Huge attendance at Grow Ltd’s fayre
GUERNSEY’S Rural Occupational Workshop saw hundreds of islanders flock to its Christmas fayre at the weekend, where one lucky person was announced as the winner of a brand new car.
Organised by the Friends of Grow Ltd (Frogs) this was only the second time the charity had held the event, and it proved much more popular than last year.
Grow and Frogs board member Nathalie Pike said the turnout had been very good with lots of young children being brought along.
Visitors could make festive wreathes or bug hotels, or just buy those made by Grow staff, who had also produced small wooden Christmas trees for children to colour baubles on and decorate with mini strips of tinsel.
Santa had also popped in to meet children in his grotto.
Mrs Pike said that as well as being a fundraiser, it also gave people the chance to find out more about the work Grow Ltd did.
And for the first time, Christmas trees were being sold.
Grow Ltd chairman Mark Dunster said the fayre had probably seen about four times the number of people visiting compared to last year.
One of the highlights was a draw for a brand new Ford Fiesta ST Line, with chief minister Peter Ferbrache picking the winning ticket.
He said he it was a pleasure to have been invited, and impressed with the plans he had been shown for the site’s redevelopment: ‘I’ve seen the plans for the future, which I hope the States can assist with,’ he said.
Deputy Ferbrache also took advantage of the bean jar on offer, provided by local chef Calum Le Noury
The lucky winner of the car was not present, but Grow Ltd manager Eddie Higgins phoned her immediately. He said she told him she had not long placed an order for a new car, but would now cancel it and was going to head down to collect her prize later in the day.
The car was provided by TrustFord, whose general sales manager, Mark Munson, said Grow was its charity of the year but it had been involved with it for some time.
Money raised by the event would be going towards the redevelopment project, which will see the site almost entirely rebuilt to provide better facilities and to be able to cater for more staff members.
Among the plans is a new hospitality and retail training area and a small shop, parking facilities, new administration block, and space will be made available to other charities, too.
