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We’re proud to leave a lasting legacy in Folkestone
We recently visited St Martin's Church of England Primary School in Folkestone to give its pupils an interactive presentation about how to stay safe around a construction site. Pupils had a chance to meet our mascots, Handy Andy and Milly Mortar, and received goody bags which included a copy of out children's book 'How we build your home with Milly Mortar and Handy Andy.
As part of our national Proud campaign and commitment to leaving a lasting legacy in the communities in which we build, we also donated 200 daffodil bulbs to the school and invited pupils to plant these after our presentation. The bulbs are set to grow into a bright, floral display at the school in the spring.
Jason Stokes, Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey South East, said: “Children are naturally interested in finding out how we build our new homes but it is important that they are aware of the dangers around construction sites. It was or pleasure to talk to the pupils at St Martin's Church of England Primary School and hope that our talk gave them a valuable lesson in staying safe. We were also thrilled to see the pupils planting the daffodil bulbs and we are looking forward to seeing the display flower in the spring."
We show our support towards the Folkestone and Ashford Military show for a second time
We donated £500 to the Folkestone and Ashford Military show which took place on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd June at Sellindge Showground. This is the second year in a row that we have supported this event and our funding went towards sponsorship of the Military Wives Choir who performed. Last year we supported the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (PWRR) Band.
The Folkestone and Ashford Military show is an annual event which invites the public to celebrate local youth and cadet organisations. Initially set up in 1971 by Les Birch who served in the Royal Artillery, the show is now organised by the Kent (Marine) Cadet Force.
Commenting on the donation received from Taylor Wimpey, Andrew Dorrell, Commanding Officer at the Kent (Marine) Cadet Force, said: “We used the funding from Taylor Wimpey to support The Military Wives Choir. They do such great work in helping the families of service personnel who often move frequently and can be left feeling isolated as a result. Everyone really enjoyed their performances during the show and on behalf of all of us at Folkestone and Ashford Military show, I’d like to thank Taylor Wimpey for their backing.”
Jason Stokes, Sales and Marketing Director at Taylor Wimpey South East said: “We were delighted to support the Folkestone and Ashford Military show for the second year running. The work we do is so much more than just building high-quality homes and it means a great deal to us to give something back to the local community.”
The Rai family’s dream home is ready and waiting at Shorncliffe Heights
With his Army contract coming to an end, along with life in military quarters in Folkestone, Pawan Rai decided the time had come to put down permanent roots in the town which had been his home for more than 15 years.
When he discovered the three-bedroom detached ‘Sandgate’ at our Shorncliffe Heights development, he realised it was the perfect property for him, wife Mina and grown-up children Shandesh and Sony.
Pawan completed on the purchase in June 2017 but the family have put their dream of moving into their own place on hold for a little longer while their Army accommodation remains available.
“I had originally planned to move straight in,” Pawan explains, “but the MoD extended my contract so I still have quarters to live in. I’m renting my new house out for a year or two and then we’ll move in. It’s my dream home – I can’t wait!”
As a Folkestone resident for well over a decade, Pawan knows all about the benefits of life in this charming coastal town.
“I know the area well,” he says, “and I think Shorncliffe Heights is a lovely location. It’s very nice and quiet, on high ground above the sea, and it’s not too far from town. The M20 motorway and the Tesco superstore are also close by.
“Folkestone is a really nice town, with sandy beaches and the sea, and set within Kent which is a lovely county – the Garden of England.”
Pawan was particularly impressed by the excellent customer service he received from the Taylor Wimpey team at Shorncliffe Heights, explaining: “I don’t have the words to describe how helpful the Sales Executives have been.”
Although they have to wait a little longer to move in, the family are already appreciating the benefits of buying a brand new house.
“I particularly like the garden and the fact it’s detached – it’s very private,” says Pawan. “It’s a lovely layout and everything is brand new, so I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s real peace of mind. I feel very lucky.”
Annual duck race and fun day went swimmingly following our donation
The Britannia Inn’s annual Duck Race and Fun Day in Folkestone went swimmingly, helped by a £500 donation from us.
The Fun Day, which took place on Sunday 27th August, featured a fantastic range of family entertainment, including water stocks, a coconut shy, face painting, tombolas, the raffle, as well as plenty of other stalls and of course, the afternoon duck races!
Our donation was put towards the prizes at the event’s raffle draw.
All proceeds raised on the day were donated and split equally between the Pilgrims Hospice, which provides end-of-life care and support for patients and families across Kent, and National Coastal Watch, a charity that maintains a visual watch along the UK’s coast.
Nigel Cooper, landlord at The Britannia Inn, says: “We’d like to say a big thank you to Taylor Wimpey for supporting the annual Duck Race and Fun Day with this kind donation.
“The duck races are always a lot of fun and it’s a great opportunity for us to give back to the community by donating the money raised to the Pilgrims Hospice and National Coastal Watch, two organisations that do such important work that many of us have benefited from.”
Jason Stokes, Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey South East, says: “We’re very proud to have supported The Britannia Inn’s annual Duck Race and Fun Day. It’s a fantastic event for the local community to enjoy.
“We hope everyone had a fantastic time and that plenty of funds were raised for these two incredible charities.”
Lynne goes the extra mile thanks to our donation!
We donated £250 to Lynne Blinston (60), a resident at Shorncliffe Heights, who competed the London marathon in a bid to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK.
Lynne’s brother-in-law, Walter, was diagnosed with prostate cancer three years ago and was given between five and seven years to live.
“This was the main reason that I wanted to take part in the marathon,” explains Lynne. “Last year I was diagnosed with bladder cancer, although since then I have been given the all clear. Given my illness and Walt’s, I felt that this cause was very close to my heart.
“I had been training whilst away in Central America, but after returning to the UK in March, I took ill, which has impeded my ability to go running.
“However, I managed to get myself ready for the day and I’m really relieved that I managed to complete the full marathon.”
Lynne finished the 26-mile and 385-yard route around the capital in a time of five hours and 29 minutes, cheered on by family, who travelled from across the country.
“The crowds were absolutely brilliant and people really did an excellent job in encouraging me and willing me to keep going,” continues Lynne.
“I hit the wall at about 19 miles and that’s when things got really tough and I thought I might not make it to the end. The last four miles were definitely the longest, but crossing the line at the end was just an incredible feeling and I was so emotional. I’ve decided I never want to do it again though!
“I’d like to say a big thank you to Taylor Wimpey for all their support. This money has made a huge difference and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Jason Stokes, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey, says: “As a local housebuilder, we are committed to supporting the communities in which we build our new homes, so we were delighted to make this donation to Lynne to help her with her marathon attempt.
“I’d like to congratulate her on completing the course in support of Prostate Cancer UK. People like Lynne are a shining example of the tremendous sense of community spirit present in the local area.”
Since moving into her three-bedroom ‘Gosford’, Lynne has been enjoying the lifestyle opportunities on offer at Shorncliffe Heights.
“I and my husband Len absolutely love it here,” she says. “Len works in the merchant navy and is often travelling overseas, so our proximity to the coast is really ideal for that. The neighbours are all lovely and the sales team were just great. All in all, I’m really happy with the house and the entire development.”
Our Eggstravaganza campaign helped a children’s hospice in Sittingbourne!
We helped Demelza Hospice Care for Children in Sittingbourne to spread a little Easter cheer after donating 78 Easter eggs.
The charity, which has two hospices – Demelza Kent in Sittingbourne and Demelza South East London in Eltham – offers expert one-to-one care to children up to the age of 19.
The donation was all part of our national Eggstravaganza Campaign during which Taylor Wimpey employees donated Easter eggs to charities, homeless shelters and foodbanks across the UK.
Emma Middleton, Head of Events at Demelza Hospice Care for Children, says: “We are very grateful to Taylor Wimpey for this kind donation.
“It was great to be able to provide Easter eggs for the children and families we care for and they really appreciated the gesture.
“We’re tried to collect as many eggs as possible from our supporters for a range of fun Easter activities which took place over the holiday period, and this donation was a fantastic contribution to that.”
Jason Stokes, Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey South East, says: “As a considerate, responsible housebuilder we are committed to supporting the communities in which we build our new homes.
“Demelza Hospice Care for Children does such a vital job within the local area and we were really pleased to be able to support it.
“We hope our Easter gift helped to make everyone receiving care at the hospice, and their families, feel included in the festivities over the holiday weekend.”
Our donation helps hospice charity for children
Demelza Hospice Care for Children has received a donation from us to help provide vital care for seriously ill babies and children.
We have donated £500 to the charity to help fund expert nurses and care assistants who support children with life‑limiting or life‑threatening conditions.
Claire Ellis-Waghorn, Acting Director of Voluntary Income at Demelza, says: “As a charity, and not part of the NHS, we must raise over £10.5 million each year to continue providing care to families living in East Sussex, Kent and South East London.
“Taylor Wimpey’s kind gesture will ensure that Demelza can be there from the start, during day‑to‑day family life, times of crisis, and bereavement – not just for children and their parents, but for the wider family too. Every year we deliver this specialist care to hundreds of babies, children and young people.”
The charity has two hospices – Demelza Kent in Sittingbourne and Demelza SEL in Eltham – where children up to the age of 19 receive expert, one-to-one care. This includes respite and symptom management, as well as life-enhancing therapies and facilities such as a hydrotherapy pool and a soft play room.
In East Sussex, the charity offers a hospice at home service, providing care and support in the comfort of a child’s own home.
Claire adds: “Taylor Wimpey has previously donated some of their showhome furniture to one of our charity shops and approached us to offer further support. We’re extremely grateful as it helps validate the work the hospice does in caring for special children.”
Jason Stokes, Regional Sales and Marketing Director, says: “We’re honoured to be able to help Demelza Hospice Care for Children and support this wonderful charity and the fantastic work it does.
“It’s very important to us that we support the communities where we build our new homes, and helping the hospice to continue providing its services can make a difference to so many local children and their families.”