Mary Howard

Mary and her husband Patrick decided that they had to find a bigger venue. This was provided in the shape of an aircraft hangar, just off the M4 at Hullavington near Chippenham, which at that time belonged to the Royal Air Force, and was taken over by the Royal Logistic Corps, both of whom have been a wonderful help in raising money for the various charities.

Each year, the Christmas fairs get more popular with an aircraft runway packed full with cars. Inside there is an array of 150 stalls, all of which have been carefully selected by Mary, out of the thousands of applications for stalls which the Howards receive each year, and they are as varied as possible. On the days of the Christmas fairs, the shoppers are provided with a restaurant, a creche and a customer collection service, as well as a fleet of mini-buses to ferry them to and from their cars. It just has to be the most hassle-free way of shopping for both the vendors and the shoppers, in an atmosphere that is both fun and vibrant.

As well as Hullavington, the Christmas fairs are now held at three further venues: Sandown Park, York Racecourse and Capesthorne Hall. The Spring fair will now be held at Hullavington, after it's initial success at Bowood House last year.

Mary's love of life and her excitement for the concept of these events is very infectious and her husband matches her dedication in equal amounts, and it is due to this drive and enthusiasm, together with their personal touch that has enabled Mary's Sale to add a whole new dimension to shopping at Christmastime. She has created a new environment in which everyone benefits, the stallholder, the shoppers and last, but by no means least, the charities.