Appeal for residents to buy a Donna Louise butterfly for Christmas as spectacular Trentham Gardens Taking Flight installation comes to an end

Staff from The Donna Louise Hospice for Children & Young People are carefully taking down the spectacular Taking Flight butterflies installation at Trentham Gardens.

But there’s still chances to buy a ceramic butterfly to support the Trentham-based children’s and young people’s hospice with fundraisers appealing to people and companies to buy a butterfly for friends, family members and business customers as a Christmas gift.

Thousands of tourists and visitors to Trentham Gardens have seen the spectacular Taking Flight installation over recent months.

Over 2,700 butterflies have been sold and will be available to their purchasers in time for Christmas

Taking Flight is an initiative to raise vital funds for The Donna Louise instigated by the local business community.

Nathan Walton, Director of Income Generation and Marketing,  said: “Every penny of the £30 cost of each butterfly goes to support the children and young people who rely on the hospice and butterflies will still be available to buy from the hospice while stocks last.

“Please don’t miss out on the chance to support The Donna Louise and to own a unique piece of ceramic ware crafted here in Stoke-on-Trent.

“Children’s hospices get less than 9% of funds from the Government, via the NHS, and rely on fundraising for the remainder of their costs. The Donna Louise, therefore, relies hugely on donations from the local community and projects, such as The Butterflies, are vital to making our services sustainable.”

To buy a butterfly, please go online to www.thebutterflies.org.uk

The Donna Louise provides a lifeline to families across Staffordshire and South Cheshire who are facing every parent’s worst nightmare; the heart-breaking knowledge that they will almost certainly outlive their child. The hospice provides specialist care and support services for children and young adults, with life-limiting conditions due to illness or injury, from birth until no longer needed. Their services are free of charge, and they rely hugely on the support and generosity of the community to make this possible.

Until recently, the hospice was not able to support young people beyond their 19th birthday, so rather than a milestone to look forward to, approaching adulthood became a time of great stress and uncertainty for families. The Donna Louise therefore made a game-changing decision to expand their services to include teens as they become adults and promised to be there for families for as long as they need them.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Butterflies is a unique collaboration of local businesses, the cultural, tourism and education sectors along with individuals with a single shared vision; to ensure those in the care of The Donna Louise Hospice for Children & Young People enjoy the best possible life. These are Tile Mountain (main sponsor), Johnson Tiles, Wade Ceramics, KMF, Valentine Clays, The Trentham Estate, PM Training, Advanced Packaging, Strategi Solutions, Howle Communications Miller and Co., Inspired Film and Video, Enlighten AR, Joanne Hine, Campbell Creative Consulting, Staffordshire University, Paul Williams, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, DPD, Red Industries, My Clever Group, QPS, Gladman Developments, Blakemans’ , Rydale Roofing, Franklyn Financial Management, Holdcroft Heating, Envisage.