Tiptree-based Perrywood Garden Centre completed their official two-year partnership with Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity in December 2020. Their hard work, dedication and kindness was rewarded last week with a prestigious award at the Institute of Fundraising East Anglia Awards. Together they won Corporate Partnership of the Year.
The successful partnership has significantly helped Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity implement their mission to improve the hospital environment and fund enhancements for staff and patients that go beyond the usual NHS budget.
Communications Manager for Perrywood, Debbie Wrigley said: “It has been a real pleasure to work with Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity and help them improve and transform spaces for staff and patients. Perrywood was delighted to be involved with a local charity whose work supporting healthcare services makes such a difference to so many of our customers. We are proud to have played our part in this very unifying and satisfying partnership.”
Specifically supporting Colchester Hospital, they made offices greener by donating hundreds of houseplants, lonely patients received gifts at Christmas and they became members of the charity’s 2019 business club raising money for the Collingwood Cancer Centre. Cardiac patients benefitted from heart monitors, they bought dementia boxes to stimulate and occupy mentally-frail older patients and the Children’s Department were delighted with their garden make-over and new play equipment. If that wasn’t enough, they also donated over 150 fans for wards and departments to use (in line with a risk assessment for safe use during the pandemic) in the hot weather.
Corporate and Trust Fundraising Manager, Penny Norris said: “The degree of involvement at all levels by everyone at Perrywood was so impressive. They did parachute jumps, took part in many challenges, held raffles and quizzes and sold plants.”
“The Coffee Shop & Restaurant staff even donated their tips to us – something that continues today despite no longer being official partners. Talk about team spirit!”
“This award is thoroughly deserved and couldn’t have gone to more passionate and caring people. They certainly fulfilled one of their missions too which is to give our local community a reason to smile.”
Whilst the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected Perrywood’s ability to fundraise during periods of lockdown, they still raised an astounding £21,126.20 over two years for our local NHS.
