During the weekend of 1st/2nd March 2025 the whole parish came together in solidarity for a big fundraising effort for Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care.
An enormous thank you to every parishioner and visitor who made the weekend such a huge success, not only in terms of contributing generously to a cause close to all our hearts but also for building community and our OLSD family.
Raffle
Our raffle raised £719 and we are very grateful to the following local businesses who donated generous prizes:
- The Snow Goose
- The Thatched Cottage
- The Teashop Around the Corner
- Coop Funeral Service
- Ford Mears
- Sarah Bond Beauty
- The Sarsen Stones
- Vue Cinema
Also to everyone in the parish who donated marvellous prizes.
Thank you Eileen O’Connell, Dee Heath, Liz Rose and Brilla Pearce for selling raffle tickets before and after Mass. Thank you Jane Fensome, for your counsel and a well-paced and organised draw.
Prize-winning tickets can be viewed here.
Please email seniors@olsd.org.uk to arrange to collect your prize if you hold a winning ticket.
Cake Sales
Our three cake sales after the weekend Masses were a tremendous success, not least because Ivy Turl went to the trouble of printing and cutting slips that were handed out in advance reminding parishioners to bake cakes.
Thank you to Anne Walsh, Catherine Lin Matthews, Charlotte Turl, Alex Blasiak, Brilla Pearce, Sharon Boylett, Valerie Strange and all who manned the stalls so competently.
Thank you to all the bakers whose delicious goods, baked with love, helped us make a total of £400 cash on our three cake sales.
Thank you Eileen who took the trouble to pot up jade plants to sell alongside the cakes.
Bottle Tombola
We haven’t had a bottle tombola in the parish for many years. I ask myself why not, as not only was it great fun, but it also raised £500 in cash. Thank you to Steve Macey, Vivian and Charles Mba and Ron Cooper for setting up the stall and manning it so good-humouredly all weekend. Thank you, Ray Harden, for going to the trouble of digging out the display blocks from the back of your garage! Thank you to all who donated bottles. It wouldn’t have been possible without you.
Social and Quiz
Our Saturday evening social and quiz was attended by 72 parishioners and guests and huge thanks go to Graham Dorey, Maralyn Wong and Michelle Friend for devising and presenting such a creative and engaging quiz, showcasing our fabulous media equipment! A well-deserved round of applause for the very dependable and talented Sharon Boylett, who shopped for and cooked all the snacks which were enjoyed by all and thanks to everyone who helped to plate up, serve and clear away, especially Maralyn and Michelle who stayed late to help at the end of the evening. As ever, thanks to Hana, we sat around tables with beautifully laundered tablecloths.
Thank you, Martin Wood for MCing and praying us in so beautifully and to Johann Diaz who prayed our Saturday evening out so powerfully.
We took £370 in donations at the door on Saturday and this sum will be worth so much more as many present gift aided their donation.
Silent Auction
The Silent Auction was devised hastily when a wonderful prize donated by the Aviator dropped into the seniors’ email box late on Thursday evening. The winning bid was drawn on Sunday afternoon and raised more than £300. Thank you to all who took part in the Silent Auction and offered such generous bids.
Retiring Collections
Thank you everyone who contributed to the £598 raised by the retiring collections after the weekend Masses and to everyone who gift aided their donations for these collections. Gift Aid is a government scheme which allows a charity to claim an extra 25p in every £1 that is donated.
Grand Total £4155
This fantastic grand total includes the Silent Auction, all payments via the contactless card reader and private donations.
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Thank you to Jo Wood who was on hand to design posters, offer counsel, answer questions and send emails. The fundraiser would undoubtedly not have had the prominence in the parish that it did without all her thoughtfully produced publicity.
Thank you to the wonderful Seniors Ministry Core Group Teresa Regan, Maureen Buckley, Val and Ron Cooper, Fina and Ian Ledgerwood who also baked cakes; sold cakes; numbered prizes; sold raffle tickets; sold tombola tickets; took money on the door; served food; washed up; counted money; advised; corrected my arithmetic and did anything that was asked of them. Thank you Dawn Barhan for double counting and banking the monies and arranging payment to PTHC.
Finally, thank you, dearest Father Anthony, for all your love, trust, support and encouragement.
We thank the Lord with humble and grateful hearts, for it is by His power and grace that all these things are possible.
