The glister of her Retas trophy for Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative has gained some extra shine as Beverley Heyworth, co-owner of Blue Rose Gifts & Balloons made sure that the recent Children in Need fundraising push was marked good and proper in the Greater Manchester enclave of Heywood where the indie retailer’s shop is based.
The BBC and local radio lapped up the bonanza of activities that Beverley instigated – from making Pudsey Bears out of balloons, engaging with local schools, decorating the shop, and even making donning a Princess dress she made out of balloons for the occasion, not to mention raising £hundreds in the process.
Beverley has been involved with Children in Need in previous years, but certainly not to the same extent as she was this year!
“The BBC contacted me to ask if I wanted to be part of its ‘marathon’ for Children in Need. Well, you know me…I grabbed the opportunity with both hands!” Beverley told PG Buzz. “We set about raising money for Children in Need. John [Beverley’s husband] contacted all the local schools to tell them that we were making balloon Pudseys encouraging them to tell the parents so they could bring children down.”
When the BBC team turned up at the shop they were not disappointed, especially when Beverley came out dressed in a princess dress made out of balloons!
Beverley was also interviewed by BBC Radio Manchester with the broadcast airing several times during the Children in Need fundraising period.
The Children in Need event also provided a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the Heywood Christmas lights switch last weekend, for which Beverley organised the Wizard of Oz costumes and 40’ float.
As well as appearing on an outsized banner outside the shop, the retailer’s Retas’ trophy was ‘guest of honour’ at the town’s Rotary Club meeting recently. Beverley was asked to be a speaker by the President of the Club, seeing it as an achievement for the town. “I gave a talk on my life and how I went from the corporate world, though adversity after a brain haemorrhage and brain tumour, being in a wheelchair not being able to walk to setting up business and where we are today and my achievements!” said the tenacious Beverley.
Top: Indie retailer Beverley Heyworth surprised the BBC Children in Need crew when she appeared in her princess dress made of balloons.
