Celebrity Chefs help Lesley to raise cash for Hospiscare
An apron featuring the signatures of 14 celebrity chefs will be raffled at Darts Farm on 15 June to raise money for a local charity.
Plucky Lesley Weeks from Exmouth contacted the world-famous chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Paul Hollywood and Heston Blumenthal, in September last year after she signed up to complete a 450k cycle challenge across Vietnam and Cambodia.
This will be the fourth fundraising adventure Lesley, resident hairdresser at Hospiscare, has embarked upon since 2007, raising more than £23,000 for the charity she has worked for over the last 20 years.
Lesley said: “This will be my fourth challenge having already trekked Tanzania, Peru and the Himalayas. I can’t ask for sponsorship again so I am fundraising for the trip instead.”
Talented Lesley decided to make raffle prizes to fund her charitable trip and she soon struck upon the idea of stitching celebrity autographs to hand-made items.
After sending letters to hundreds of famous faces, from actors to comedians and sports stars to royalty, Lesley soon had enough autographs to begin her project.
She said: “I started sending swatches in September. Daniel Craig and Kylie Minogue were amongst the first to reply and I got signed autographs from David Attenborough, Terry Wogan and Michael Palin to name but a few.”
Lesley also received signed material swatches from the 14 chefs and, after first making the apron from scratch, she set about embroidering the autographs onto it – even making use of Jamie Oliver’s second autograph on a chef’s hat.
Lesley said: “I couldn’t believe it when all the letters started coming back to me - that people would take the time to sign the swatches and send them back is just amazing.
“It took me about 16 hours to make the apron. It’s completely unique and I hope that people will come to Darts Farm on June 15 to have a look at it and hopefully buy a raffle ticket.”
Marketing Placement Student at Darts Farm Emily Osborne said: “We are proud to help by hosting the raffle for such a beautiful and unique foodie prize - best of luck Lesley.”
A football also embroidered by Lesley with autographs from players and coaches at Exeter City Football Club recently made £260 at the club’s End of Season Ball and Auction.
Lesley is hoping that the apron will be just as popular, adding to the current £2,700 total on her JustGiving page.
She said: “I have been with Hospiscare for just over 20 years and in this time I have seen the benefits that donated money can do in caring for those with terminal illnesses. Hospices are not always about dying but making the most of the time you have left.
“Over the six years I have been challenging myself I have managed to raise over £23,000 I hope to make it to £30,000 with this latest adventure.”
The winning raffle ticket will be drawn at Hospiscare on Thursday 27 June. Tickets cost £1 each and all proceeds will go to Hospiscare. If you would like to sponsor Lesley visit http://www.justgiving.com/Lesley-Weeks1.
