Bearsted Back Demelza

The generous spirit of Bearsted came out in full force recently and Demelza are the lucky recipients of such good-willed behaviour.

From TV’s Catchphrase to Bearsted’s own Tesco, the donations have been spirit-lifting and show the warmer side of society.

When dancing or donating, James Jordan really gives it his all in every challenge he faces, and his appearance on ITV’s Catchphrase was no different, netting an incredible £29,700 for charity.

The 41-year-old star, who is also a member of Bearsted gold club, took part in a celebrity-based episode of the retro game show, taking on other contestants in an attempt to identify well-known sayings and ‘catchphrases’.

The show is currently presented by Stephen Mulhern, and the show itself has been running on and off since 1986, with it being halted in 2004, and brought back into light into 2013.

James, of course, was up against two other celebrities all fighting for their own charity. This episode saw James face up against Louis Walsh and Emmerdale Actress Fiona Wade.

On this occasion it seemed like James had the X-Factor as he knocked his other competitors out with his knowledge of Catchphrases – taking home the title of Catchphrase champion.

It seemed like Fiona may take home the esteemed title at one point, but James was not going to go down without a fight, pirouetting his way to victory and securing an impressive £25,000 for Cha-Cha- Charity, in particular Demelza Hospice.

James was originally born in Gillingham and started dance classes at a hall in Walderslade before moving onto Margaret Preedy Dance Studios in Maidstone.

James commented on his success saying: “It always looks easy when you are sat at home but when you’re there and a little bit nervous, your brain just goes a bit funny and you can’t see things which are really obvious. I’ve watched Catchphrase for years – I’m a big fan but I’ve never been that great at it.”

Quick on his feet and quick with his words, James bagged £29,700 and donated the majority of the money to Demelza Hospice Care for Children, a charity that provides specialist care and emotional support for terminally ill children and their loved ones.

Demelza is a charity close to James, who lives with wife Ola, and evoked a lot of emotion when he realised he could provide the charity with a hefty helping hand.

The Catchphrase winner hopes the money will be used to give young children and their families the best lives possible.

Enough charity work for you? Well, it’s not enough for Bearsted.

Staff from Tesco Express in Bearsted, Ashford Road, went above and beyond for Demelza charity over the festive period donating a hamper of paints, night lights and towels instead of spending the money on themselves.

The staff members decided to donate their annual Christmas celebration fund, which was worth £130, to Demelza House, in Rook Lane, Bobbing.

Not only did they selflessly spend their Christmas money on the items for the children’s hospice, they also spent their own money on goods, costing £70.

Usually the Christmas celebration fund would have been spent on small gifts and treats for the team, which consists of 24 staff members, to thank them for their efforts throughout the year.

Before Demelza, the team originally considered donating the fund to the children’s ward at Maidstone Hospital but there were logistical issues.

The team made sure to contact the hospice and find out exactly what sort of presents they would like, before rushing out to buy toiletries and arts and crafts sets for the kids.

Although they donated their Christmas fund, the team still enjoyed their own Christmas-do, with a secret Santa and a very festive feast.

In mid-2019, shoppers in Kent got behind Demelza again by supporting them in Tesco’s Bags of Help Centenary Fund. In July, August and September, Tesco stores throughout Kent held a vote where shoppers were given a counter to vote for the charity that they believed deserved a grant to improve lives within the community.

Shoppers voted for a whole range of worthy causes, with Demelza coming second meaning they acquired an incredible £15,000 donation towards a brand-new sensory bath, meaning children will be able to use the specialist equipment when they visit Demelza.

Tesco as a company are known for carrying out some truly community-changing projects, and funding a huge number of local schemes and initiatives, but this is not the first time staff at this particular store have raised money for charity. In 2019 they also raised over £240 for Scannappeal, a charity that focused on providing medical equipment for hospitals.

Development Executive Alexandra Kopyciok is delighted with the result: “We are so grateful to everyone who took the time to vote for us and of course to Tesco and Groundwork for shortlisting our project to appear in every branch across Kent.

“It’s been so encouraging to see so many people get behind the vote and recognise how important a specialist bath can be for the children we care for. The funds will be able to provide a brand-new specialist bath with additional sensory equipment as well as some specialist bath and shower accessories which will have immense benefits to the children and our care team.”

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