North Devon community helps soldier hero have wedding of a lifetime!
A soldier who suffered horrific injuries in Afghanistan enjoyed the wedding of a lifetime on Friday, 1 October thanks to a North Devon community that stepped in to provide everything from a magnificent venue to a falconry display and designer wedding dress for the bride. Lance Corporal Andy Thomas serving with the Royal Marines and a resident of Combe Martin, serving at RMB Chivenor, together with his bride Karly Goodman, were the recipients of a very unusual gift from their local community. A flow of bad news from Afghanistan and the emotional images of fallen personnel being repatriated through Wootton Bassett prompted the owners of Classic Carriages to offer its Rolls Royce wedding cars as a gift to a deserving member of the local armed forces as a token gesture in recognition of their efforts. As a result of an article in the local newspaper, the couple were nominated by friends and family, but the story didn’t end there. The piece was read by The Countess of Arran (Lady Arran) who offered her magnificent Palladian home, Castle Hill near Filleigh, North Devon, as a venue for the wedding (www.castlehilldevon.co.uk). As a result of Lady Arran’s intervention, the idea of The Wedding Gift grew to include a complete wedding package worth more than £25,000 and provided by a range of local businesses as a fitting tribute from the people of North Devon. Bride to be, Karly Goodman, said, “We are so grateful to the North Devon community for giving us the opportunity to experience the wedding of a lifetime. Castle Hill provided a fairy tale setting and we just want to thank everyone who has made this possible and provided all the ingredients for a dream wedding. I know that Andy’s colleagues in Afghanistan were thinking of us on the day and will recognise that what the community has done for us is also a tribute to the heroic work all our troops are carrying out.” Laura Holt, Marketing Manager, North Devon commented, “It is wonderful that the North Devon community has got together to make this happen for one of our soldiers. North Devon has so much to offer couples who are looking for somewhere beautiful to tie the knot.” About North Devon+ North Devon+ is the destination management organisation responsible for promoting North Devon and Exmoor to the world. The organisation acts as a voice for tourism in North Devon and its aim is simple - to increase the number of visitors to North Devon by promoting the area as a year-round destination for business or leisure. North Devon+ is committed to growing the tourism sector sustainably, increasing the skills within the industry, and raising the quality of the visitor experience.
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