Wendover Woods family charity adventure

Fancy a challenge with the family? You can enter a charity adventure race in Wendover Woods on Saturday 18 October at 1pm. It is orienteering on bike and on foot within a two and a half hour time limit, to visit as many checkpoints as possible. This is a team event and each team as a minimum must have an adult and one child, up to a maximum of four people. There will be prizes. Neil Thubron is raising money for two charities, Facing Africa and the NSPCC, both charities focused on making children's lives better. It will be in Wendover Woods near Halton HP23 6NW where there is parking and toilet facilities, for ages five years old upwards. Entry seems to cost £30 but check with Neil on 07801244628 email neil@outstanding-sales.co.uk.

Enrol now and start gathering sponsorship

On Sunday 30 November there will be the first ever sponsored Santa Dash in Chesham. It is a one and a half mile fun run around Lowndes Park where children and adults of all ages and abilities can run, jog, walk or skip around the course dressed as Santa. The Dash will start at 11am and all Santa costumes will be included in the entry fee which is £10 per adult, or £5 per child aged 15 and under, and £20 for family entry of two adults and two children. There will also be a kids’ drawing competition and other attractions including stalls, music and more for spectators. To enter or for further details visit www.irhh.org/santadash or call 01442 890222. Please return your form along with a cheque made out to ‘IRHH' to Santa Dash, The Iain Rennie Hospice at Home, 52a Western Road, Tring, HP23 4BB. To pay by credit card call the Fundraising team on 01442 890222 or email fundraising@irhh.orgr. Proceeds will go to Iain Rennie Hospice at Home (IRHH) a local charity that provides specialist palliative care to patients with terminal illnesses in their own homes.

Sponsored Ride

Rotary organizers were pleased with the result of the Chesham Rotary Club's sponsored ride held on Saturday 6 September. Heavy rain on the preceding days made the going so soft that the horses tended to skid when turning sharply. Two riders were unseated, but there were no casualties and most said that this is preferable to hard ground, which may lead to damage to the horses’ feet by flints. More than 100 riders applied, but due to the weather only 84 came to the event. However it was fairly dry on the day, and riders enjoyed the six mile course with thirty modest jumps, in some of the most beautiful countryside in England, without going near a road. About £3,000 was raised for Rotary charities ranging from the local: the refurbishment of St Leonard's Hall, to the international, the Rotary project to eliminate Polio from the world. David Unwin said, “The Rotary Club is very grateful to all the riders and their sponsors”.

Photo by Mark Dell (Mark@mk1photography.co.uk)

Latimer Park hosts another charity

Brain Tumour UK is a charity dedicated to beating brain tumours. It supports patients and their families and carers, and provides information about this often deadly cancer which is increasing at the rate of two per cent a year. Brain Tumour UK has based its first UK office at Latimer. Latimer Park is owned by entrepreneur Gary Grant and funds towards furnishing the office were donated by Amersham & Chesham Lions. Jenny Baker, the charity's chief executive, said, "On average, brain tumours claim more years of a person's life than any other kind of cancer, yet they receive far less research funding. "With around 50 diagnoses every day we will be working hard in our new offices to increase the amount of funding available for brain tumour research". See our previous posting.

Be entertained

David Bailey, singer and songwriter is raising funds for Brain Tumour UK, and he will be giving a concert on Sunday 26 October at St Michael’s Church, Amersham on the Hill HP6 5DR. David survived a brain tumour and is visiting the UK as part of international Brain Tumour Awareness Week. Given six months to live 12 years ago he has inspired audiences with his music, beliefs passion and humour. Call the box office on 01494 723561 or email kiki.connor@braintumouruk.org.uk. Tickets cost £10 or £7 for concessions. Brain Tumour UK (now based in Chesham) is a charity working to defeat brain tumours through a significant programme of support, research and education, and is dependent on voluntary contributions.

Children running for children

Runforthechildren is an event to raise money for The Children’s Trust, a UK charity that helps children affected by brain injuries acquired through things like car accidents and meningitis. There will be a run in Wendover Woods near Aylesbury on Sunday 5 October, sort of a children’s equivalent of Race for Life. It is about 3km and speed and style are not important. The run route is not yet finalised with the forestry commission, but is likely to be slightly south of the Go Ape site, postcode HP22 5NF. The run sets off at 11am after a warm-up at 10.45am. Swifty the Hare will be there to cheer everyone on and give hugs and stickers to the little ones. Water and fruit will be at the finishing post for all participants, plus a Fit for Fun Action Pack of activities and recipes from top food writer Annabel Karmel. You can register on the website at www.runforthechildren.co.uk, and do it now, to give yourself lots of time to find sponsors.

Insider tells all about the United Nations in Africa

Hear the story from Malcolm Harper who has spent much of his life and career at the heart of Africa, having first hand experience of many of its issues. Malcolm worked for Oxfam for 18 years, is a governor of International Students’ House in London, a board member of the International Broadcasting Trust, and a member of the Stakeholder Forum. He was involved in the struggle to eliminate apartheid and works for a world free from hunger, abject poverty, ill health, repression and environmental degradation. In 2004 Malcolm helped set up a Friends of Northern Uganda movement towards a negotiated end to the violence being perpetrated there. You can hear Malcolm’s reflections and anecdotes at a thought provoking and entertaining talk on Wednesday 1 October, in Lee Common Parish Hall at 8pm. Tickets cost £10 including a glass of wine afterwards, and must be purchased in advance from Keith Taylor call 01494 837880. Proceeds will benefit of the Friends of Northern Uganda charity. (Malcolm is also keen cricketer with strong views on the demise of spin bowling in English cricket).

Caracol continues

Friends of Caracol will notice there has been no mention of the charity in this blog since the March Evening of 1950s and 60s. That is because they’ve been so busy and successful. Caracol is a registered charity which provides educational support to the young people of Belize in Central America. Much has happened since the exhibitions in the UK in October 2007. The training for the Caracoles in Arenal has been continuous and last March conversion began on an old school as a Youth Development Centre. English theatre set designer Christabel Cant, went to Belize in May and trained a group of 10 Caracoles in mural design combining the distinctive environmental characteristics of Belize and Guatemala. The exhibition of 30 banners Living on the Borderline – has continued to tour Belize accompanied by presentations given by young Los Caracoles. Caracoles are trained to be youth leaders, to share their knowledge and a group has been trained to teach English as a Second Language (ESL). Most encouraging is the news that Caracol has received two significant grants from the Canada Fund and the UK-based LINKS charity. Congratulations to Claudia and Jon, Myra and Stuart for all their efforts over the past five years. Stuart thanks the supporters, the many Friends of Caracol, “We are well on the way to achieving our target for this year. Of course the grants are a help but we need to continue to raise funds by our traditional means – albeit perhaps at a slightly less frenetic level”.

Another U3A for the Chilterns

Chiltern U3A (University of the Third Age) is launching a new group to cope with the tremendous interest around here. Chiltern U3A has nearly 1,000 members and a waiting list of 300. The chairman Bob Meredith said, “It is hard to find a meeting room large enough”. There will be an open meeting at 10.30am on Thursday 11 September in the Drake Hall, Amersham to start the new group. Members need to be retired or semi-retired and over 50. The existing group has a wide range of activities driven by the interests and energy of the members, and it is planned that the new group will replicate this. All those interested are welcome. Just show up or call Nigel Lanning on 01442 833938, email u3achairman@chiltern-u3a.org.uk or visit www.chiltern-u3a.org.uk.
U3A is a self-help organisation for people no longer in full time employment providing educational, creative and leisure opportunities in a friendly environment. Qualifications are neither required nor awarded. U3As all over the UK are charities in their own right and run by volunteers. Local U3As are learning cooperatives which draw upon the knowledge, experience and skills of their own members to organise and provide interest groups in accordance with the wishes of the membership. The teachers learn and the learners teach. Between them U3As offer the chance to study over 300 different subjects in such fields as art, languages, music, history, life sciences, philosophy, computing, crafts, photography and walking.

Fairtrade status growing

Chesham's Fairtrade Town status has been renewed again thanks to the ongoing efforts of The Reverend Colin Cartwright and his steering group. Lots of initiatives have been taken forward in the past year. The Chiltern Fairtrade Film Festival held at the Elgiva theatre in March showed four films and sold more than 300 tickets while the raffle sponsored by Waitrose, raised some £300. Colin and the group explained about Fairtrade to the following groups: Brownies, Children Humanist Association, Methodist Women’s Fellowship, Second Chesham (Trinity) Scouts, sixth form students at the High School, St Mary’s Fellowship, St George’s Fellowship, Birchwood/SCOPE, Christchurch Youth Group, Rendezvous, Thomas Harding School and even the William Ramsey School in High Wycombe. A sixth form conference was held at Chesham Park Community College. New retail outlets M & Co and Starbucks join the existing: J. Sainsbury, Waitrose, Healthright, Lucia's and Oxfam. The town council offers only Fairtrade tea and coffee at meetings and to hirers of rooms at the town hall. See our most recent previous blog. In the UK Fairtrade can claim 70% recognition of the Fairtrade Mark, which means that even more producers can benefit from Fairtrade and earn a decent living.

Chesham Museum Fundraising

The temperature is certainly rising at Number 15 Market Square, potentially the future home of Chesham Museum, following an increase in the money raised by donations and Friends subscriptions to more than £7,000. The jumble sale on Saturday 26 July raised more than £700 and the plant sale in June also reached over £700, including donations after the events.Volunteers led by chairman Lesley Perry want to push the mercury even higher with the forthcoming book sale for two days only. It will be at the old Chapter One Bookshop, 15 Market Square, Chesham from 10am onwards on Wednesday 13 and Saturday 16 August 2008. There will also be a Quiz Night, an historic Chesham Silver Band re-enactment evening and an Art Sale. Donations are always welcomed by the Museum itself or to Orbit Press or the other collecting boxes around town or online via the website at www.cheshammuseum.org.uk. Or leave a message for Ian Freeman at the museum at Gamekeepers Lodge 01494 793491.

See you soon Fred

Major Fred Thompson’s retirement from Chesham’s Salvation Army is lamented by everyone. He’s only been here two years but achieved a tremendous amount in the time. He initiated a wonderful Christmas carol concert at the Elgiva last November, and generously donated half the proceeds to the mayor’s charity. I’d never seen the Elgiva so packed. He has also had a large input to Churches Together for Chesham and made the Christmas Day Party for the Elderly go with a swing. At a packed service at the Citadel last Sunday many tributes were made to Fred’s energy, dedication and charisma. Swindon will be lucky to get him. I’m pleased to say there will be another Christmas carol concert this year, despite Fred’s posting, and he will be here for it too. Called Christmas is Coming, it will be an evening of music, carols and dance in aid of the Mayor of Chesham’s Charity Appeal and The Salvation Army. It will feature the talents of The Salvation Army Band, Brushwood Junior School Choir, Hillingdon Salvation Army Dance and Timbrel Group, and Lissa Hermans. Book now tickets cost £10 or £8 for concessions. Visit the Elgiva email boxoffice@elgiva.com or call the Box Office 01494 582900.

Volunteers needed for Chesham card shop

Cards For Good Causes will be selling charity Christmas cards on behalf of 30 different charities at Chesham United Reformed Church later this year and are looking for volunteers to staff the shop. It opens on Tuesday 11 November until Saturday 6 December (10am - 4pm) and volunteers who can offer a mere three hours per week to cover either a morning or afternoon session serving the customers. Marilyn Clarke, Area Organiser said, “Many people are already aware of the Cards For Good Causes Christmas card shops in churches in Beaconsfield and Amersham and I'm sure they will be pleased to know that there will now be a charity Christmas card shop in Chesham too. We really need to find volunteers to staff the shop so, if anyone is able to help or would like more information, please call me on 01628 530154 or Jane Paterson on 01494 772983”. There are too many charities (30) to list but the shop will be supporting national charities such as Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, British Heart Foundation, Save the Children and Lifeboats and also local charities like Scannappeal and the Iain Rennie Hospice. Cards For Good Causes gives back at least 79% for every card sold, from which the charities have to pay for the production of their cards.

Donkeys benefitted Lions

Dennis Wright, PRO, Amersham & Chesham Lions Club tells us that the recent Donkey Derby was a very well attended event and raised thousands for Lions local charities.

If you’ve had enough birthday presents

Ask your party-goers to sponsor a Hearing Dog for Deaf People. I learned more about this service from speaker at the White Hill AGM, Jenny Smith of St Leonards who has been awarded an MBE for her services to hearing dogs. Jenny wasn’t born deaf but suffers from increasing deafness, she has had three hearing dogs over the years and she takes her current dog when she speaks to groups from the Brownies, through schools to the WI.
There are guide dogs for blind people provided by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association but Hearing Dogs are less well known. Hearing dogs alert their deaf owners to sounds we take for granted, giving independence, confidence and security. Most are selected from rescue centres and trained by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. People need about three dogs over 18 years. It only costs £5,000 to support the training of a hearing dog throughout its working life which seems remarkably cheap when you think of the training needed. £2,500 covers part training, or you can donate £1,000 to fund a kennel for a year, supporting the accommodation and welfare of at least six dogs during training and assessment. Young people can be a puppy friend for about £3 per month and get a letter from him! You can donate recyclables - such things as old mobiles, some types of printer ink cartridges and passing on your used postage stamps preferably with about half an inch of the paper still around.

Bone Marrow Donors Required

Rachel Peck tells me her fiance has been diagnosed with Myeloma, a leukaemia cancer. He needs a bone marrow transplant once his chemotherapy course is completed and will be relying on an anonymous donor who is registered with the Anthony Nolan Trust. The Anthony Nolan Trust is coming to St John’s Methodist Church, Woodside Road, Amersham on Thursday 3 July between 4.30pm and 7.30pm. If you are aged 18 - 40, generally in good health and happy to give a blood sample which can be tested for a match, you can help a patient waiting for a bone marrow transplant. Your donation could help save the life of someone like Rachel’s fiance. Visit the Anthony Nolan website www.anthonynolan.org.uk or phone 0207 284 1234.
For a bone marrow transplant to succeed the tissue type of a donor and patient must match very closely. The best source of matching tissue is from the donor’s family, the chance of a brother or sister having the same tissue-type is one in four, but 70 per cent of patients need to find an unrelated donor.
Donating bone marrow is not in the least like donating blood, it requires medical treatment and in my opinion should not be undertaken lightly. With the help of many people, Rachel will be posting 18,000 flyers about the bone marrow session to homes around Amersham.

Shed and chickenshed

Irene Perrin and Sally Alford of Shed@ThePark the all inclusive children’s theatre company, are promoting new sponsorship packages, developed to enable companies and individuals to support the Shed at The Park at various levels of value. Rotary has started the ball rolling with a generous donation of £600, setting the pace for other clubs, charities, business and families to follow. Irene said, “The money raised will help support the ongoing work of Shed and enable us to continue to offer weekly workshops for 100 local children aged between seven and 16 years of age. It will also allow us to purchase equipment such as a voice effects unit, a mixer facility or even a British Sign Language Course”. Shed’s recent performance, Ordinary Man, was a great success. Future events include performances at The Pepper Concert in Berkhamsted on Sunday 13 July and at Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury on Sunday 29 June. Shed’s ethos is that any young person who wants to perform has the ability and the right to do so. Visit www.shedatthepark.co.uk, call 01494 782066 or email info@shedatthepark.co.uk.

Eating for a good cause

There will be a lunch party on Saturday 21 June to raise funds for the Royal Air Force Association - RAFA 2008 Wings Appeal. It will be at 23 Codmore Crescent from 12.30 to 3.30pm, but there is a limited number of tickets £7 each so call Jean Mayne on 01494 782068. The menu will be lasagne and fresh bread followed by homemade apple pie, tea or coffee. People are welcome to bring their own wine or beer or whatever they prefer to drink. Jean said, “Many older people (of which I am one) do not like to go out at night so we decided a lunchtime do might be better for people to get together”. So book your places and prove her right. The garden at Codmore Crescent is pleasant and quiet except for the birds singing.

Bletchley Park finance

Remember I told you what a good day out you can have at Bletchley Park, home to the code breakers of World War Two? Well apparently it receives no on-going public funding and some of its buildings, where the most important work of the twentieth century took place, are in urgent need of repair. The Victorian Mansion requires in the region of £1,000,000. Bletchley Park Trust is a charity, conscious of the debt owed to the brilliant, unsung intellectual warriors including Turing and Welchman. The Trust aims to build a world class Heritage Site and Educational Centre but it must rely on revenue from conferences, weddings and heritage visitors. It also earns from its Science & Innovation Centre, where Bletchley Park has returned to world-leading research after 60 years. The Trust has also restored Block B as its main museum area, and Hut 8, former workplace of Alan Turing. People are urged to visit the park and support the Bletchley Park Trust. I think you get a great day out.
To make a donation or offer other help contact Kelsey Griffin, Events and Publicity Manager, Bletchley Park Trust, 01908 640404, kgriffin@bletchleypark.org.uk.

Family Fun Day at Chesham Moor Gym & Swim

You will have noticed the signs advertising the Family Fun Day to be held at the outdoor heated pool, to celebrate the many cultures we have in Chesham. It ties in with the official opening of the pool for the summer season which is traditionally on 1 May. The pool will still open that day but the fun day celebrations take place on Saturday 3 May at the Moor Gym & Swim from 10.30am – 4pm. There will be free events: swimming in heated pool, fun inflatable, gym taster sessions (by prior appointment with health screening), fire engine tours, community arts and music, a fancy dress competition with prizes to be won, and tennis coaching with Tennis Zone. Plus fire engines and the Children’s Centre will have a tent for a short story time and singing session at 1.30pm.
The main attraction will be a magic show with Mr Panda & Rainbow Bigbottom at 11.30am, also free. Other attractions for a small charge include Animal Farm – live animals to pet and feed, Asian food and light lunches, and the usual refreshments.

Freemasons generosity revealed

The Buckinghamshire Masonic Centenary Fund has been looking around for worthy causes to pass on a proportion of the contributions from its 4,000 subscribers. The Hon Secretary Mr Alan R Watkins decided to ask me (as well as other neighbouring mayors) what charity I was supporting. After some weeks he notified us that the Freemasons were donating £500 towards my mayoral charity which is Buckinghamshire Mind. I am thrilled to receive such a boost to our fund (and so are Bucks Mind) and thank the Masons very much for their generosity. Such munificence certainly shows that the Freemasons is no longer a veiled organization. The Buckinghamshire Masonic Centenary Fund was established in 1991 to aid non-Masonic charitable causes.
The website www.buckspgl.org says Masonry has become more open and provides challenge and personal development for younger members, while still supporting older members in a family manner. Masons, non-Masons, family, friends, and those seeking to join can understand more about Freemasonry.

Music benefits

Deaf people and the hard of hearing will benefit from around £850 raised by the concert organised by Chesham Rotary Club as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations. Nearly 150 people attended St Mary’s Church to hear the Cannock Chase Orpheus Male Choir from Staffordshire, with soloists soprano Sharron Burns and baritone Paul Ford.
One of the choir’s past presidents is a friend of Rotary president Dr Alan Morris. Said Dr Morris: “When I was a practising GP, I often saw patients with hearing difficulties so I know just how frustrating communication can be, not only for the person with a hearing loss, but also their friends and family.” The choir was conducted by its musical director Alan D. Jones, and the accompanists were Pauline Pritchards and deputy conductor Frank Morris

Card results

Joint winners in the Blue Haze Easter card competition were Pam Dwight with a 3d-decoupage rabbit and paper pricked card, and Pauline Kaye who neatly stitched a rabbit. Second place was also jointly held by Caroline Self and Sarah Edis with techniques learnt at Blue Haze workshops. Winnings went to Breast Cancer Care which also benefited from the sale of some cards too, and World Vision. The children's category was won by four year old Gemma Seager.

Poor Cheshamites take precedence

You know those lovely flint cottages right at the beginning of Waterside? They are the Weedons Almshouses and one has become vacant. It has been refurbished and will be advertised in this week’s Bucks Examiner. To be eligible you must be poor and a Chesham resident. By the will of Thomas Weeden, dated 6th September 1624, alms persons must '.... be poor persons of good character who reside or have resided at any time in the area of the Ancient Parish of Chesham'. The Trust scheme goes on to say 'Where claims are equal, preference shall be given to those applicants who have resided longest in the area of the said parish'. Contact chair of the trustees Valerie Miles 30 Fair Leas Chesham HP5 2QW.

Fairtrade hunt results

Fairtrade Easter eggs were presented to three happy children for spotting the largest number of eggs in shop windows in the weeks running up to Easter. The prizes were donated and presented to Scarlett Debbage 6, Alex Lynch 8, and Andrew Washford-Murphy 13, by Robin Benford from Chesham's Waitrose supermarket who said, "Buying Fairtrade chocolate guarantees a better deal for cocoa farmers, their families and their communities, in parts of West Africa, for example". One such farmer Kojo Aduhene, visited London in March, during Fairtrade Fortnight and said, "Before we joined the Fairtrade cocoa co-operative Kuapa, we would be cheated. My children could not go to school, because they had to walk miles to fetch clean water each day. Now my life is changing for the better.” The Easter Egg hunt was organised by Jean Pritchard, from Chesham Chamber of Trade and by the Chesham Fairtrade Group.

Hope in Latimer valley

Latimer sort-of qualifies as being in my Chesham patch so I can tell you about a local charity, spearheaded by two families and now expanding to include a small staff team. Gary and Catherine Grant started the Entertainer toy shops in 1981 and have long been involved with youth and family work. Together with friends Sue and Dave Trevor, they set up the charity Restore Hope Latimer, based at Latimer Park Farm, www.restorehopelatimer.com. Restore Hope Latimer provides a base for family and community work, as both hosts and in partnership with other organizations. Catherine comes from a nursing and health visiting background, and along with a team of volunteers set up a toy library at Restore Hope Latimer. The Toy Library runs regular sessions each week for a large number of families who join as members. It provides a wonderful play space for children with their mums, dads and grandparents to meet and borrow toys in much the same way as a traditional library does. It also offers other family orientated opportunities such as parenting courses, cookery schools and social evenings.
Restore Hope Latimer aims to assist families, children and young people to improve life skills and provide opportunities for personal growth and development. The facilities offer enjoyable experiences that are different from the everyday life of many families and young people, in a safe environment where they can learn and develop. I was able to see this in action when the Buckinghamshire Children’s Fund Programme held an exciting award ceremony and activity day to celebrate the achievements of the young people involved in these projects. Restore Hope Latimer hosted more than 175 young people and helpers, many from the inner areas of High Wycombe and other Buckinghamshire towns. It is a shame that government funding for the Buckinghamshire Children’s Fund Programme, working together with Youth Focus and Thames Valley Police, is being withdrawn after three successful years.

NSPCC - National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

I was moved, not to say distressed, at a meeting at the Judges' Lodgings in Aylesbury, to hear of some of the devious efforts made by paedophiles to access children – not only elsewhere in the world but here in the UK. It is child abuse. Dealing with it, catching the perpetrators and re-habilitating the victims is time consuming and expensive work, and distressing for the professionals. Funding is an ongoing concern and groups of volunteers from the Buckinghamshire Branch of NSPCC collect money and of course more donations are always needed. The NSPCC also took over Childline 0800 1111 when it was at risk of closure due to lack of funds, and this is an added cost.
Locally the Slough Project provides therapeutic support for children and young people who have suffered abuse. Methods include activities such as play, art, stories, role play, talking, worksheets and drama either individually or in groups. The project provides a safe place and opportunities to work through the pain and hurt of abuse within a professional relationship with a social worker who understands the process of recovery. To find out how you can get involved or donate, call 01908 328060, website and help for adults call 0808 800 5000.

Calorathon

Danny Essex, the manager of Chesham Moor Gym & Swim Centre invites Cheshamites to a gym challenge, sometime between now and the end of April. The idea is to get sponsorship from friends and colleagues for burning up calories – a sponsored calorathon. The equipment in the gym shows how many calories the user is burning. Raise funds for your own charity or support mine - Buckinghamshire Mind, the town council can accept donations to my chosen mayoral charity. Get a form from the pool and get your sponsors signed up. Call Danny on 01494 776975 or email CtcPool@chesham.gov.uk. The gym equipment shows calorie burn - you can choose which pieces to exercise on and then add it all up after 60 minutes.

Fairtrade exceeded

Fairtrade fortnight was well supported here. Vicky Mistry said, “We sold more than 300 tickets for the two day film festival and attracted a wider audience than previous FT Fortnights”. The question and answer panel were highly qualified and made convincing cases, it was a pity we didn't have time to hear more from them. The raffle was won by Mr and Mrs Povey – a splendid Waitrose FT hamper, Clem Short came second and Phil Folly came third, winning FT cook books.

Promise something now

Caracol 1950s and 60s Evening and silent auction will be held at White Hill Centre, on Saturday 29 March at 7.30pm - period dress optional. Live music of the time will be played by Regeneration and there will be a fish & chip supper. For the silent auction - promises and items are displayed in a separate room and guests are invited to place written bids using a secret name. Promises can be gifts or vouchers for services or anything of value to someone else. Donations for the silent auction will be gratefully received by Liz on 01494 784913 or Myra on 01494 782179, or email s.ottley@tiscali.co.uk Myra Ottley, 14, Lye Green Road, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 3LN.
Book now for the evening, tickets are £12.50 - why not make up a party?

Spot Pudsey bear

There was lots of excitement at Heritage House School for a Spotty Day Strut in aid of the Children In Need Appeal. Everyone had dressed in spotted costume – some had made their own or spent ages putting dots onto T-shirts and bandanas. Then would you believe it, Pudsey Bear himself turned up and danced with some of the children. I was most impressed at the work put in on the spotty costumes of every conceivable design. The newly updated website photos certainly capture the atmosphere. Congratulations to Suzanne Pennington’s brother Dave Cutts on the new layout. Visit www.heritagehouseschool.co.uk/photoalbum/ or our previous blog www.chilternvoice.co.uk/2007/11/family-support-for-heritage-students.html

Video to watch by Caracol students

Before Claudia and Jon came to the UK in August they had arranged for a lady called Bree from Fotokids in Guatemala to visit the young people in Arenal. She ran an animation workshop with the Caracol students. In five days they wrote and produced an animation about Leafcutter Ants. Stuart Ottley said, “Bree was so impressed she entered it into a competition which the young people have won and a prize of 500BZ$ (about £125)”. You can see it by clicking on www.youtube.co.uk and entering Fungus Farmers into the search box. You do not have to actually log in with ID etc. It’s great.
Incidentally I was glad it was Stuart Ottley I drew from the hat for a free stall pitch at the Victorian late night shopping evening, they all work so hard for Caracol.

Afford a school trip

The Ken Denham Trust provides grants towards educational expenses for young people who live in Chesham and are aged under 21. The maximum allowed is £250. You have to find someone or some organisation prepared to nominate you and give reasons why you are worthy of receiving it, explaining why the project will be of assistance to you and act as a reference that all your answers are correct. If the nominator is an organisation then it has to be signed by a responsible officer of that organisation. It is perfectly acceptable for you to be a member of the nominating organisation - which may, for example, be the guides, scouts, your school or a club. However, the nominator should not be a parent or a close relative. Be as precise as you can about the cost of the project, even an estimate will help. Application forms can be obtained from Andrew Ketteringham, Holmleigh, Pednor Road, Chesham, Bucks HP5 2SS or by email to aketteringham1@btinternet.com.

Local help for brain patients

A small, locally based national charity, which offers help and support to brain tumour patients and their families, called Brain Tumour UK, raises awareness of this devastating group of diseases and contributes significant funds to research programmes. Headed by Amersham resident Jenny Baker, the charity is keen to hear from anyone interested in joining the growing team of local volunteers and other supporters. It is also selling Christmas cards costing £3.99 for packs of 10, plus postage and packing. See the designs and order from http://www.braintumouruk.org.uk/ or email kiki.connor@braintumouruk.org.uk or call 01494 723 561 (afternoons) for further information.

Bank Farm RDA scores again

Barclays and the Bucks Examiner’s announced the recipients of its Let’s Do It Awards for this year at a reception in Amersham attended by the mayor and deputy mayor of Amersham, MP Cheryl Gillan, Barclays Regional Community Manager, Chesham deputy mayor Alison Pirouet, staff from Amersham and Chesham Barclays Banks, the Bucks Examiner and of course the prize winners. First award went to Riding for the Disabled at Bank Farm, which received £1,000 to help them buy a new pony, the second was £500 to the Red Cross Day Care for an overhead projector and the third donation was five helpers at the Endeavour Centre to take a group of people with learning difficulties on a trip to an English Heritage site.

Recycle Unwanted Items for South Bucks Hospice

Ask at your local South Bucks Hospice Shop for one of their green bags and fill it with your oldest/ worst for wear clothes, linen etc. They recycle and turn your cast-offs into cash to fund patient care at the hospice. A huge amount of stuff is acceptable including shoes, handbags, linens, curtains, soft toys and of course clothes.
South Bucks Hospice Shops can be found at: 52 Sycamore Road, Amersham, call 01494 722425 and 9 The Parade, Bourne End, call 01628 525550. Visit www.sbh.org.uk.

Request for poppy collectors

Remembrance time is fast approaching and Hellen Loakes could really do with new collectors for Chesham and Hyde Heath areas. Whether you collect in your street or in one of the local shops every little will help - even half an hour. To find out more or offer help pease call Hellen on 01494 778806.

A long cycle

Matt Kirby and Fred Baxter had the most perfect day on Saturday 15 September for their departure on a charity cycle ride from Chesham to Tangier. They hope to cover more than 2,100 kilometres in two weeks. Matt said, “We are travelling down the west coast of France, over the Pyrenees and directly across Spain to Gibraltar”. Four charities are being supported, Cancer Research UK, RNIB for blind and partially sighted people, Hospice of St Francis and Myeloma UK - for links visit www.chiltern-harriers.org.uk/news/cycletoafrica.html.

Walk With The Stars

Tylers Hill Rangers, fellow Guiders and their friends Walked With The Stars to raise money for the Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted in memory of Elaine Lovett (nee Saulsbury) who died of breast cancer aged 44. The 12 mile walk which started at midnight, took four hours and the team of Guiding Stars raised more than £1,700. Gift Aid of 28p in the pound will be added to many of the donations. Daphne Clarke said, “If you would like to contribute to the Hospice you can do so at www.justgiving.com/guidingstars or contact me at Chessman & Partners on 01494 778199”.
Pictured are (left to right) – Sarah How, Ina Tanasie, Michelle Maia, Stephanie Kenna, Yvonne Rudge, Valerie Ferris and Libby Odell.

Stay awake – bowl all night

Stay awake – bowl all night Chesham Bowling Club does a lot to raise money for charity. A couple of weeks ago they hosted the Dennyside Bowling Association and raised £1,790 for the Ian Rennie Hospice.

The next event was much more of a wake-up call. From 7pm Chesham Bowling Club held a bowlathon in aid of the Thames & Chiltern Air Ambulance. They bowled all night. Other clubs come to compete in Bury Lane and hot cooked meals were provided - a marathon effort for everyone but also good fun. At the concluding dinner Lawrie Smethurst presented the Air Ambulance with a cheque for £1,600 and there will be more. (Actually, as mayor I had the honour of presenting the cheque and enjoying the generous Chesham Bowling Club hospitaility). Well done to all the bowlers, helpers and donors.

The Air Ambulance Trust started in Maidenhead in June 1999 and moved to RAF Benson in Oxfordshire in January 2007. The yellow Bölkow 105 helicopter carries life saving equipment and is crewed by a pilot and two paramedics. It can transport one patient to one of several hospitals in the area with landing facilities, or to a specialist hospital if required. The paramedics are provided by the NHS, other costs must be funded by the Trust. Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust is a charity funded by the people of Thames Valley.
Chesham Bowling Club put their passion to good use.

Pond Park Bazaar

The Hivings Park Free Church Bible Times Bazaar was most atmospheric. Stallholders dressed up in homespun clothes which would have been worn in biblical times. There were biblical goods such as dates on sale but also modern things including hand made greetings cards and wooden bird nesting boxes. Well done to everyone for organizing it and raising £500 for St Francis Hospice and £84.47 to Water Aid.
The only disappointment was finding out that Rev Alan Rogers and Myrtle will be retiring before the end of the year.

Kokrobite, Ghana

Rob, Gill and Emily Walker can be proud of their efforts to raise funds for their project to construct a day centre in Kokrobite, Ghana. They organized a Gourmet Race Night at the Ho Ho Chinese restaurant in Great Missenden which was packed with generous diners. In the end about £3,000 was raised. If you forgot to donate, call Rob or Emily on 07968 112402 or 07896 812317.

Help for the sick and poor

Margaret Vincent hasn’t been able to slow down since she retired from the CAB. She’s taken on the Chesham Sick Poor Fund, on the retirement of Janet Banham who moved to Cheddington.
The Sick Poor Fund is a long established charity founded by the Chesham District Nursing Association at the time of the introduction of the National Health Service. A body of six trustees, approved by the Charity Commission, manage the investments and administer the income for the benefit of the sick poor of Chesham.
The constitution stresses the provision of bedding, comforts, fuel and medical aids and recuperative holidays - ie. essentials, to sufferers of ill health and poverty. Grants are only about £50 but applications are encouraged, usually through a third party such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, Social Services or endorsed by a GP, teacher or local group. Apply initially to 01494 783304. Margaret said, “We would also welcome any donations which would enable us to help more vulnerable people living with hardship”.

Boer war hero to be honoured

Brian Shrieve of the Royal British Legion (RBL) has had a visit from Mr Brian Davies, the Secretary of Aldbury RBL. Brian Davies is looking for help to restore a grave at Wigginton, just outside Chesham. It is of a Private James Osbourne, VC. Private Osborne of the Northamptonshire Regiment, received the Victoria Cross for gallant conduct at Wakkerstroom in February 1881 for riding under heavy fire towards a party of 42 Boers and rescued a wounded comrade. He lived on until 1 February 1928 when he died aged 70.
Mr Davies has to raise £2,500 and Chesham RBL will do a fund raising darts evening soon. Anyone who would like to donate can post a cheque to Chesham RBL Branch 111 Broad Street, Chesham HP5 3EF, or take it in. Make the cheque payable to Chesham RBL. Call Brian on 01494784803.

Help young people

The Youth Club in Bellingdon Road would like assistance with administrative matters. It would only take a few hours a week, mainly banking, writing out cheques, filing financial records and booking hall hire. You would probably need to come into the youth club once a week for two or three hours. Anyone wishing to volunteer please email Noel Brown nbrown@chiltern.gov.uk or call 01494 783164.

This blog hears from its farthest reader – in Central America

Stuart and Myra Ottley have spent April in Guatemala and Belize visiting Jon Ottley and his partner Claudia Orantes, the ‘on the ground’ voluntary overseers of Caracol charity. Jon comes from Chesham, and attended Edinburgh University before going to Guatemala. Claudia is a widely travelled Guatemalan.
Caracol provides educational support to young people in Belize, a small country with under resourced rural communities.
An exhibition of the work of Caracol students will take place in Chesham Town Hall on Saturday 1 September.
Stuart said, "I thought you would like to know that we have been pleased to be able to keep in touch with events in Chesham while we have been away."