HMS Collingwood supports three ‘eggscellent’ local charities

Personnel at HMS Collingwood recently channelled their inner Easter bunny to bring smiles to the faces of children across Fareham and Gosport.

Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr) Andrew Ware and his wife, Katy, co-owner of Ruby Funerals, together with her business partner Michelle Peskett decided to collect Easter Eggs both within HMS Collingwood and at their local funeral homes.

These eggs would then be donated to the Rainbow Centre in Fareham which runs services and activities for children and adults with Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Strokes and Parkinsons Disease, with the aim to collect as many eggs as possible to make Easter 'eggstra' special for them.

In the event, an amazing 291 eggs were collected from the three locations and £115 in cash was raised, £80 of which came solely from the sale of bacon butties within HMS Collingwood.

So successful was the campaign that the number of eggs collected and monies raised delighted Andrew, Katy and Michelle enabling them to extend their remit.

The head of donations for the Rainbow Centre, Lucy Rumming, was therefore delighted to receive a cheque for £115 and the majority of the Easter Eggs, whilst a large amount of the remaining eggs was delivered to the Rowans Hospice to boost their Meercat project, supporting children experiencing close family bereavement.

Yet more eggs were delivered to the Gosport Food Bank to give disadvantaged children in the local area a sweet treat at Easter.

Lt Cdr Ware said, "I would like to publicly thank everyone in HMS Collingwood for the generosity they showed in donating Easter eggs for the appeal and particularly Kathy in Aggie Weston's for the support through the now legendary 'Bacon Butty' sales. All bacon munched and monies paid went to a very good cause!"