Wedding package offer for an Armed Forces person

By afoster

A NORTH DEVON business is offering a sumptuous wedding gift to a deserving member of the Armed Forces

The owners of Classic Carriages, based in Holsworthy, are making the gesture to show how much they appreciate the dedication and sacrifice made by our troops.

Business partners Kieron Freeburn and Peter Kelly are offering one of their top wedding packages for free, featuring either a Rolls Royce or Bentley Brooklands — or both cars together — complete with ribbons, flowers, champagne and a chauffeur.

The gift, valued at around £500, will go to a member of the Armed Forces and his or her fiance.

The competition is open to all members of the Armed Forces currently serving in conflict zones who are planning a wedding next year, providing the date does not clash with the firm's existing obligations.

Mr Freeburn said: "We thought to simply poll for nominations from our existing customer base, but decided that perhaps the most deserving individuals may not even hear of the offer and may, thus, miss out on the opportunity."

As a result they approached the Journal for help in reaching a wider audience.

Service personnel can put forward their own names or Journal readers can send in their nominations, highlighting why they think that person deserves the wedding gift.

The partners made their offer after the recent tragedies in Afghanistan and the Remembrance Day services brought into sharp focus the dedication shown by British troops.

Mr Freeburn said it was a "small token of our collective appreciation for their dedication and sacrifice on our behalf".

He added: "It seemed a particularly poignant time to pitch the idea and try to do something with it.

"In the meantime we shall endeavour to contact a number of other wedding providers to see if we can't add other goods or services into the mix."

He suggested the gift might help provide the winner with a wedding they could, otherwise, only have dreamed of.

Or the gift could enable them to put the money which they would otherwise have spent on wedding transport to better use.

A relatively new business Classic Carriages has only been going for about a year.

It currently offers two luxurious limousines for wedding hire but the partners intend to expand.

Nominations should be sent to: Classic Carriages, Middle Merryfield, Holsworthy, EX22 7BN or e-mailed to: www.classic-carriages.co.uk