A couple from Northamptonshire have just spent their honeymoon on the Island after winning a holiday, organised by Visit Isle of Wight in conjunction with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Helen Spencer from Wollaston was awarded the prize package after being chosen at random from the thousands who had entered the competition timed to celebrate the Julia Margaret Cameron exhibition at the V&A, which ran from 28th November 2015 to 21st February 2016.
Helen and David booked their stay at the West Bay Country Club in Yarmouth for the 12th-15th June after getting married in Northampton on the 11th – and the newlyweds used the prize as their honeymoon.
Last year, Visit Isle of Wight worked with the V&A to promote the bicentenary year of Julia Margaret Cameron, and as a result Dimbola Museum & Galleries – and the wider Island – enjoyed some outstanding press coverage.
The competition, which was hosted on the V&A website under the theme “Follow in the footsteps of Julia Margaret Cameron”, was seen by Visit Isle of Wight as an opportunity to further promote the Island. The V&A website gets around 14 million page views annually.
The Beddalls (Helen’s new married name) won a 3-night break for 2 at The West Bay Country Club in Yarmouth; dinner at The George Hotel in Yarmouth; tea and cake at The Piano Bar in Freshwater Bay; ferry crossings courtesy of Red Funnel and entrance tickets to Osborne House; Shanklin Chine and Dimbola, the home and workplace of the celebrated Victorian photographer. A copy of the exhibition book Julia Margaret Cameron was also part of the prize package.
Helen Beddall said:
“The holiday was fantastic. We loved it! The accommodation was lovely, the meal at The George Hotel was delicious – and a real treat. Dimbola was really interesting and John Evans, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable.
Article continues below this advertisement “We are very thankful to Visit Isle of Wight for organising everything and the Victoria and Albert Museum for putting on the competition. It really made our honeymoon wonderful and we can’t wait to come back – maybe to celebrate our first anniversary”.
