In this week’s blog I’m going to tell you about all of the amazing charities we support. The saying goes that charity starts at home and in our case it starts at Riverside Beads and Crafts.
My passion for charity work began with the Teenage Cancer Trust many years ago. My cousin became sick with the disease and I wanted to help in some small way. The Trust is just one of the charities that we have supported over the years, and here are some others that you might find of interest:-
British Legion
The annual Remembrance Sunday services are on the 10th of November this year. Remembrance Sunday marks the day that World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918. On Remembrance Sunday a two-minute silence is held at 11am to remember the people who have died in many wars throughout the years.
British Legion Poppy Appeal
It is tradition for people to buy and wear a paper poppy in the week’s leading up to and including the 11th of November. All proceeds from the sales of the poppies goes to the British Legion, supporting veterans in the UK. The remembrance poppy was inspired by the World War I poem “In Flanders Fields”. Its opening lines refer to the many poppies that were the first flowers to grow in the soil of soldiers’ graves in Flanders, a region of Belgium.
Riverside Poppy Kit
We are proud to have have raised hundreds of pounds for the Poppy appeal. A a knitted poppy drive takes place each year, creating poppies to sell for the British Legion. The official patterns are available in store, in knit and crochet options. We would love for you to pop in and collect one. Then you can make some poppies for the drive, drop them back to us, and we can sell them for the charity. Simples! We also have a fabulous Poppy making kit, which includes all materials. Each sale of a kit means more money towards the charity. To buy yours click here.
MacMillan Nurses
If poppies aren’t your thing then you can get your ‘Bead-on’ with one of our infamous Angels.
Molly Angel
I started making these little beauties years ago for MacMillan coffee mornings. Since then the Angel bug has spread and I now sponsor and make over 600 angels a year to sell for the MacMillan charity. It’s all done in conjunction with The Eye Lovelies charity coffee mornings. Check out our facebook page here to see how we have raised nearly £30,000 in the past five years.
To find out more about how the MacMillan nurses help so many people click here.
NGNPUK
Those regular readers among you will remember me telling you about NGNPUK. This is a wonderful charity set up by my amazing friend Louise. They provide syringe drivers to the local community which administer pain relief for terminally ill patients. Riverside provides craft supplies to this invaluable local charity and also hosted an event to make the syringe driver bags. We hope to do this again in the new year.
Sue Ryder
As most of you know the charity dearest to my heart is the Sue Ryder foundation. Some time ago I lost a young friend to cancer. The incredible care they received at one of the many wonderful Sue Ryder hospices around the country was second to none. The support given by nurses, doctors and everyone within these vital institutions touch so many lives.
Sue Ryder Charity
This is why our annual Charity Dabble Days are hosted in aid of the Sue Ryder charity. Next years dates are already planned for Sunday the 8th of March and Sunday the 4th of October. A Dabble Day is a celebration of creativity where you can try out different crafts for a low cost ticket donation. Learn a new skill while supporting a fabulous charity!
A letter of thanks from Sue Ryder
The next one will be our 34th Dabble Day (crazy right?!). Every year, thanks to you guys, the event becomes bigger and bigger. This year due to popular demand we will be expanding the event, adding more tables to help reduce the waiting time for each craft station.
We need as much help as possible. If you’d like to volunteer for any of the following please don’t hesitate to get in touch:-
Run one of the crafting tables.
Donate raffle and tombola prizes.
Donate craft supplies – to be sold off for charity or used at the event.
Over the past 33 charity events we have raised around £25,000 for Sue Ryder. This year looks set to add to that total. Caroline and I have lots of FUN-d raising ideas, so keep posted by checking out our Facebook page here.
On that page you’ll find lots of information about our local community support as well. There’s lots going on in Market Deeping and the surrounding areas to raise money for local charities and schools. Riverside loves to contribute where we can so if you have a worthy local cause then please get in touch.
Right I’m about ready for a charitable cup of herbal tea now. Until next time….happy fund raising!
