The town was painted red recently to celebrate a special anniversary of a local hospice which cares for thousands of people each year.
St Wilfrid’s Hospice celebrated its Ruby Anniversary recently and encouraged local businesses, schools and organisations to Paint the Town Red during October, and Hailsham pulled out all the stops and raised more than £5,000 for the hospice.
A huge chunk of that came from a charity raffle and special menu raised more than £2,500 alone. An incredible array of prizes were donated by local businesses and individuals, and the winners were drawn during an online presentation by Bucklers and B12 owner Melvyn Funnell-Strange, accompanied by Mayor Paul Holbrook.
The Mayor was also a crucial part of the local celebrations, by encouraging many local shops to decorate their windows and collect donations, as well as collecting himself for 8 hours in the town centre, raising a grand total of £650 in two very heavy buckets of cash!
An extremely generous donation also came from Hailsham Estate Agents, Crane and Co. A cheque for £2,000 was donated to St. Wilfrid’s Hospice to add to the total by owner Mike Crane.
Hailsham Bonfire Society also put their mark on the occasion by lighting up the town centre one evening with red flares and were joined by local councillors, residents and a number of the society members.
The hospice’s Chief Executive, David Scott-Ralphs said: “The response was truly overwhelming. Around 150 local businesses and 18 schools have got involved. There have been wearing of red caps, special wine tastings, afternoon tea, some wonderful shop window displays and even whole buildings lit up red. Everything has helped to raise either money or awareness of what we do. Thanks so much to every single person who has got behind us this year. From very small beginnings to the work we do now, we are all so grateful.”
St Wilfrid’s, based on Cross Levels Way, Eastbourne supports over 2,300 local people with life-limiting illnesses and their families every year.
