There’s no sinking feeling for St David’s Hospice Care as long term supporter Monmouth-based Mandarin Stone has made a sizeable donation.

Mandarin Stone have donated £5000 to Newport’s St David’s Hospice Care. The company are sponsors of the annual Rotary Club of Monmouth Raft Race which supports St David’s Hospice Care and other local good causes from the funds raised each year.

For nearly a decade, Mandarin Stone have supported the Monmouth Raft Race by being sponsors and also entering a themed raft into the River Wye race. The first Mandarin Stone themed entry was ‘Cavepersons’ in 2013.

The 2020 race had to be cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, as were all other major fundraising events for the hospice.

Alma Small, Managing Director of Mandarin Stone, said:

“Unfortunately we were not able to sponsor the annual Monmouth Raft Race this year, as we have done since 2013, due to the understandable cancellation of this popular event.

“This event is a very well-loved, local ‘day out’ each September and a critical fundraising event for St David’s Hospice Care. We understand the invaluable work that St David’s Hospice provides in our local Community and so felt it important that we support them.”

Other themes for Mandarin Stone's past year’s entries include Superheroes, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Mimes.

Alma said:

“The monies raised helps to fund the continued work of their dedicated nurses and the running of hospice services which is provided free to all patients and families. This provides vital palliative care to people facing life limiting illnesses as well as providing support to their families at a very difficult time, even more so during the current pandemic.

“Mandarin Stone are pleased to donate to this charity again, especially this year as support from their other fundraising has been curtailed by the pandemic.”

The past year and covid-19 pandemic have served to be the hardest period St David’s Hospice Care has faced in its 42-year history.

Kris Broome, of St David’s Hospice Care, said:

“Mandarin Stone have been great supporters of the hospice for years and we thank them again for this wonderful donation. This year has been the most difficult we’ve ever had, but donations like this show us that the support is still there, which is reassuring to know. Our Charity shops may have closed during the lockdowns with our fundraising events cancelled but our nurses continue to visit people in their own homes so obviously funding as always is an absolute priority for us.”