Willen Hospice is opening up its gardens to the public on Saturday 23 for their Summer Fair and Tea Dance.
The event will bring all the fun of a traditional British summer fair to the Hospice, and will include fairground rides, Pimms and strawberries, cream teas, a dog show, stalls selling a range of local goods including plants and local crafts, and live entertainment including magician, The Great Gappo!
The afternoon will also incorporate a vintage tea dance led by professional dance teachers Adrian and Sara Marsh who will lead guests through the Quickstep, Waltz and Cha Cha Cha.
The fair is part of a full week of events including Ascot Ladies Day on Thursday and Ascot Race Day on Friday. The weekend will conclude with one of the Hospice’s much anticipated Fill-a-Bag Sales, where customers are invited to pick up an empty bag on entry for £10, then fill it with as much specially selected preloved fashion as they can.
Head of Events and Community Fundraising, Sarah Sweet-Rowley, said: “We’re so excited about our Summer Fair and Tea Dance. We’ve worked really hard to put together a fantastic afternoon for everyone. Dogs are welcome too! The Tea Dance promises to be a great event. But if dancing is not your thing, there’s plenty more on offer. The Hospice gardens, overlooking the lake, are a beautiful place to relax, so bring a picnic blanket and spend the afternoon with us. Fingers crossed for good weather!”
The Summer Fair is completely free to attend. Tickets for the tea dance are £15 and are available online or on the day. Parking at the Hospice is only available for Blue Badge holders. Visitors are asked to be considerate of residents who live in Willen Village and find alternative parking in nearby public car parks. These are available a short walk away from the Hospice at Willen Pavilion - MK15 9JP and off the V11 on Willen North Lake - MK15 0SF (Lakeside, opposite the BMX track).
Willen Hospice needs to raise £4.7 million a year from the community; that’s £9 every minute of the day, to ensure it can continue to provide specialist end-of-life care to patients, and support to their family members. Events like these help the Hospice to reach that target.
