£4,500 Raised for Abby’s Heroes by Record Crowds at The Alresford Watercress Festival

The annual Alresford Watercress Festival held in May saw record crowds of 20,000 people attending which was reflected in the record donations given to Abby’s Heroes, the festival’s chosen charity.  Last week Sally Randall, CEO and Founder of Abby’s Heroes following the death of her daughter Abby, was presented with a cheque for the charity for nearly £4,500 by chair of the Watercress Festival Committee, John Cattle, and fellow Committee member, Simon Evans together with members of the Watercress Association, Simon Lawes (Nature’s Way Food) and Tom Amery (The Watercress Company).

                        (L-R:  Simon Lawes, John Cattle, Tom Amery, Sally Randall and Simon Evans)

Abby’s Heroes is a Southampton based charity that supports children, teenagers, young adults and their families when diagnosed with cancer and throughout their treatment.  They provide financial help to get families through difficult times when jobs may have to be put on hold in order for parents to care for a sick child, and grants to help families enjoy days out to help create memories they will treasure.

Volunteers from Abby’s Heroes attended the Festival to ensure the charity’s presence was felt; all day they milled with the crowds collecting donations in exchange for fresh watercress, while celebrity chef, Mark Hix auctioned off portions of the watercress dishes he prepared on stage to the audience to raise further funds for the charity.

Claire May, Event and Market Manager for the Festival said: “The primary aim of the Alresford Watercress Festival committee is to support local charities through donations or charity trading pitches.  We selected Abby's Heroes as our key charity due to the significant impact of their work and their locality.  The army of purple clad volunteers, cheerfully collecting donations in exchange for watercress, is a wonderful sight on festival day.  Volunteers from all walks of life, raising much needed funds to support families whose children have cancer.”

On receiving the cheque for £4,436.19, Sally Randall CEO of Abby’s Heroes said: “We are over the moon to receive this fantastic donation following the Alresford Watercress Festival.  It is such an amazing day and our Purple Army of volunteers absolutely loved being there. We are delighted that this money will be used to support some very special children and their families across Hampshire and the South Coast.  We are a small local charity, and this will make an enormous difference. Thank you so much to everyone who came along and donated so generously.”  

 Ciara Whitehead, Chief Commercial Officer of Nature’s Way Foods and Chair of Sun Salads, who packed the watercress into the bags said: “We are delighted to have supported this unique event.”

And Tom Amery, MD of The Watercress Company (and member The Watercress Association) who supplied the free fresh watercress from their Hampshire farms added: “The Watercress Association and its members that support the Festival are delighted to hear that the total for this year was so high.  Our growers donate and pack the bags used to raise the funds that make a huge difference to one of the area's most important and highly valued services.  Thank you to all the visitors that donate so much for a bag of watercress.  See you all next year for another record-breaking fundraiser.”

Next year’s Alresford Watercress Festival will be on Sunday 19 May 2024 – put it in your diary!