MORE than 40 prizes are on offer in a bumper raffle in aid of the Wellington Monument restoration appeal and St Margaret’s Hospice.

Prizes in the Monumental Sunflower raffle include: 1962 E-type Jaguar driving experience, helicopter, glider and balloon flights, 7,000ft tandem skydive, beauty experiences, Taunton racecourse tickets, Somerset county cricket tickets, butcher, restaurant and pub vouchers, and a private sunset tour of Wellington Monument.

Emma Jones, National Trust fundraising and community engagement officer (Wellington Monument) said the raffle aimed to raise awareness of local businesses and the two charities.

She highlighted the flying experiences and thanked Devon and Somerset Flight Training, Skydive Buzz and the team at Sheldon Gliding Club.

She also thanked Nigel Mansell’s Arrive and Drive Go Karts, Sue Hamilton’s Quantock Alpaca Trekking and Sailability for its prize of dinghy boat rides at Wimbleball Lake.

For more information on the prizes visit www.st-margarets-hospice.org.uk and search ‘Monumental Sunflower

Raffle’.

Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow said: “I am delighted to support this fundraising project that is supporting causes so close to the hearts of local people.

“The Wellington Monument restoration project, which I have been supporting from the outset, is making great progress and this will really help it move forward as well as support St Margaret’s Hospice which provides such a vital service.

“Having used its community outreach services for my own husband

recently I really do appreciate the invaluable role it played.”

Raffle tickets priced £1 are available from Odette’s tea room in High Street, Wellington; Nurtured By Nature in South Street, Wellington; Moonbeams farm shop on the Wellington relief road; Emma Jones on 07779 454246 or 01823 451587, or email [email protected]; and the fundraising team at St Margaret’s Hospice, Heron Drive, Bishops Hull, Taunton TA1 5HA.

Anyone who would like to sell tickets or who has a venue that could sell them should contact Emma. She would also like to thank Carly Press, based at Chelston, for giving the raffle tickets.