The sun came out just in time for our Fabulous Summer Tea Party in Salisbury on Sunday afternoon, much to the delight of patients, volunteers, guests and staff.
Despite not quite being the balmy afternoon we’ve come to expect in June, guests were suitably warmed by the prospect of an afternoon tea that Fortnum & Mason would be proud of! Each table were served an array of fresh sandwiches, kindly made by volunteers Dave and Suzanne Kelly, homemade cakes and delicious scones, which all towered enticingly on One Off Service’s gorgeous vintage cake stands.
Everyone was enthusiastic about the charity’s new national fundraising event, praising the quality of the whole occasion and sharing with many how delighted they’d been by the afternoon. They also complimented all that our volunteers had done in order to make the event so wonderful, and we’re thrilled to learn that their dedication to the charity was recently acknowledged by the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Whilst many volunteers baked in preparation for the afternoon and served tea, others were busy selling volunteer-grown plants, homemade crafts, and some of our exclusive Horatio’s Garden merchandise, with guests flocking to each stall in turn. There was also a great deal of interest in the weekend’s raffle too, whilst the tombola offered attendees the chance to take home some uniquely scrumptious preserves.
It was great to be able to introduce even more local people to Horatio’s Garden, many of whom were taken aback by the beauty and thoughtfulness of its design. We particularly loved seeing patients introducing the charity to their family and friends, and it was so nice to hear some of their stories regarding how Horatio’s Garden continues to help them through hugely difficult times.
Our generous sponsors, Bolt Burdon Kemp, were on-hand to welcome guests with a friendly face and did a fantastic job of entertaining all the children with some colourful toys all afternoon. We really appreciate everyone who supported the event by donating their produce too, including Nicholas & Harris for their delicious bread, MB Crocker Ltd for their family-farmed eggs, and Black Mountains Smokery for their moreish smoked salmon.
The Damiain Lodrick Band’s acoustic sound offered the perfect accompaniment for the event, softly echoing in the background as guests whiled away the afternoon chatting. Everyone appeared to hugely enjoy the final Fabulous Summer Tea Party of 2019, a sentiment wonderfully captured by photographer and long-time friend of the charity, Joshua Humphrey.
It was a joy to celebrate the end of our first national fundraising initiative with so many of you and we thank each of you for making the occasion an incredible success. Your support makes such a difference to the lives of so many people affected by spinal injuries, and for that we are eternally grateful.
