Asthma UK Gears Up For 30th Asthma Gift Fair

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October 10th & 11th at Hurlingham Club

The founder of the first Asthma Gift Fair is encouraging people to celebrate its success by attending its 30th year. The event is being held at the exclusive Hurlingham Club in Ranelagh Gardens on October 10 and 11.

Since it was set up in 1983 the Asthma Gift Fair has raised more than £1 million for Asthma UK and now hosts 1,500 visitors a year, many of whom take the opportunity to stock up early on Christmas presents.

It was the first fair of this type, where the stall holders donated a percentage of their takings to charity.

Founder Selina Thistleton-Smith says:
‘In decades past, asthma was a condition with a certain stigma attached to it. Two of my children had asthma and at that time, I found it very difficult to find any information on how best to support them.

‘Given the considerable amount of money that the fair has raised for Asthma UK over the years, it is hard to believe that the event was created with the simple aim to raise awareness of the condition.

‘The Asthma Gift Fair was launched with the support of a committee who encouraged their friends to attend. Many of the early and subsequent committee members came together to share their experiences of either raising children with asthma or supporting family members or friends with the condition.

‘This unique support network still continues among the committee members today. My grandson has recently been diagnosed with asthma and, thankfully, today the condition is more widely known and so much more information is available, largely thanks to the work of Asthma UK.’

All the money raised from the event goes directly to Asthma UK, the UK’s leading asthma charity which supports over five million people with asthma and aims to halve the number of people hospitalised for their asthma over the next five years.

Tickets for the private view from 5.30pm-9pm on Wednesday 10 October cost £15 in advance or £20 on the door and tickets for the general opening from 9am-4pm on Thursday 11 October cost £5 on the door.

 

October 2, 2012