Willand School Fayre has a touch of magic thanks to local housebuilder

A local housebuilder worked its magic to ensure that children at the Willand School Spring Fayre were spellbound.

Bellway South West, which is building 125 new homes at Fox Mill Gardens in the village, donated £400 to pay for a magician to entertain the youngsters at the free event on Sunday 5 May.

Devon-based magician Ian Symons whose stage name is Ozzy D and who is a member of the Magic Circle, dazzled with his sleight of hand at the fayre which was held at the Willand Rovers Football Club ground in Silver Street.

The Bellway donation not only paid for an hour-long set from Ozzy D but also funded two banners promoting the event which were displayed on main roads in the local area.

The family fun day, which was organised by the Parent Teacher Friends Association (PTFA) to raise funds for the school, featured a tombola, a beat the goalie competition, craft and food stalls, ice cream, face painting, live music, and a licensed bar.

Laura-Jane Alford, Chair of the Willand School PTFA, said: “One of the hardest things about being a charity is trying to raise money and host an amazing event without spending money. We really wanted to have a children’s entertainer at the Spring Fayre and some banners to promote the event in the community, however, the cost was something we just couldn’t justify spending when we are not charging an entry fee.

“We can’t thank Bellway enough for stepping in to cover the cost of these items. The banners raised awareness and the entertainer was a lovely free activity for the children to enjoy.”

This is not the first time that Bellway has supported Willand School as it funded book voucher prizes for a ‘Design a Dream Home’ competition. The winning designs have been reproduced on a large noticeboard which takes pride of place on a wall outside the sales office at the Fox Mills Gardens development, off Meadow Park.

Bellway also donated £330 to cover the cost of medals for an Easter bunny ear design competition in 2023 to help celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary.

Rachel Way, Sales Manager for Bellway South West, said: “It is great to hear that the event was such a success and that Ozzy D turned on the magic, much to the delight of the younger members of the audience.

“We have an ongoing relationship with Willand School and were more than happy to help make the fayre a magical experience for the children. The banners we sponsored also seemed to do the trick as lots of people turned up on the day and had a great time.

“It’s lovely to have such a close bond with the local school and we look forward to linking up with them again in the future.” 

For more information about Fox Mill Gardens, call 01884 510094 or visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/south-west/fox-mill-gardens.