A mum of three from Aldershot is the lucky winner of Farnham Town Council’s Treat Yourself in Farnham competition.
Beth Atherton’s name was drawn at random by the Mayor of Farnham making her the winner of £1,000 in shopping vouchers and a two-night stay with breakfast at The Bush Hotel.
The Treat Yourself in Farnham competition aimed to encourage people to return to Farnham to shop and do business following the reopening of West Street which was closed while South East Water carried out extensive pipe replacement work. To enter the competition, people were invited to take a selfie outside their favourite Farnham business and share it on their social media with the hashtag ’Treat Yourself in Farnham’.
Beth took her selfie outside Gail’s Bakery which was a particular favourite during the pandemic. On their way to the playground at Gostrey Meadow, Beth would treat herself to a coffee and pastry which she enjoyed while her children visited the playground.
Upon receiving the news that she had won the Treat Yourself competition Beth said: “It was a really wonderful phone call to receive. I had to ask for the news to be repeated so my husband could hear it on loud speaker! What has made it even more memorable is that I received the £1,000 vouchers on my birthday.
“To be honest, the experience has been quite overwhelming. The hotel stay feels really significant as the only time I have been away from my two oldest children is when my youngest had a two week stay in hospital shortly after she was born. As well as spending time with my husband Paul, getting a full night’s sleep will be a real treat.”
Over 30 businesses signed up to accept the shopping vouchers which has given Beth a great choice of treats. So far, Beth has had her hair cut at The Establishment Hairdressing and bought flowers from Moutan florists to thank a friend who helped out when her daughter was in hospital. She is also looking forward to a massage at Embellished Beauty, buying some clothes and beauty products at Elphicks and stocking up on some treats from The Wine Yard and The Gin and Chocolate Shop.
She says: “It’s not every day you receive £1,000 for treats so I feel a responsibility to take my time and spend the money well. We are looking forward to having some meals out with friends at Veena’s Kitchen and Farnham Tandoori and, thanks to Hogs Back Taxis we’ll be able to get a lift home! With Christmas not too far away, I also want to treat family members to some lovely presents.”
Councillor Alan Earwaker, Mayor of Farnham says: “Treat Yourself in Farnham seemed to capture people’s imagination and saw thousands of people engaging in the campaign. I would like to thank South East Water for contributing the prize money and to The Bush Hotel for donating the two night stay at their wonderful refurbished hotel.
“I hope the competition has helped to remind people why Farnham is such a great place to shop. My thanks go to all the businesses that took part in the competition and for everything they do to make Farnham a wonderful place to treat yourself!”
Farnham has many independent retailers as well as a variety of popular names from the High Street.
