kate2018fundraising

[kate2018fundraising]

Saturday 16th February: Mani-pedi party. A few hours girls only to get a little pampering! Thanks to French & Drench and all who came along. £60 raised - every penny counts!

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Saturday Storytime - 2nd February

Valentine’s themed today with Love Monster and The Kiss That Missed, followed by monster and Valentines card activities. Despite the snow, best turn out yet! The first pic shows my Friday evening planning all the crafts! ✂️🖍🖌

[kate2018fundraising]

I am now a blood donor and also a stem cell donor. Stem cell donation initially just involves a saliva sample and could potentially save lives!

[kate2018fundraising]

Saturday Storytime - January 5th

Today I read, Tree, Tap the Magic Tree and Stuck and we then created some season trees and colourful owls. Some wonderful efforts here!

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Christmas Storytime - 1st December

I read The Jolly Christmas Postman and we then made cards using sequins and stickers and wrote letters to Father Christmas. The younger ones did magic Christmas painting It was absolutely tipping down with rain today so a smaller turnout, 10 in total. A particularly keen 5 year old called Mason wanted to see all of the letters hidden in this wonderful story!

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Hot dogs and Sparklers Fundraiser - 4th November

Friends and family gathered for over 100 sparklers and bonfire night grub. £60 raised for Bloodwise in total. Huge thanks to all who joined in the fun.

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Saturday Storytime - 3rd November

We celebrated Paddington’s 60th birthday at storytime today. We read a Paddington picture book and then I showed them this amazing pop-up book where Paddington showed them the sights of London. The children had to find Paddington on every page. Paddington colouring in and using glitter to make firework pictures followed. About 25 attendees today including two very keen 3 year old girls who sat next to me whilst I was reading the book.

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Sutton Library, Saturday Storytime and Crafts - 6th October

First storytime session. 5 children ranging from 2-5 and 10 parents. We sang songs and I read Muddlewitch on the Farm, Room on the Broom and Funnybones and then afterwards we did colouring and craft activities altogether. Hopefully some more takers as word spreads about Saturday Storytime.

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Blood cancer awareness month - September

As well as giving blood, and being registered as an organ donor, I have now joined the blood stem cell registry. Very simple process, where just a cheek swab is taken initially. For many people with a blood cancer or blood disorder a donation from a matching blood stem cell donor is their best chance of survival. I may never be called upon but will be on this list until my 61st birthday and you never know, it could just help someone.

https://bloodwise.org.uk/blog/whats-happening-september

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Doorstep Library - August 14th

Just been to a volunteer evening to learn about this brilliant charity who take books directly into the homes of children in some of London’s most disadvantaged areas, and are the only charity to do so. The key thing is that they read with children as well as offering support to their families. As with most of these things, they need help in working hours but hoping I can get involved somehow!

Update: I’ve spoken with work and will be arranging regular donations of books for this charity from Harper Collins stock. Result!

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Blood donation - August 31st

Third blood donation completed and next one booked in for Christmas week!

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Saturday Storytime at Sutton Library - July

After months of chasing and follow up visits, calls and interviews (and completely giving up on Surrey libraries and all the red tape!), I have finally secured a slot to run a Saturday morning storytime at Sutton library for those under 6. Excited to be sharing stories with the littlies and planning a new book theme each month. Thanks to Stella for the character reference!

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Millennium Trail - 25th February

In -1 degrees, I set off on the Millennium Way from Banstead to Horley (24k). Within 5 minutes’ walk of Banstead park I was in open farmland. Despite the frost, it was pretty muddy. Sadly, I passed The Wellhouse pub at Mugswell before opening time which was a shame as a brilliant pub. Lunch spot on the top of Reigate Hill where I got chatting to some dog walkers. I also met a couple of other people walking part of this trail although they were only doing 13k. The Millenium Way crosses paths with the Pilgrims Way and actually one of the challenges is to stick to the right walking route as there are so many in the area. Got a bit lost walking through various housing estates on the edge of Horley but eventually met my good pals Mel and Rael who walked with me for the last stretch. The light was fading by this point - look forward to walks in the summer months when they will be more daylight hours. Finished up for a quick pint before heading home.

*This was the first walk that I needed a day or two to recover from. My hips were very sore the next day and I hobbled round after Sam like an old lady!

[kate2018fundraising]

London Winter Walk - 14th January

This month I signed up for an organised walk with Action Challenge. It covered 20k, and followed a loop starting at Southwark Park, passing all the best London sites to Vauxhall and back again. A really well organised event and lots of fun with a zumba warm-up to get the crowd going. Talked to people en route and crossed the line with a new friend. Took 3hr 45 in total with quick break in the middle. It was good to be able to concentrate solely on walking rather than navigating too.

Next month: The Millenium Way

[kate2018fundraising]

Friday night pints - 22nd December

It’s 8pm on Friday 22nd December and no I’m not down the pub having pints, instead I am at a medical pop-up centre at Bourne Hall library donating them.  In the past, I have been a bit of a fainter when it comes to needles but having seen how crucial transfusions can be for people with blood cancers, I feel it’s the least I can do.  My veins are difficult to find - when I have had blood taken in the past, several doctors have a poke about before I am sent to a phlebotomist who usually ends up drawing it from my hand - and I always come out feeling like a pin cushion.

I wasn’t filled with hope this evening when nurse 2, who, already having given up on one arm, looked at the other saying its 50/50 whether this will work as your main vein is very close to an artery.  Gulp.

Anyway, we got there in the end and the chocolate orange club biscuits made it all worth it.  Back again in April for another go!

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The Wandle Trail - 9th December

On the 9th December, I embarked on the first of my monthly walks: The Wandle Trail.  It seemed rather apt that walking is part of my fundraising this year, as Mum never had a car and so we walked everywhere.  I’m not sure why I started this in December though as it was bloomin’ icy.

I followed the trail from the source of the River Wandle at Wandsworth through to Carshalton Ponds, approx. 20k in total.  At Wandsworth station, I was met by a stag party of Father Christmas’s, which made for a cheery start to the walk.

The trail isn’t the most scenic in the world given its south London location, however, it does meander through many green spaces:

Wandle Park, Croydon

Beddington Park, Sutton

Grove Park (Sutton), known as “The Grove”

Wilderness Island, Sutton

Dale Park

Poulter Park

Watermead

Ravensbury Park, Mitcham

Morden Hall Park

Wandle Park, Colliers Wood

Wandle Meadow Nature Park

Garratt Park

King George’s Park

The Wandle Trail’s logo is a waterwheel.  William Morris painted fabrics for Liberty from his base at Abbey Mills and the large waterwheel, powered by the Thames, was used in the process of washing fabrics clean.  The water wheel is still operational there and now drives a potters’ wheel.  Aside from Abbey Mills and its eclectic mix of stalls, other highlights of the walk included a quick stop at Deen City Farm - a wonderful haven for animals run solely by volunteers -Morden Park Hall with its weeping willows and Christmas lights, coming across a beautifully kept community garden in the middle of a fairly bleak housing estate, being approached by a tough looking bloke, complete with staffie, who told me that if I walked on the left hand side of the river in one particular stretch, I would have better views of the flora and fauna, seeing a grebe on the river in Ravensbury Park, hot mulled wine sitting outside The Greyhound pub on completion of the walk!

For more information on the trail, visit: https://www2.merton.gov.uk/wandle_trail-4.pdf

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Blood cancers are the third biggest cancer killer. The mission of the Bloodwise charity is to 'stop people dying from blood cancer...make patients’ lives better, and look for ways to stop blood cancer happening in the first place'. Read more here.