Ongoing support for Elf

Back in 2015 our Ottery St Mary garden centre supported Exeter Leukaemia Fund (Elf) as charity of the year, raising over £8,000 to help with the building of the Family Suite at the Yarty Ward. The suite was designed for haematology patients facing critical or terminal illness, and their families. It has a living area, family en-suite bedroom and patient bedroom with access to a private garden, allowing families to enjoy home comforts and privacy whilst going through difficult times.

We also pledged to provide the plants and accessories for the garden, giving a peaceful space for patients and their families to relax together. In 2017, as the Yarty Ward was about to open, our team planted up the garden areas with a selection of plants including Phylostachys Nigra, Rhododendron, Clematis and Pinus. The Otter team has also continued to help maintain the garden.

We also support ELF in another way. Many customers will recognise the ELF wishing well – this has been a feature at our Ottery St Mary branch for some years and has been an ongoing source of income for the charity, thanks to the generosity of customers who like to throw their spare change into the well.

ELF recently announced that the total raised from the well over the last few years has reached over £2,800. Particularly at this time when charities are struggling with funds after having to cancel so many fundraising events, it is nice to know that your spare pennies are making a difference!

Elf Fundraiser, Gary Moore said: “Exeter Leukaemia Fund is eternally grateful to Otter and their customers for continually supporting Elf via the wishing well. It is amazing how much this well has raised in recent years from small donations of loose change.”

So, next time you visit our Ottery branch, look out for the wishing well, opposite the entrance to the plants centre. If you happen to have a few pence in your pocket, purse or wallet, please do make a donation for this local charity – “every little helps”!

Elf aims to lighten the load, supporting families affected by blood cancers and disorders across the South West.