A bride-to-be who has supported neurological charities since the death of her brother has won a wedding competition after buying a ticket in aid of Nerve Tumours UK.
Zoey Henchliffe from Newbold in Chesterfield attended the UK Midland Wedding Show with a friend, unbeknown that she would soon be planning her very own wedding.
As part of the event, Perfect Brides organiser Wayne Littlewood arranged a Win a Wedding competition in conjunction with the Brandon Hall Hotel and Spa in aid of Nerve Tumours UK because he and his wife, Leanne, have a little boy, Harley, who has NF1 (Neurofibromatosis) and a brain tumour linked to his condition.
Zoey bought a ticket and was amazed to discover she was chosen from the 150 ticket-holders to host her dream wedding at the four-star hotel which is currently undergoing an exciting £2.5 million refurbishment.
The 28-year-old buyer in the manufacturing industry and her fiancé, Ieuan Lewis, 30, who is a maintenance engineer, are now planning their big day for 80 guests at the Mercure Brandon Hotel and Spa on September 29 this year.
Zoey and her family have supported Neurocare, which supports the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, following the death of her brother, Chris, in 2016, where he received treatment.
She said: “I went to the wedding fayre with a friend who is getting married in August next year and after watching the catwalk show, we saw there was a competition for neuro care.
“It is a cause that is close to my heart since my brother passed away a few years ago with a brain injury so I paid for a ticket. As a family, we have supported Neurocare by taking part in a fire walk and held stalls to raise money.
“When I received the telephone call to say I had won the competition, I was amazed. It was as though it was meant to be!
“I met Ieuan in Neath in Wales when I went to visit my dad who was working there and we have lived together in Chesterfield for about six years.
“We have been engaged for five years but I never thought I would be able to afford to get married. Our wedding day will be the first time many of our relatives have met because of the distance between Chesterfield and Wales so it is going to be a day to remember in so many ways.
“It is a beautiful hotel and the staff have made us feel so welcome and really special. I can’t wait to get married there.”
Melanie Kerkeni, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Brandon Hall Hotel and Spa, said: “Brandon Hall is a wonderful setting for weddings and as the wedding market is so important for the hotel, combined with the timing of our investment programme, we were delighted to be involved in the competition.
“It was a pleasure to meet Zoey and Ieuan and we are working closely with them to organise their big day which coincides with the ninth year since they met.
“This is also an exciting time for the hotel because in January, we commenced a £2.5 million refurbishment programme incorporating all 120 bedrooms due for completion at the end of June.
“Before the end of April, we will have replaced carpets and curtains and redecorated all our meeting and event spaces, with selected meeting rooms benefiting from new plasma screen TVs and furniture. Our public areas are being redecorated again including new carpets and flooring, some of which have already been completed.
“We are hosting a Wedding Showcase on Sunday, April 14 between 12noon and 3pm, where we will be launching our brand new bridal suites. The showcase will be the perfect opportunity for brides and grooms to view the improvements and meet our wedding planner.”
Wayne Littlewood, of Perfect Brides, added: “It was our first year of organising this Win a Wedding competition and we raised over £600. We chose Brandon Hall as the venue because we enjoyed our wedding there in 2012. It seems fitting that Zoey was the winner and we hope she has the wedding day of her dreams.”
For more information regarding Brandon Hall Hotel and Spa visit www.brandonhallhotelandspa.co.uk