Magical fairy door trail in Furzey Gardens raised over £10,000 for Minstead Trust Charity

A MAGICAL fairy door trail in Furzey Gardens raised more than £10,000 for a charity which helps people with learning disabilities.

Thousands of visitors came to the gardens in Minstead over the summer to discover a series of doors hand-painted by arts and crafts enthusiasts.

People voted on their favourite door by text with a £1 donation to the Minstead Trust, which cares for the gardens.

The door with the most votes was Here and There, created by Joy Kyd-Slade which celebrated the magic of childhood wonder and was inspired by her years as a primary school teacher.

The door showed two perspectives: the door itself, and a magical scene beyond, inspired by the views at Furzey Gardens.

Finished with bright colours and 3D flower garlands, it proved a hit with adults and children alike.

Joy worked on her design at a really “tough moment” in her life having just been diagnosed with cancer.

She said: “Creating the door became my focus and enabled me to deal with the challenges of the pending operation, and follow-up radiotherapy sessions, more easily, I think.

“It also provided a means of sharing my pleasure in creative techniques.

“Craft can distract and support one through horrid illness and out the other side to a brighter future.”

Joy will be displaying some of her other artwork next year at the gardens. The other fairy doors were auctioned off following the closure of the trail.

The trail was sponsored by Beaumont Water Heaters, and the community sponsor was Fostering Hampshire Children.