Happy Christmas to Hospiscare as Ottery fundraiser smashes target

The fundraising target for Rusty Pig’s ‘Ho Ho Hospiscare’ draw was totally smashed after the local community in Ottery St Mary and surrounding villages showed support for the event.

The initial aim was to raise £500 but by the night of the draw the total had reached £2300. And there was an extra surprise to come with and additional donation of an extra £250 from PASC, an organisation providing support for self-catering businesses, bringing the final total to an amazing £2,550 - equating to a whopping 400 percent increase!

The top prize was a stay for four people at Mazzard Farm Cottages plus a meal at Rusty Pig and luxury hamper donated by Knights Farm Shop. But as the total flew higher, Mazzard Farm and Rusty Pig both pledged another top prize of a stay and a meal, this time including afternoon tea for four at Coldharbour Farm, if the total topped £2,000. So with that target reached and surpassed, two lucky top winners will be able to enjoy their superb prizes in 2021.

In addition, businesses and shops in the town donated vouchers and prizes too, giving many more people the chance to win. “With times being hard for so many, we are incredibly grateful for the generosity shown by the local community,” said Robin Rea, owner of Rusty Pig.

Local fundraiser, Toni Hiscocks added: “Thank you so much to everybody who’s supported us especially the local businesses that have donated vouchers – it’s been absolutely phenomenal!

“The coronavirus pandemic has drastically affected Hospiscare’s fundraising events. We need community support more than ever - we need the charity to survive more than ever.” 

Hospiscare provides end of life care for people with any terminal illness, and cares for over 750 patients at any one time across Exeter, Mid and East Devon. The charity receives just 18% of its funding needs from the government, so community fundraising is crucial to its survival.