About

Bronwen Angel, Angela Kenyon, Clare Szczepanski, Justine Hughes and Rachel Thomas discuss their next fund raising project

Purple Horizons was launched in September 2019 and is a volunteer group which organises events to raise money for good causes and create greater awareness of the benefiting charities work.

Our name is derived from our additonal aim to broaden horizons and made reference to one of the colours of Papworth Trust, whom we originally started raising money to benefit.

We provide a variety of informative, educational, fun events throughout the year, from art to politics and sport to literature, wine tasting to Christmas lunches. Each event is unique with a different guest speaker and vary from weekday lunches to evening talks.

For details and information about our Previous Events please see above.

Most of our events are priced between £10.00 and £25.00. Locations vary but within easy reach of Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

We have predominately raised money for Papworth Trust, a disability charity and registered provider of social housing, whose aim is for disabled people to have equality, choice and independence. Papworth Trust provides a range of services including housing, work, care and leisure opportunities across Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk. To date we have raised over £39,000.00

“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Purple Horizons for their unwavering support toward our staff, volunteers, and, above all, our customers through their remarkable fundraising endeavours. Their dedication to raising funds to aid our mission is deeply cherished. Our work, aimed at making a profound impact on the lives of disabled individuals we serve by promoting equality, choice, and independence, is greatly enriched by their generosity. Thank you, Purple Horizons.”
— Ellie Silver, Income Generation Team Leader, Trust and Grants Fundraiser, Papworth Trust

In January 2024 Purple Horizons expanded their “horizons”, raising money for other charities including Addenbrookes Charitable Trust and in particular their campaign to fund a new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

  • Angela Kenyon Purple Horizons Committee

    Angela Kenyon

    COMMITTEE MEMBER

    Angela grew up on a farm in Cambridgeshire where she learnt the importance and value of philanthropy and “helping others” from her parents; how rewarding and fulfilling it can be “to give something back”.

    After a history degree Angela “stumbled” into a job with London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet) where she leant about professional fundraising and event management, becoming somewhat of a “nerd” on fundraising strategy.

    During her time as a professional fundraiser Angela had the privilege of working with some some truly and inspiring amazing and wonderful people such as some courageous Battle of Britain pilots, horribly disfigured by the war, and children who despite being diagnosed with some horrific illnesses, still faced the world with a smile on their face.

    After her marriage and the birth of her children Angela continued to fundraise in a voluntary capacity setting up The Crown Appeal with girlfriends to support Addenbrookes Charitable Trust and Cancer Research, thus coming full circle to causes supported by Purple Horizons today.

    Angela is also a Trustee of Rise Africa UK a charity that supports and empowers children in rural Tanzania through education and social entrepreneurship.

    Angela has been involved with Papworth Trust for a number of years and along with 4 other mums, helped devise Purple Horizons, drinking lots of coffee around a kitchen table brainstorming ideas to raise funds and awareness of Papworth Trust’s invaluable work.

    Outside of her family, dog and friends, Angela’s other great passions are Arsenal Football Club and ABBA and can often be heard singing “Bukayo Saka running down the wing” to VOULEZ VOUS in London N5.

  • Bronwen Angel Purple Horizons Committee

    Bronwen Angel

    COMMITTEE MEMBER

    I am an ex-investment banker, now a qualified bookkeeper and AirBnB host but, without doubt, my most important role is to run a happy home for my family! I love to play tennis and stay fit and am a bit of a bookworm.

    I consider that charity work/support is ‘in my DNA’ as was brought up in a family where it was ever-present and considered extremely important. In addition to Purple Horizons, I am directly involved with several different charities, both in active volunteering as well as fundraising and I have organised a number of events as well as a large, high profile charity ball which we will put on again in 2025 in aid of the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

    I am extremely proud to be part of Purple Horizons, and such a great team, and of all of the events we have organised in the past, as well as excited for our future plans.

  • Clare Szczepanski Purple Horizons Committee

    Clare Szczepanski

    COMMITTEE MEMBER

    Clare helped to form the Purple Horizons Committee at the start of our venture in 2019.

    She is a qualified solicitor and worked for a Cambridgeshire law firm for several years. Clare then went on to teach on the Legal Practice Course at Anglia Ruskin University. She now works for herself running her own property business.

    Purple Horizons has given Clare the chance to meet and work with some inspirational people, at the same time as assisting the important fund raising projects of Papworth Trust. She also enjoys the opportunity to support other charities and the vital work that they do.

    Clare regularly volunteers for a local Charity Three Pillars Feeding the Homeless, and also St Neots Foodbank, both projects which are close to her heart.

    In her spare time Clare loves to spend time with her family, travel, play tennis, and keep fit and has done a couple of half marathons but has decided to retire from this now!

  • Rachel Thomas Purple Horizons Committee

    Rachel Thomas

    COMMITTEE MEMBER

    Rachel has been a part of the Purple Horizons committee since its formation in 2019. As a founding member she has enjoyed exploring new ideas for events and fundraising.

    Born in Nigeria, Rachel spent her childhood between North Wales and West Africa. Having moved to Cambridgeshire thirty years ago, she has involved herself in local charities through membership with Rotaract and Ladies Circle. Through out this time Rachel has been motivated by supporting local families and has gained wide experience for organising a variety of events.

    Rachel is mother to two boys and two spaniels. Before parenting she enjoyed a successful career in fashion and this remains one of her keen interests along side tennis and holidaying.

  • Justine Hughes Purple Horizons Committee

    Justine Hughes

    COMMITEE MEMBER

    Justine has supported Purple Horizons since 2019, when it became a welcome addition to her other community focused activities, supporting RDA and Three Pillars Feeding the Homeless. The opportunity to join the committee in 2023 felt like a natural deepening of her association with a charity that she had grown a strong affinity for. 

    Justine is a relative newbie to Cambridgeshire, where she returned to after spending many years living overseas in the USA and Middle East. She was fortunate to meet people from pretty much the four corners of the world and really enjoyed building multicultural relationships and lifelong friendships.  

    When not travelling and being a full time chauffeur for her children, Justine threw herself into supporting her childrens’ schools, in any way that she could - from teaching assistant to chair of the PTA. Justine derived a lot of pleasure in both her work with children and arranging large successful fundraising events.   

    Now settled in Cambridgeshire, family time, long dog walks and keeping fit and healthy fill her day.