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VOLUNTEER NEWS
November 2013
Giggles Popping Up Young mum Jessica Robins and a team of keen volunteers are just in the final stages of setting up a new pop-up charity shop in Newport for Wessex Cancer Trust. The new shop, called ‘Giggles’ is situated right next door to the Isle of Wight Cancer Support Centre and we have been loaned the premises rent free for six months. The charity shop will sell pre-loved children clothes, toys and books and is seeking more donations of stock. If you are visiting Newport why not pop along to Lugley Street and say hello, or take along some donations. Best of luck to the team organising this new fundraising venture.
Save the Date Mince Pies and Mulled Wine Local volunteers passing Bellis House on Thursday 19th December are invited to drop in for a mince pie and glass of mulled wine to celebrate the festive season. We will be making time to stop for extended festive afternoon tea break between 2 - 4pm so please pop in. Put the date in your diaries now, we look forward to seeing you on the day!
Wessex Cancer Trust Christmas Cards The new WCT Christmas Cards are on now on sale! You can choose from contemporary cards, specially designed for WCT, or more traditional Christmas scenes… or you could just get both. Priced at £3.50 for a pack of 10 cards, there are two designs in each pack. Packs are now available from all our Cancer Support Centres, our charity shops in Romsey, Weeke and Freshwater, or by calling head office on 023 8067 2200.
Charity of the Year – Alan & Thomas We would like to offer a special thanks to everyone at Alan & Thomas Insurance Group in Dorset who have been amazing in their support of Wessex Cancer Trust over the last two years. Last year alone the company and their generous staff carried out a huge variety of fundraising activities raising over £7,000 for Wessex Cancer Trust. They’ve also sponsoring local fundraising events and helped to raise the profile of the charity with lots of positive PR. Staff from the company have taken part in events like Business Come Dancing, Bournemouth Air Festival, Dorset Sporting Dinner and the company also sponsored the annual WCT Golf Classic at the exclusive Remedy Oak Golf Club. Other fundraising has included Dress Down Days, Quiz Nights, a Little Book of Recipes compiled by staff and the WCT £25 Challenge. Staff from the company also swapped their suits for shorts last month when they took part in the Great South Run to raise funds for the Trust. Sally Hall, Chief Executive of Wessex Cancer Trust, said of the partnership ‘Working strategically with Alan & Thomas Insurance Group has enabled us to develop a really unique and productive partnership. The companies Charity Committee and staff have shown incredible commitment and passion for the work of Wessex Cancer Trust. Their enthusiasm and determination are relentless, and we are extremely proud that WCT was chosen to be the beneficiary of their hard work into a second year. Not only have significant funds been raised, but the enormous amount of publicity A&T have produced, has ensured that people who need WCT’s help, now know we’re here! Our sincerest thanks go to A&T”. http://www.alan-thomas.co.uk/
Bournemouth Marathon Hero Thousands of people turned out to support the inaugural Bournemouth Marathon Festival which took place earlier this month. Amongst them was 71-year-old Barrie Corbin from Broadstone who was running to raise funds for Wessex Cancer Trust and Poole Town FC. Unfortunately for Barrie, he was timed out because he didn’t finish before the race cut off time of 6hrs 30 minutes. But when the charity’s area manager Karen Rhys heard his story, she decided to take action. “Barrie actually finished at 5.10pm - 7 hrs 10 minutes after he had started. He just happened to mention in passing that he didn’t get a medal because the organisers had packed up by the time he crossed the finishing line, so I contacted the BBC, and together we managed to persuade the festival organisers to make an exception for Barrie and give him a medal.” Barrie is pictured receiving his Bournemouth Marathon medal at half time in Poole Town’s FA cup match before a cheering crowd of 550. In total he raised over £1585. Well done Barrie!
Sharing Stories – Fiona Hello, I’m not sure how Just Giving works in terms of letting you know when someone is raising money for the Wessex Cancer Trust so I thought I’d better let you know myself too - and it also gives me the opportunity to thank you all for the wonderful support I received whilst I was going through my breast cancer treatment. So firstly, the Cycletta... This Sunday 13th October I’m cycling 42km through the New Forest along with 9 friends (one of whom, Laura Wilson, is also raising money for you) & no doubt hundreds of other women. I’ve chosen to raise money for the Wessex Cancer Trust as a thank you for the counselling and the aromatherapy treatments that really kept me going through the exhausting, scary days of treatment. “Mummy’s Treats” as my children called my sessions with you! It is so wonderful to be able to take part in an event such as this after feeling like my life was “on hold” for 18 months - I hope that my Just Giving email (to be sent to everyone just as soon as I’ve sent you this) will raise lots of money, enabling you to continue your wonderful services. And secondly, a huge thank you to Ros whose wisdom & kindness enabled me to move on from my cancer diagnosis, to learn to live with the “bear in the woods” and whose words I carry with me on a daily basis. I think everybody could do with Ros in their lives, cancer or not. And thank you to Sue whose gentle, soothing treatments gave me an hour or so of respite at a time when I was struggling to cope with the demands of being a mummy of two young children along with the grim side effects of chemo. I will pedal my hardest for you all on Sunday and promise to let you know how I get on, both with the pedalling and the fundraising! With many thanks to you all again & best wishes. Fiona
Our thanks go to Fiona for the lovely feedback and for raising over £400 for Wessex Cancer Trust.
Special thanks go… to Heather We would like to say a special thanks to Heather, a longterm volunteer and supporter of Wessex Cancer Trust, for her on-going dedication to the charity. Heather not only helps at head office making up patient folders and office admin, but also with fundraising events across Dorset & Hampshire. This year Heather has been out and about helping at bucket collections, Bournemouth Air Festival, Brownsea Island Evening, and at the annual WCT Golf Classic at Remedy Oak Golf Club. The photo shows Jill, Kim and Heather with her special award (just kidding, the ‘drive a Porsche for a weekend’ was a special auction prize at the Golf Day). Heather was nominated for a special mention by Karen, Dorset Area Manager, before she departs for pastures new (see back page). If you would like to say a special thanks to a wonderful volunteer in your team please forward your nominations to me for the next edition, due out in January.
Volunteer Opportunities Children’s Xmas Party Helpers – 23 Nov To help with setting up, helping on stalls selling cakes and crafts, dishing out lunch packs, and clearing up at the end of the day at this event taking place at the Mountbatten Centre in Porsmouth. Retreat Helpers Our first retreat for cancer patients took place in October and was a huge success. We are now seeking volunteers to join the retreat team to help with catering, admin and the smooth running of future retreats taking place in Swanage. If you are interested in helping please contact Claire on 023 8067 2200 or email volunteer@wessexcancer.org
Events Diary ber
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Christmas Shopping Evening At the Ascension Centre in Southampton from 7.30pm. Tickets just £3.50 to include a drink and nibbles. Christmas Gift Fair Join the Jane Scarth House team at Woodley Village Hall in Romsey from 10.30am for this festive event. Children’s Xmas Party At the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth from 2.00 - 4.30pm and tickets are £3.50 per child. Christmas Carol Concert Join us for an evening of beautiful Christmas music at Romsey Abbey from 7pm. Tickets £12.
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Christmas Carol Service At Portsmouth Anglican Cathedral, with special appearance by the WCT Quay of Sea Voices.
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Barn Dance Book now for our festive Burns Night knees up at the Best Western Royal Beach Hotel in Southsea.
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Event details at www.wessexcancer.org/events
The Big Sea Coming soon! Watch this space for news on our big fundraising event taking place next year… Details will be paddling forth soon!
Welcome and Goodbye! We welcome to the Trust Julia Bailey, Julie Wright and Linda Bowes who all join the team at the new Isle of Wight Cancer Support Centre. They will be helping to provide support for clients visiting the Centre alongside the team of volunteer Befrienders which continues to go from strength to strength. There have also been some changes at the Freshwater Shop, with Assistant Manager Annie Barry finishing after giving 9 years service and volunteer Marion Preece retiring after 14 years. We wish them both well and say thanks for all their dedication to the Freshwater shop and the Trust. We welcome Catherine Webb who joins the staff team at the shop. It’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Karen, our Dorset Area Manager. Karen’s been pivotal in raising funds and the profile of WCT in Dorset over the last couple of years. Karen is well known for dressing up at any opportunity to promote the charity and indoctrinating us all with her passion for 80s music. Our massive thanks go to Karen for all her hard work and we wish her every success in the future.
Wessex Cancer Trust
Bellis House 11 Westwood Road Southampton Hampshire SO17 1DL t: 023 8067 2200 f: 023 8067 2266 e: wct@wessexcancer.org www.wessexcancer.org
YOUR LOCAL CANCER CARE Registered Charity No. 1110216