Community Fundraising Assistant Azeema gives a review of her first ever Summer Fair at Richard House:

On July 2^nd, after a 3 year hiatus due to Covid-19, Richard House were finally able to bring back our lovely summer fair for families, donors and the local community to enjoy. There were amazing stalls ranging from arts and craft to personalised gifts, to delicious cakes. The hospice gardens were full of energy!

Over on the entertainment stage the Dhol and Tabla drummer and the Reggae Choir were some of the standout acts, keeping everyone engaged! All our entertainers came along and performed free of charge, and deserve a huge round of applause for helping to make the day so special and sharing their brilliant talent with the children and families of Richard House.

It was also great to see the police and the London Fire Brigade being the heroes of the day. Everyone was mesmerised by them … or maybe it was actually their cars and uniform! The firemen even allowed the children to have a go on the water hose – helping to make it even more of an unforgettable day! Police cars and fire engines are one thing, but when the local Porsche dealership sends over one of their cars, you know it’s not an ordinary day at Richard House! The kids had the unforgettable chance to sit in the luxury sports car – I think they’ll be coming again next year! A huge shout out to the Micky and Minnie who were there the whole time and kept all the children entertained, dancing to the music and taking photos, but whoever was behind those costumes definitely deserve some appreciation for committing to their heavy-duty outfits for four hours on a sweltering summer’s day! Another stand out performer was Imran, who wore his Superman outfit for the whole day, causing many fascinated children to howl with glee!  Thanks to all our amazing entertainers – the day wouldn’t have been the same without you!

It was Richard House service user Leyana and her friend Helen who stole the show though, with a dazzling (and off the cuff) performance of Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’ – a fitting song choice for an explosive cameo by the two young ladies!

No summer fair is complete without a raffle, and this year there were plenty of luxury items up for grabs – causing a stampede towards the end as everyone rushed forwards to find out if they were a lucky winner!

This event wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the wonderful organisers of Richard House and also the remarkable volunteers who took time out on a weekend to come and help out on the day. So, another huge round of applause goes to everyone who participated; volunteers who helped out; organisers; sponsors; and to everyone who attended. Thank you for making this happen and making it a huge success!

Until next year!