Hush Heath Wine Club Member Donates £1,000 to Demelza

Phil Swallow presents charity cheque at Kent winery estate

On 20th January 2018, Phil Swallow, a member of the Hush Heath Wine Club, generously donated £1,000 to Demelza Hospice Care for Children, a charity in Kent and the south-east, in return for 12 bottles of premium English still red wine. Having tasted barrel samples of Hush Heath Manor Pinot Noir 2017 – a young wine that is not yet available to purchase in retail – Phil Swallow offered the very generous donation to a charity of the Kent producer’s choice. The English winery team is a supporter of the children’s charity, having previously held a fundraising event at The Goudhurst Inn (part of the Hush Heath group), which raised £100,000. Hush Heath Producers Richard and Leslie Balfour-Lynn have visited Demelza and are proud to once more support the charity’s impressive work. In addition to this heart-felt cash gift, and because Phil Swallow also knows this local charity well, he has given an extra surprise to the children who are currently in the care of Demelza: a private steam train charter. Victoria Ash, Head Winemaker at Hush Heath Estate, commented: “Phil Swallow was our very first member to sign up to the Hush Heath Wine Club, which we launched last year. The whole team here is delighted that Phil’s passion for English wine has provided us with this special opportunity to raise money for Demelza.” Sarah Kemsley, Head of Major Donor Relationships at Demelza, added: “What a lovely start to the year! This donation from Phil Swallow and his family will have a great impact on the service we provide to the amazing children we have the privilege to work with. We are also very excited about the gift from Phil of a day on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway this summer. We look forward to working with the Swallow family to make this a truly memorable day. “Leslie and Richard Balfour-Lynn have been generous supporters of Demelza and it was great to catch up with them at Hush Heath Estate. Since visiting our hospice at Bobbing they have become wonderful ambassadors for Demelza by introducing us to new supporters like Phil.” hushheath.com