Nearly £40,000 raised by events held by Devon garden centre
Staff at an Ottery St Mary garden centre are celebrating having successfully raised £37,000 for local charity, Hospiscare.
The team, at Otter Garden Centres, was aiming to raise £20,000 for the cause but were amazed at the support they received at various events held during the course of last year. The company is celebrating its’ 60th year in business
For many local families, the highlight was their Christmas attraction which included a winter wonderland, animated reindeer singalongs and even a land train ride.
Hospiscare volunteers were on hand to help children make reindeer food and write letters to Santa. A dedicated evening for children with special educational needs (SEN) was particularly well received.
‘It was lovely to see families enjoying the Christmas magic in such an authentic way; there were plenty of smiles and happy faces,’ says Lara White, granddaughter of Otter’s founders.
Beyond the Festive Adventure, Otter’s charity team and Hospiscare volunteers organised raffles, quizzes, and tombolas which raised an additional £14,000.
‘The whole team really got behind the fundraising—we couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of Otter staff and Hospiscare volunteers,’ says charity team member Lauren Pearcy, whose mother was cared for by Hospiscare.
Lara and Lauren revealed the total raised at a special thank you event for the volunteers.
‘Bringing joy to so many families’
‘On behalf of everyone at Hospiscare we would like to extend our deepest thanks for the incredible support and generosity of Otter,’ says Toni Hiscocks, Hospiscare Area Fundraiser.
‘The Festive Adventure was a truly magical event, bringing joy to so many families – and of course our volunteers – whilst raising essential funds for Hospiscare.’
‘We are so grateful for the continued partnership and support of Otter, especially during their special anniversary year.’
‘The business also supports our Open Garden and Christmas Tree Campaign, and the vital funds raised means we can continue our work enabling local families to receive the specialist end-of-life care they need during the most difficult time.’
Hospiscare helpers at the Festive Adventure. Image: Sue Cade / Otter Garden Centres
In a further boost, Otter announced that Hospiscare will remain its chosen charity for 2025, marking a sixth consecutive year of support. So far, the business has raised more than £71,000 for the cause.
‘As a family-run business, we’re committed to supporting our community. Hospiscare provides a crucial service to that community, and I can’t wait to see what we achieve together this year,’ says Jacqui Taylor, Otter MD.
Hospiscare volunteers who helped at the Festive Adventure included Bob Joy who ensured the safety and comfort of families on the land train, Coleen Simon who made up reindeer food and swept up reindeer ‘droppings’ and Lisa Glanville, who was elated by the way the children’s faces lit up as they explored the different scenes.