THE CHELSEA COLLECTORS

I spent the first hour of the day collecting for the charity at the Chelsea Flower Show; always good for the soul to see how generous many people are.  Fascinating also to see the people who you thunk would give and sometimes know walk by transfixed by something over the horizon.  Never mind despite yesterdays down pour the collectors have done well, all supported by a fine background crew who were counting organising or just brewing tea.  The Pensioners did us proud once more.  I was able to have a chat with good old Baxterbear who tried to hug me, but I saw it coming and ran!  He has done us really well as our mascot at Chelsea and was a welcome addition to our crew.  Well done all those collectors including Robin Bacon who collected £480 this afternoon.  

BAXTERBEAR MEETS OLD FRIEND AT CHELSEA

It's Chelsea Flower Show week and as usual we are collecting at the show and its going very well indeed breaking some of the previous year's records.  But this year we have Baxterbear himself to help us.  He is a great supporter of the Charity and here he is meeting up with an old flame.  It was amusing to see the reactions of people as Baxterbear welcomed them with open arms. 

ANOTHER ONE!!

And here is Oliver Davey who was part of the skydiving team of lunatics grinning like a Cheshire cat or should I say Cheshire Tiger? Good man he has raised £600 so far so roll up, roll up. 

YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS!!

Kirsty, our lively and sporting National Events Coordinator did a tandem skydive last Friday. She must be mad!! But as she had lost an office bet she had to do it in a tiger costume, this has parallels to the fact our skydiving parachute team from PWRR are nicknamed ‘the tigers’! Grrr! Doesn't she look sweet? 


Her tandem instructor was called Hans, an advanced instructor from the airfield but as she was absolutely terrified, 2 of the tigers (Sgt Dave Clarke and Pte Shane Hind) offered to ‘’dock’’ onto her skydive, in other words  hold her hand during free fall, oh yea?  

-       She did this along with 5 other very brave staff members from the fundraising & comms team; we’re hoping our supporters will sign up for one of our big charity jump days this summer.  "They" are also hoping I may join them!  Dream on, there is no way I am going to get myself professionally terrified

PLANTED OUT

To day was the Eyford Plant Sale at this wonderful house and garden in Gloucestershire.  About 3,500 people came on a sunny and windy day. The event went really well and here is part of the ABF team who manned our tent which at one ateg nearly blew away.  The Lord Lieutenant came and helped us set up at 8.30 am and here she is on the right helping us brief followers with our ubiquitous Regional Fundraiser Tony Moorby who sadly leaves the charity in a few months time.  Is he smiling at the thought?  No surely not!!