Kentish Express Ashford & District
Park and ride boost for hospice summer fair
Visitors to the Ashford Pilgrims Hospice’s summer fair will be able to arrive in style for free, thanks to Stagecoach East Kent providing a park and ride service.
Two buses, one a specially liveried Pilgrims Hospices vehicle, will be on hand to take people from a temporary park and ride at Mersham Le Hatch, just a mile from the hospice in Willesborough Road, to the fair being held from noon on Saturday, August 3.
Ashford company Medash Signs, a long-term supporter of Pilgrims, is also providing signs to help people find their way to the car park itself. Satnav users can programme the postcode TN25 6NH into their systems too.
Earlier this year Stagecoach chose Pilgrims as its charity of the year and repainted a vehicle with the charity’s logo and colours to celebrate the partnership. That bus will be on duty helping to operate a 10-minute park and ride service.
To encourage people to use the park and ride, passengers will be given games tokens for some of the fair’s sideshows.
Pilgrims regional fundraising manager Nigel Donkin said: “It is fantastic that both Stagecoach and Medash Signs are helping us to hopefully make this the best possible fair ever. It means even more visitors will be able to enjoy the occasion without worrying about finding a parking space.
“We will have 45 stalls lined up on the day offering all kinds of goodies, games and sideshows. The first prize in our grand draw will be a week-long five star holiday for up to six people in Spain.
“Last year’s summer fair raised an incredible £20,000 for the hospice but of course we want to better that this time around so we’re asking everyone if they could kindly offer any prizes for the raffle and tombola.
“We would also be very pleased to receive bottles of all kinds, hand crafted items, cakes, books, plants as well as jams and chutneys.”
Donated items can be dropped off at the hospice reception, or call 01233 504111 or email nigel. donkin@pilgrimshospices.org