the third annual Flying Finale Charity Ball at Brands Hatch and the Demelza Club Prepaid MasterCard to benefit Demelza Hospice Care for Children
A1 Team Great Britain has begun its preparations for its home event at Brands Hatch on 3 May, with Danny Watts heading to the Kent circuit for its official season launch and visiting the team’s nominated charity, Demelza Hospice Care for Children, to launch two fundraising initiatives.
On Monday, Danny visited Brands Hatch, the venue of the British A1GP event in May, and helped to launch the circuit’s 2009 race schedule. He was joined by A1GP colleague and Ireland racer Adam Carroll, DTM driver and former GBR race winner Oliver Jarvis, WTCC’s Andy Priaulx and drivers of the new F2 championship.
Following this, Danny moved on to visit Demelza’s brand new hospice at Eltham, where he helped to launch the Demelza Club Prepaid MasterCard. The initiative has been designed to raise funds for the services the hospice, which provides for children with life threatening or life limiting illnesses. Profits from transactions made by cardholders will be donated directly to the charity. The card is not a credit card, but instead can be topped up like a mobile phone and used like a debit card in any outlet where MasterCard is accepted. There are also many exclusive benefits when signing up for the card, including discounts, vouchers, free music downloads, DVD rentals and magazines.
In addition to this, A1 Team GBR is delighted that it will co-host the ‘Flying Finale’ Charity Ball for the third consecutive year. The ball, tickets of which are available to the public, will be held in the VIP hospitality suite at Brands Hatch following A1GP’s official practice sessions on Friday 1 May. All proceeds from the event will go to Demelza Hospice Care for Children. The ball has been a big success in prior years, with guests able to interact with the GBR drivers and A1GP executives. There is also a charity auction which has had some fantastic lots donated by a wide range of Demelza supporters.
Demelza is a charity providing hospice care for children with life-limiting conditions and their families across Kent, East Sussex and South London. Services include hospice at home care, hospice care, planned short breaks, emergency respite, therapies, symptom control, end of life care and bereavement support. The charity has an eight-bedded hospice in Sittingbourne, Kent and a hospice at home service, Demelza-James, operating in East Sussex, West Kent and South London. The charity now has a third, much-needed centre in Eltham, South London, which will open officially in early summer 2009.
Danny Watts: “I’m delighted to assist Demelza Hospice Care for Children launch the Demelza Club Prepaid MasterCard. It’s the second charity card of its kind in Britain and I hope it helps to raise much-needed funds for the hospice. It was a privilege to be one of the first to visit to new facility at Eltham. It has such a light and friendly feel, which is so important for the children and their families. Becoming a father for the first time just six weeks ago made my visit here that much more poignant and hammers home how fortunate I am to have a healthy son.”
Sarah Taylor, Demelza Hospice Care for Children: “We are privileged to be working in association with A1 Team GBR for the third consecutive year and we are looking forward to staging our Flying Finale charity ball when A1GP returns to British turf. The ball will take place in the VIP hospitality area, trackside at Brands, after official practice on Friday 1 May.
Tickets are limited - contact for further information - 01795 845204 or sarah.taylor@demelza.org.uk
