A woman from Hornchurch picked up the keys to a brand new Volkswagen car after winning the top prize in the Saint Francis Hospice’s Winter Raffle.
Diane Cole was all smiles as she was presented with the keys to her new Volkswagen up! High model by the Mayor of Havering, Cllr. Lynden Thorpe, at the Inchcape Volkswagen showroom on Colchester Road in Romford on Monday 28th January.
The raffle is one of the Saint Francis Hospice’s main annual fundraising events and this year it’s raised over £82,000.
Diane said: “A very dear friend, Gordon Sanders, the former headmaster at Ripple Junior School in Barking, was cared for by Saint Francis Hospice before he died from mesothelioma caused by asbestos dust aged just 57. Every year I buy a book of tickets in memory of Gordon. Although I’ve won the top prize, Saint Francis Hospice is the main winner and it’s great to know so much money has been raised for their work.”
At the same time Linda Cockett from Brentwood, who was runner up in the raffle, collected a cheque for £1,000. “An ex-work colleague of mine won in the hospice raffle some years back so since then I’ve always entered. I was talking to a neighbour a few months ago and she said to me that she was also going to buy some tickets but then later admitted she hadn’t done that so I look forward to telling her I won a thousand pounds!”
The Mayor said: “I’d like to thank everyone for supporting this year’s raffle. Saint Francis Hospice is such an incredible place that provides so much for the local area. Long may they continue!”
Esther Preston, marketing manager at Saint Francis Hospice, and the organiser of the raffle expressed delighted at the amount of money the raffle raised.
“This has been one of our most successful Winter Raffles and it’s all thanks to everyone who bought tickets, along with the Pepperell Trust, who donated the Volkswagen up! and Inchcape Volkswagen who supplied it.
“The money raised will go towards helping our teams provide care in the home, inpatient care at the hospice, day care at our centre together with a full range of therapies and treatments.
“Our aim is to always ensure this care extends beyond physical treatment of symptoms; we consider the emotional, psychological, spiritual and social needs of our patients, their families, children and carers.
“So congratulations to Diane for winning the Volkswagen car, Linda for being runner-up and all our other prizes winners, details of which can be found on our website.”
Stephen Greenslade, sales manager at Romford’s Inchcape Volkswagen, was also on hand to present the keys to Diane and was pleased to able to help Saint Francis Hospice.
He said: “On behalf of everyone at Inchcape Volkswagen I’d like to congratulate Diane and all the other winners in Saint Francis Hospice’s Winter Raffle.
“The charity does some amazing work in the area and it’s great to be able to play a small part in raising so much money.
“As a Romford business it’s important we play our part in the community and supporting charities and local businesses like this is one way of achieving this.”