MP donates Hurst ale to Mary How Trust fundraiser

Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert called in to the celebrations for the Mary How Trust's 25th anniversary on Saturday 20 July.

The Mary How Trust held their event in the village day marquee at West Chiltington Golf Club.  The evening, which also raised funds and awareness for the charity, celebrated 25 years of providing free health screening in West Sussex.

More than 300 people joined the celebrations, taking along their own picnics for the evening.  A team of 25 volunteers took care of them all, including three members of staff from the local Waitrose, and local musician Willie Austen and his band entertained the crowd. 

Mr Herbert, a Patron of the Trust, donated a cask of real ale for the evening, and the sales of the beer provided a further boost to the fundraising.  The beer was given to the MP after a recent visit to the Hurst Brewery in Hurstpierpoint to serve at an event of his choice.

The brewery team was on hand to support the event and deliver pints of their Founders Cask bitter throughout the evening.

The event raised nearly £2,000 for the Trust, which could pay for just over a year's worth of essential clinical and ultrasound supplies .

Christopher Leaver, Chairman of The Mary How Trust, said: "It was a super evening: friends, supporters and volunteers celebrated 25 years of a unique local charity and raised funds to help people benefit from our service into the future.  We're very grateful to Nick and Hurst Brewery for donating the cask of bitter - it helped raise precious funds on the night, and was extremely popular!"

Nick Herbert said: "I am grateful to Hurst Brewery for enabling me to support this fundraiser for such a worthwhile event.  The Mary How Trust is a popular local charity and I am delighted to be a Patron and to have been able to call in at its anniversary party."

ENDS

Notes

1.      The Mary How Trust is an independent charity providing free health screening for cancer and life threatening illnesses.   Formed in 1988, the charity is headquartered in Pulborough.  They undertake over 1,000 screenings per year.  To find out more, or to support the charity please see www.maryhowtrust.org.