Cake sale helps to raise £201 for the Rainbow Ward

Staff at Hays Travel, in Bury St Edmunds, have been putting their baking skills to the test by having a cake sale and at the same time raising money for a hospital charity.

Seven members of staff including store manager Katie Elzanaty, foreign exchange consultant Fiona Challoner, sales consultants Ellen Long, Julie Baron, Gemma Goodridge and Belinda McCarthy along with apprentice Megan Reed, took part in the day of fund-raising in memory of John Hayes, the founder and chief executive of the travel agency.

He died a year ago on November 13 and staff at the store in the Cornhill decided to have a charity day which culminated in a total of £201 being raised for the My WiSH charity, which supports the work of the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.

Katie said that Mr Hays was well known for his charity work and the staff wanted to mark the anniversary of his death with the charity cake sale.

The money is being directed towards the Rainbow Ward at the West Suffolk Hospital.

Katie said: “The Rainbow Ward hit home to all of us as we all know of families who have had children cared for in the unit including one of our staff members.”

She said Fiona’s two daughters had been treated on the ward which help to prompt their fundraising.

The cake sale was held on Saturday, October 23, and the goodies were snapped up by customers and passers-by on the day.

“We were prompted to do the event in memory of John Hays who supported charitable causes. Everyone worked that day with three of us standing outside to encourage people to buy some cake,” added Katie.

Sally Daniels, fundraising manager, said “Thank you to everyone at Hays for supporting the Rainbow ward at West Suffolk Hospital. Fundraising hasn’t been easy this year and it was great to see the locals supporting their endeavours”.

Written by Russell Cook for My WiSH Charity

Main photo: Katie Elzanaty, store manager at Hays Travel, and Fiona Challoner, foreign exchange consultant.