Val's garden party to give appeal boost

Valerie Nix, 65, will be opening up her Lawn garden to friends and strangers to raise money for Macmillan nurses.

The former Tesco checkout operator is a dab hand at fundraising events, and hopes this year's party will be a huge success.

Mrs Nix, of Wardour Close, said: "We have previously held open gardens with our neighbour Anna Sutton.

"We have done it three times, raising £200 for charity each year. Unfortunately Anna can't help this year but my husband Alan, and the rest of my family and friends, have all been a huge support.

"This year I saw your newspaper appeal, and thought it would be nice to support the Swindon Cancer Appeal.

"We have a lovely garden which we like to share. It's a nice way to raise funds for charity, particularly when the weather is good."

As well as fine weather, Mrs Nix is hoping for a good turnout.

She said: "We will be charging £1 on the door, which will include tea, coffee, or a cold drink and a biscuit.

"The more people that come along, the more money we'll make straight away. I hope to see some new faces. There will also be a tombola with lovely prizes.

"We are planning on setting up a bring-and-buy sales table, a plant stall and there'll also be plenty of books on offer.

"We don't usually have a cake stall but tend to auction off homemade goodies.

"One year someone donated a delicious looking fruit cake, which we gave away as a prize in the tombola.

"I think it must have made about £8. You could not have asked that much if it had been on the sales table."

The garden party will be held on July 12 from 2pm until 5pm at 5, Wardour Close.

Graziella Campisano, appeal manager, said: "It's a lovely, generous offer from Mrs Nix. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the weather holds for the event.

"Not only will it raise lots of money for our appeal, it will also be a fun, social occasion."

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