A ‘Mad Hatter Tea Party’ in Wirral raised £1,750 for Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and was the first official engagement for the new High Sheriff of Merseyside Lesley Martin-Wright

Merseyside’s new High Sheriff, Lesley Martin-Wright, attended a ‘Mad Hatter Tea Party’ in her first official engagement.

Lesley, who is chief executive of Knowsley Chamber of Commerce, was announced as the new High Sheriff of Merseyside in March. She helped those at the event in Wirral raise £1,750 for Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

It was held at Heatherfield House in Claughton, home of Wirral businessman and fragrance designer, Drew Cockton. He brought businesses together to donate their goods and services to provide a “splendid” afternoon for 80 guests.

They enjoyed a Champagne afternoon tea, as well as live entertainment and a goody bag filled with products made by local artisans. Actors Lesley Butler and Del Wilden greeted arrivals at the gates, dressed as Alice in Wonderland and The Queen of Hearts.

Local musician John Witherspoon sang live whilst a team of local volunteers served freshly made finger sandwiches, cakes and homemade scones. There was an array of Alice in Wonderland themed decorations, decorating the entire grounds of Heatherfield House.

Floral artist, Tracy Jane, crafted the entire setup with the help of her daughters Chloe and Hannah. She said: “When Drew asked me to get involved, I was so excited.

“I up-cycled all sorts of materials to achieve the traditional Lewis Carroll-inspired look. I hung teacups and upside down chairs from the trees and crafted Mad Hatter top hats from cardboard boxes.We scoured the area’s charity shops for inspiration.”

Organiser of the event and founder of luxury candle and fragrance brand, Owen Drew, Drew Cockton, told guests: “The business people of Wirral are a force to be reckoned with.

“We all came together to create this special day and are so delighted to have raised such a great amount of money for charity. Giving back is extremely important to us at Owen Drew as we owe our success to the local community. This is something we are passionate about.”

Lesley Martin-Wright praised Drew’s efforts in her speech to those assembled. She said: “Drew is a champion for local businesses and local good causes. When you meet people who are really driven, very authentic and mean what they say, those are the people you remember. I couldn’t think of a better place to come to as my first event.”