News
From Our Fundraising Groups
We were delighted to receive a cheque for
£2,000 from the COLESHILL GROUP. This fantastic sum was raised from
the coffee morning, sales of amazing hand-made Christmas Crackers and the annual
pub supper with Christmas Carol singing. Many thanks to everyone involved.
The
FARNHAMS GROUP are making plans to participate in Tea at Three on Friday
20th June and also a Cream Tea Party in August. More details to follow.
The
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD GROUP are working with the Hemel Hempstead Community Policing
Team to organise their Charity Golf Day at Mentmore Golf & Country Club on
27th June 2003. See "What's
On" for more details.
The Bucks Supper Evening organised by SPEEN
SUPPORTERS GROUP raised over £1,500 for the IRHH and four other local
hospices. Thank you to everyone for their hard work.
Members of the ASTON
CLINTON GROUP appeared on TV's "Car Boot Challenge" having been
filmed last year when contestants bought a Chinese clock and other items from
the group's IRHH stall at "Big Ben's" Car Boot Sale at Bledlow Ridge.
The group regularly organises stalls at events and will be out and about at various
locations throughout the coming months.
BEACONSFIELD GROUP have
a near sell-out on their hands with just a few tickets remaining for "A Midsummer
Night's Ball" on 27th June. See "What's
On" for details. The team is also planning an Open Garden event in June
and a Craft Fair in November.
The annual St George's Day Clay Shoot arranged
by Norman and Frances Grundon was once again a huge success at the end of April.
Nearly 100 competitors took part in this event and their generous support raised
over £22,000.
Don't forget to get your tickets for the HIGH WYCOMBE
& AMERSHAM GROUP's major event with Terry Lightfoot. See "What's
On" for details. As well as organising the Street Collection in High
Wycombe, the group is planning a musical event with Michael Dewis at Penn House
and their annual Wildlife Evening on 25th October.
Sales of RHYME &
REASON's annual poetry anthology have resulted in a donation of £1500
this year. We send our thanks to everyone involved for the hard work that goes
into producing this excellent book. Former group chairman, Jan Moran Neil, allowed
us to benefit from a highly successful production of her play "Blackberry
Promises" which raised £220.
A Celebration
Of Fundraising Achievements: The IRHH Says "Thank You" To Its Supporters
 | The Iain Rennie Hospice At Home hosted a reception at Tring Park Cricket Club on Friday 4th April to pay tribute to the many people who had raised money in aid of its work caring for the terminally ill. IRHH Vice Chairman, Tom Johnson and Appeals Director, Robert Breakwell, spoke of the imagination, enthusiasm and commitment of all those who had done something to raise funds. Their support was recognised through the presentation of 94 new Fundraising Achievement badges to people who have supported us over the last year. |
 |
Click here for a full report and pictures of A Celebration of Fundraising Achievements.
SHOP TALK
Retail Manager, Lesley Gorton, reports
on the latest news from the IRHH shops.
Staggering Sales
As
the financial year has drawn to a close I am delighted to report record profits
from the shops and trading operation. From the shops the princely sum of £193,500
has been added to Iain Rennie funds to help support the nursing service. Trading
yielded a profit of £16,000.
Such splendid results bear testament
to both the professionalism of the Shop Management Team and the hard work and
dedication of the Shop and Office Volunteers.
I never fail to be amazed
at how successful the shops are and how we manage to increase turnover and profits
year after year.
New Shops
After
a few hiccups along the way we are now confident that two new shops, in Beaconsfield
and Little Chalfont, will be open in the next few months. It will be quite a challenge
to open two new shops at the same time and inevitably I will be looking for some
help!
We will also be looking for shop volunteers. I am aware that we are
very well supported in the south of our area, so now is the time to come out of
the woodwork and help in one of the shops. We will be enormously grateful for
any time you can spare, even if it is just a few hours per week and in return
we can promise you, fun, companionship and plenty of laughs.
If you feel
you could help, please contact either myself, Lesley Gorton
lgorton@irhh.org at the Tring office or Emily Smith
esmith@irhh.org at Gillian King House.
Hidden
Treasures
It is a little known fact that Charity Shop Managers and
volunteers have to be experts in all sorts of matters! Quite aside from the day
to day running of the shop, administration and banking, they have to be experts
in textiles, antiques and collectibles - the list goes on forever. We are often
given items of significant value and these need to be recognised and sold on for
their true worth. At the Tring shop you will often see Peggy Bainbridge sorting
through apparently worthless bric a brac searching for elusive treasures, and
she finds them!
Over the years we have built up a marvellous relationship
with Tring Market Auctions and in particular we are especially grateful to Steven
Hearn and his staff who offer expert advice on the items Peggy finds. Amersham
Auction Rooms offer a similar advice to the Princes Risborough shop. During the
past year we have raised over £13,000 through the auctions.
Branching
Out
We are always on the lookout for original ways to sell the huge
quantity of goods that are donated to us, in particular we are given more books
than we can possibly sell and the Shop Managers hate throwing things away. We
have been given the opportunity to have a stall at weekly markets in Amersham,
Chesham and Aylesbury. We are looking for a team of volunteers who would be interested
in running a market stall in one or all of these locations. Ideally one or more
of the team would be a car driver, although we do have plans to purchase a van
that could be used for the purpose in the near future.
Once again if you
feel this might be for you please contact either myself or Emily Smith.
Christmas
Marketing
I know it is difficult to believe, but all this year's Christmas
cards have been selected and ordered and we are expecting delivery of the brochure
in the next few months! This year we are planning an even bigger and better Christmas
Card operation. We will have a presence in Cards for Good Causes in Beaconsfield
and Marlow and will, of course, be selling cards through the shops. However, historically,
one third of our Christmas Card revenue comes through sales and initiatives organised
by volunteers.
This is where our supporters come in: do you have any wonderful
marketing ideas? Are you organising a Christmas Fair or Fete? Do you have a contact
in a company who may market our cards to their employees or use our personalised
Christmas Card service? All ideas gratefully received, as indeed are offers of
help to assist with the packing and posting operation. This commences in October
and the last orders are despatched the week before Christmas.
In
Conclusion
I am aware that much of this article is taken up with appeals
for volunteers. This is a very exciting time for Shops and Trading and I have
never been more aware of how much we depend and rely on the time and expertise
of our volunteers. There are many new challenges to be faced this year and WE
NEED YOUR HELP!