Saturday 30th January, 10.30-14.00, at the Silk Mill, Frome.

So excited that our big donation drop and fundraising day is nearly here – and it’s going to be fantastic!

Apart from collecting donations for the refugees (only warm clean mens scarves, hats, gloves, new socks & small or medium pants), we’ve plenty of fun things going on. We want not only to raise money to send our latest round of donations out to Calais, but also to celebrate the way so many people in our community have pulled together to help with this effort.

So, we’ve live music from The Wochynskis (from 12.30 – 13.30), delicious hot soups from Keren Hayden of Events Horizon, and rolls from the Old Bakehouse, a fantastic array of homemade cakes, teas, coffee and hot chocolate, a book stall, tombola and raffle.

Helping us keep in mind the reason for our event, we’ll have people from Squares for Blankets showing us how knitting or crocheting squares (or hats) can bring comfort to refugees.

We’ll also have copies of ‘Cartoon Kate‘s fantastic ‘Threads’ comic available. Threads tells the story of Kate’s first trip to volunteer in Calais in the most moving, funny, honest and graphic way.

We have a great variety of stalls for you too:

Jo Mccartney will be bringing ‘JoJo’s Shabby Chic‘ – gifts and interiors.

Vicki Templar will be bringing her wonderful Green lady Herbal Apothecary products.

Abi Crombie will be bringing her handmade home accessories and gifts, made with British fabrics and trims.

Tina Seviour will be exhibiting her sculptural and textural jewellery, made from silver and reclaimed vintage Indian sari silk.

Maia Rees of Funky Wombat Designs will be bringing her handmade, one of a kind vintage tweed and leather handbags.

Painted People will be bringing their fancy dress accessory stall: fairy wings, pixie ears, wands, tiaras, animal ears, pirate hats, foam swords, bubbles, glitter, face painting, glitter tattoos, and finger monsters!

We have amazing raffle prizes, including a painting by Lorna Thomas, hamper of goodies from Hillwalker Fudge, a voucher for a one day writing retreat with Kate McEwan, a signed book by Charles Dowding, a signed book by Kylie Fitzpatrick, jewellery from Goldsmiths Fair exhibitors Oxx Jewellery and Petra Bishai, a Younique gift voucher from Sarah Seewooruttun, bottles, chocolates, and many more besides!

And of course all this is happening at the Silk Mill, who have donated the use of their wonderful venue: many thanks Kate and Damon!

For those who can’t come, but would like to make a donation anyway, please click here!

 

Thank you so much for you wonderful response to our January appeal for mens winter clothing, sleeping bags, blankets, rucksacks and torches. Our room is now bursting to the seams, with an increasing amount arriving each of the three weeks! This is the room when we left it neat and tidy on Monday…

And this is the same room a couple of days later (with more bags out of camera sight)!

Although we’ve been sorting as we went along, and most bags of donations arrived beautifully labelled (which really helped), we’ve still got a fair way to go, as you can see.

Our next donation drop will be at the Silk Mill in Frome on Saturday 30th January, from 10.30 – 14.00, and will be for mens winter hats, scarves, and gloves, plus new mens socks and underpants (small and medium) only.

Even if you don’t have any of these items to donate please do come along. Even if you just have a cup of tea, you’ll be helping to fund our next donation delivering trip. All the wonderful donations you can see in the photos will cost us money to transport, and every little bit of financial support is much appreciated.

If you’d like to donate direct now, please visit our BT MyDonate site here.

And we look forward to seeing you on the 30th!

This week we’re opening our first donation point for 2016: many thanks to all at Mill on the Brue for hosting this! Click here for map

The items we’ll be accepting, address and drop-off times are listed below. It would help us if you would label the bags you bring to say what’s inside them. Many thanks!

Please note this Donation Drop point CLOSES on 21st January 2016!