MasterChef star aims to cook up support for Zoe’s Place
AMBASSADOR ROLE FOR TV STAR
named TV presenter as an ambassador Gregg Wallace of Zoe’s has Place been Baby Hospice.
The Wasps fan and MasterChef presenter paid the Ash Green hospice a visit and took time out to speak to staff, children and their families.
Zoe’s Place is currently serving 37 sick children and their families from the four cots it can afford to run, offering palliative, respite and end-of-life care for babies and infants up to the age of five. The hospice has space for two more cots – but needs to raise an extra £300,000 between now and next summer to be able to open them and help the 11 families on their waiting list.
“More than anything Zoe’s Place isn’t a sad place, it’s a happy place, and the people behind the charity are really passionate about it,” said Gregg. “Anybody with a heart would want to help children that need help, and it’s critical that Zoe’s Place continues to get support for the job it does. “I’d urge people if they haven’t already to come along and see the hospice for themselves – it’s impossible not to admire it and pretty difficult not to fall in love with it.” Gregg’s visit came off the back of a year that has seen Wasps and Zoë’s Place forge strong links, with the club raising charity days hospice. Derek struck and Gregg “The we and Richardson a via work thousands will chord was first bucket be of joined team with continuing Zoe’s collections on of players everyone by the Place pounds Wasps tour. visiting to has on at support for Wasps owner match really the the them holders “Last in to season, any from raise way my £1,000 18 we Wasps home can,” for added village season Zoe’s Derek. ticket managed Place from to donating we a Wasps want £5 match, to for encourage every which coach is more something journey of moving Muna forward.” Chauhan, corporate manager at Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Gregg as an ambassador of Zoe’s Place. “Every penny we receive is a step closer to being able to open up an extra two beds to help 11 families that are on our waiting list, so to have somebody of Gregg’s profile spreading the word about the work that we do will be a great help. “We raised just over £1.1million during the last financial tax year to June 30, but to continue the services and open the two remaining cots we need to raise £1.4 million this financial tax year, and anything we raise beyond that will help us to recruit more nurses so we can serve more families.”