Wirral Mad Hatter Tea Party Raises £1750 for Clatterbridge

The newly instated High Sheriff of Merseyside Lesley Martin-Wright made a Mad Hatter Tea Party in Claughton her first official engagement last Friday 22nd April.

The event was held at Heatherfield House, the home of Wirral businessman and fragrance designer, Drew Cockton, to raise funds for The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

Wirral businesses came together to donate their goods and services to provide a splendid afternoon for 80 of Wirral’s well-heeled ladies and gentlemen with guests being treated to a Champagne afternoon tea, as well as live entertainment and a goody bag filled with products made by local artisans.

Actors Lesley Butler and Del Wilden greeted arrivals at the gates, dressed as Alice in Wonderland and The Queen of Hearts, before guests were treated to a glass of pink champagne. Acclaimed local musician John Witherspoon sang live whilst a team of local volunteers served freshly made finger sandwiches, cakes and home made scones.

The sun shone brightly and guests were wowed by an array of Alice in Wonderland themed decorations, decorating the entire grounds of Heatherfield House. Mum of 7 and floral artist, Tracy Jane, crafted the entire setup with the help of her daughters Chloe and Hannah.

“When Drew asked me to get involved, I was so excited. I up-cycled all sorts of materials to achieve the traditional Lewis Caroll-inspired look. I hung teacups and upside down chairs from the trees and crafted Mad Hatter top hats from cardboard boxes.We scoured the area’s charity shops for inspiration”

Organiser of the event and founder of luxury candle and fragrance brand, Owen Drew, Drew Cockton told guests: “The business people of Wirral are a force to be reckoned with. We all came together to create this special day and are so delighted to have raised such a great amount of money for charity. Giving back is extremely important to us at Owen Drew as we owe our success to the local community. This is something we are passionate about”.

Chief Executive of Knowsley Chamber and High Sheriff of Merseyside, Lesley Martin Wright addressed the guests at the event. She spoke about what she described as her ‘mission’ to champion youth mental health services in her role as well as domestic abuse charities and praised organiser of Friday’s event, Drew Cockton.

“Drew is a champion for local businesses and local good causes. When you meet people who are really driven, very authentic and mean what they say, those are the people you remember. I couldn’t think of a better place to come to as my first event”