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28th January 2021

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Mark Wilkinson OBE: Bringing together special charities

Mark Wilkinson OBE, said to have turned the kitchen into the heart of the home when he created the lifestyle-focused English Country Kitchen in the late Seventies and broke the grip that the efficiency-led German manufacturers were beginning to exert on the UK luxury kitchen market at that time, wielded a little more of his magic recently when he was at the heart of an initiative to raise funding for two environmentally-related charity initiatives.

A committed environmentalist, Mark was asked to design two keepsake trophies for the 2011 winners of the Royal Park's Foundation Half Marathon that takes place in London in October.

Mark extended his influence by persuading the organisers of the race to allow four supporters of Rowdeford School for Special Educational Needs to take part in the Half Marathon and raise funds for the Eco Learning Campus, which the school is planning to build in the coming months.

"Last year Mark was the Patron of the team that raised the money for and built our Arts Centre," reveals Head Teacher, Ingrid Lancaster-Gaye. "The Arts Centre has been a real success for the school and the local community. This year we are planning to construct a covered Eco Learning Campus, which will help the children learn more about nature and will also be used by members of the local community. Support from local businesses, like Mark Wilkinson Furniture, helps our school to further realise its potential as an effective specialist learning centre."

The Trophies are formed from the piece of Burr Oak that Mark found during a visit to the London Parks and were made in the Research & Development workshops of Mark Wilkinson Furniture in Devizes. The main trophy, which Mark made for the 2010 race, remains with the foundation and each year's winner's name is engraved on a silver shield at its base. One each of the smaller trophies goes to the man and woman winner.

T: 01380 850007
E: [email protected]
W: www.mwf.com

22nd July 2011