink Palace. With the help of her husband, Graham, Wendy managed to raise over £8,000.
​
Wendy sadly lost her mum to Motor Neurone disease at 45 when she was just about to turn 21 and lost her son, Matt, who was killed by a hit and run driver in 2009. With the grief becoming hard to deal with, the garden sadly became neglected as it became too much to deal with. In 2012 the local choir, Sing For Fun, nominated Wendy and Graham’s garden to be renovated by Alan Titchmarsh and his team. In the middle of 2012, the garden was renovated and featured on TV.
The garden had managed to help Wendy and her husband so much that they wanted to try and use it to help other’s. This is when Wendy decided to host garden parties for her two local charities.
​
Wendy and her husband held two garden parties for the two charities, The Motor Neurone Disease Association and The Pink Palace. Friends, family, general public and people who are supported by the charities were all invited. Each person had to buy a ticket in order to attend the event. Afternoon teas were served and enjoyed while listening to live music with other activities such as a human fruit machine and raffles, which proceeded throughout the day.
​
​
​
​
Attending Wendy's fundraiser
The couple raised managed to raise £8,000 through these events but also by holding an auction in the garden and online, with prizes of a drive in an Aston Martin and a one-off tour of Ardman Animations included.
The auction was deemed a great success as many had tremendous fun and was very popular, with telephone bids coming in as far as Jersey of £600! The Cream Tea Society supported the event by donating cream and jam to the event to help keep the costs down which allowed more money to be donated to charity.
​
Wendy’s highlight of the day was: "Seeing so many smiles and hearing the laughter in the garden. Without the cream and jam from the cream tea society this event would never have been able to happen".
​
​
​
​
​
If you would like help with your fundraising event, click here to fill out your application form for cream and jam portions.