Taylor Wimpey : We help festival fundraising drive

Date: Thursday 21 September 2017

Organisers of the Priors Hall Festival in Corby, Northamptonshire, are celebrating after raising more than £1,600 for two good causes, with a helping hand from our East Midlands team.

The event took place on Sunday 27 August at Priors Hall Park to fundraise for The Royal Marsden Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support.

We donated £250 towards the costs of running the festival, which featured plenty of fun-filled activities, including kids' rides, a bouncy castle, vintage afternoon tea, Zumba and live music.

Gemma Franco, organiser of the Priors Hall Festival and a resident at the development, says: 'I'd like to say a massive thank you to Taylor Wimpey for this generous donation towards the festival. Without donations like this we wouldn't have been able to have the event lasting throughout the day.

'I'm shocked and overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone involved in this event. I started with no budget and have never organised anything like this before, so the kindness shown by the community and organisations like Taylor Wimpey is wonderful.'

Gemma created the Priors Hall Festival to commemorate her mum, Mandy, who passed away from cancer 25 years ago, and to give something back to The Royal Marsden Hospital which is providing Gemma with preventative treatment to reduce her own risk of getting cancer. The festival was also a tribute to Gemma's friend, Simon Cooper, who like Mandy, had a passion for music and the arts.

Gemma explains: 'Both Simon and my mother were very musical and I wanted to create a festival that used music and entertainment to give back to the community. This special day was a celebration of their lives and a way to raise money for two fantastic causes, along with boosting the community spirit here!

'I carry the BRCA1 gene which means my risk of getting cancer is higher. I'm incredibly grateful for the care I receive at The Royal Marsden Hospital for preventive treatment, so the festival is my way of saying a big thank you for all their hard work, as well as the amazing support Macmillan provides its patients and families affected by cancer.

'It has been inspiring to watch the community get involved with celebrating Simon and my mum's lives while fundraising for two incredible charities.'

Emily Lloyd, Sales Manager for Taylor Wimpey East Midlands, says: 'We were delighted and proud to sponsor a local event which brought the community together and raised vital funds for some very worthy causes.

'We hope everyone who attended enjoyed the music and entertainment provided at the Priors Hall Festival!'

A collection of three and four-bedroom properties is currently available at Bluebelle, our new phase of homes at the wider Priors Hall Park development.