Christmas Fayre & Grand Christmas Draw 2009
The weather didn't dampen the Christmas spirit as families turned out for the Centre's Christmas Fayre on Saturday 5th December. Children met Father Christmas and had their photo taken with him as well as receiving a gift. A great many soft toys found themselves a new home by being won on the toy tombola! The Christmas Draw also took place and you can see a list of the winners on the events page. This was the first time the Centre has had a Christmas Fayre and we are looking forward to the next one in 2010! The day raised £360, together with the draw which raised £591. A healthy total of £951 will go towards sustaining the essential services the Centre provides. Thank you to everyone who helped to make the day an enjoyable one.
Taking To The Skys Once Again
Sunday 27th September 2009 saw a return of the Sponsored Team Activity Day at Motiva, Bracelands. This year 6 teams of 8 took part in 3 high level challenges, including 1 leap of faith. The participants included some of those who took part last year. It was a fantastic day for all, with everybody achieving great heights! All the teams competed to score maximum points, with '21 Plus' winning a Magnum of Bubbly in the morning and Luke Richards team of 13 year olds winning a huge tub of sweets in the afternoon. Everyone enjoyed a BBQ lunch very kindly donated by Marc Barnett and expertly cooked by Marilyn Smith and Terry Williams. £300 was taken on the day with sponsorship still coming in, these generous donations will ensure the Centre can continue with the Early Start and Little Fledglings Groups. I would like to thank everyone who took part and to the instructors: Carl Powell, Paddy and Tom and of course to Matthew Ralphs for providing the fantastic setting. We all look forward to the event next September.
All Aboard The Jolly Roger
The 2009 Parkend Carnival on Bank Holiday Monday 31st August saw the Centre enter a float with the theme of The Jolly Roger and Peter Pan. We were very lucky to have the use of a vehicle from Greenfields Garden Services, Churcham Chris Burton, who also drove the vehicle, with help from Mark Smith and Terry williams built the boat and it was decorated by Kerry Smith, Holly Smith, Bev Green and Maxine Jolly-Burton. All the main characters were portrayed by children from the Centre: Peter Pan, Wendy, John, Michael, Captain Hook, Pirate Smee and Tinkerbell who traveled on the float. A procession of Indians and Pirates followed behind with very generous supporters lining the streets. Everybody had a fantastic day and the float won 3rd prize! Later on the show field the Centre had a stall offering face painting, lucky dip, milk the cow and a teddy tombola. The day raised a fantastic £420. Thank you very much to all the parents and children with their fantastic costumes, Georgina Ford, Natalie Nelson, Louise Pick, Helen Ford and Kerry Smith for face painting, Richard Elliott for manning Milk The Cow and Marilyn Smith for the Teddy tombola, and everybody who supported the Centre that day. We look forward to entering a float next year and if you would like to help please let us know.
Milkwall 'arrows' take flight!
Milkwall Football Club Darts Team gathered for a 24hour marathon of Darts from 9am Saturday 6th June until 9am Sunday 7th June. The 9 members of the team were sponsored for the duration of the marathon and they held a raffle. With the horrendous weather that weekend, it sure was a time to be inside! Armed with 'X-Boxes' to keep them awake and copious amounts of coffee, as well as plenty of family and friends to support them, to date they have raised £950.00 but are confident this will increase to £1,000. Well done to all the lads, especially to Graham Grindle who not only participated, but provided Milkwall FC premises for the duration. Thanks also go to A180 for providing team T-shirts and Time 2 Logo for printing them.
Pictured are: Shaun Freeman ,Pete Ranson, Paul Ranson, Richard Elliot, Steve Ford, Neil Harvey, Graham Grindle, Front Row: William Hillgart and Kevin Davies
Centre Fun Day
Terry, our Chairman, gets a soaking!
On Bank Holiday Monday 25th May the Centre held it's 3rd annual Fun Day. Again, we were very lucky with the weather which meant the Centre could throw open it's doors (literally!) to a whole host of fun activities, inside and out. We were very lucky to have the Army open the event, with Paul Facknell and Simon Haddon from 1st Battalion, The Rifles, Beechly Barracks joining in the fun by getting a soaking in the stocks!
Ben Couzens with the
Army communications vehicle
They also helped to judge the Children's Fancy Dress Competition, won by Kelsey Johns (aged 9) as a very colourful clown, Shay Roberts won the skittles and Sam Hudson and Eve Jones won the Milk The Cow. Thank you very much to all those who came and supported us, so far we have raised in excess of £1,200! Well done to Paula Smith, Kerry Smith, and Kelly Bishop who organized the event. Just 12 months to go the the next one!
Meanwhile at The Dean Heritage Centre's 'Fire and Wood Festival' some amazing sculptures were being made with only chainsaws, and subsequently auctioned on Ebay. The auction closed on Friday 5th June with a fantastic total of £891 for all items! one of which will be traveling to France! Many thanks go to Michelle Roberts for her administration and expertise with Ebay.
Clayton Ryder's Bear Dave Harvey's rustic bench & table
raised £555 raised £150
Gil Parham's tortoise Rob Griffiths Mystic Tree Wizard
raised £100 raised £48
Nansi Hemming's heart
raised £38
Both events make a grand total of £2,200!!
3 Children's Charities Sponsored Bike Ride & Walk
On Saturday 9th May 2009, three children's charities: The FOD Children's Opportunity Centre, Nigel Hunter Nursery and Milestones Holiday Activity Scheme held this event for the second year at Beechenhurst. We were very lucky with the weather, which although windy was bright throughout! More than 70 people took part in all three categories: 25 mile bike ride, 10 mile walk and 3 mile Treasure Hunt. The BBQ worked hard to keep up with demand, the Tombola had a continuous queue for some great prizes. The children enjoyed sticking their collected treasures to make a picture and making candles. As well as some sumptuous cakes on sale. To date the total raised through sponsorship and stalls on the day stands at £3,200 with more sponsorship coming in every day. We look forward to holding this event again next spring.
Indulging in Hot Wax
Pictured from left: Steve Ford, Richard Brain and Tom Rossiter
A Ladies Indulgence Evening was held at Bells Golf Club, Coleford on Wednesday 3rd December. James Hyde Jewellery, Fizzy Pigs, Bodyshop, Indian Head Massage, Phoenix Cards, Usborne Books, to name but a few, were there, as well as Beauty Retreat, from Ross-on-Wye, who managed to enlist the help of three strapping male volunteers to have various parts of their bodies waxed, cries were drowned out by copious amounts of cheering and clapping, the boys raised a massive £500 + which added to the nights takings made £1,355!
Many thanks go to all the supporters who bought pitches and donated raffle prizes on the night, to Bells for supplying a great venue, and to all those who came and enjoyed a glass of wine and a buffet, supplied by The Leadership Trust, Ross-on-Wye.
A Night At The Races
Whitemead Leisure Park was the setting on Thursday 23rd October for a night of fun including 8 virtual horse races, Gertie the milking cow! and a raffle. The virtual horses and jockeys were given some very interesting names adding to the pot luck of selecting a winner. Races were sponsored by The Leadership Trust, TWG, Jeremy Williams & Co and DJB Cleaning Services. 50% of all tote was donated to the Centre, and Gertie the milking cow proved very popular especially with the lads!!
All together an hilarious evening raised £825.95. A big thank you to Entents Ltd who provided all the equipment free of charge. To take a look at all the entertainment they provide use this link Entents Ltd
Taking Up A Sky High Opportunity
On 27th September 2008 The Centre held a Sponsored Team Activity Challenge at Motiva High Ropes Course, Bracelands, Coleford. Although 2 teams did not show, the remaining 6 participants had a fantastic day, as you can see by the photos! The day consisted of a series of high rope challenges requiring teams to work together with a points system added for extra competitiveness. Thanks to Matthew Ralphs and his Instructor Bryn for ensuring the safety of the teams and making the day one of great achievement for the participants.
We will be holding this event again next year, and anyone who would like to enter will be part of a team of 8 with other individuals.
£180 was raised which will go towards providing specialist equipment for the children and families who access the Centre and it’s services.
For more information on Motiva use this link MotivaAdventure
Sky's the limit for charity balloon race
On the 29th August 2008, we aimed high with a balloon race in memory of Joe Griffiths who used to attend the Centre, but tragically died in November 2007 aged 15 months.
The balloons were released during a party to mark the end of the summer Holiday Playscheme at Bells Hotel & Golf Club.
Over 300 hundred balloons were sold raising over £600! Many thanks go to everybody who bought a balloon ticket, to Bells for allowing us to hold the launch, and to The Leadership Trust in Ross-on-Wye who sponsored the race.
The closing date for returned tickets was 26th September, and the winner of the balloon that traveled the furthest, an impressive 149 miles! was Mr John Clutterbuck from Ross-on-Wye, he wins 2 tickets to Cotswold Wildlife Park. The ticket was returned by Ms Christine Hand from Bolsover in Cheshire who wins £20 cash, well done to both.