This time last year, we said that we were hoping to expend a little less energy over the next twelve months. This is one target we did not achieve, but we can certainly be proud of our fundraising efforts this year.
We began in red, white and blue for our VE Day celebratory evening on 8th May, where we catered for 70 guests. Even the food and decorations in the village hall reflected the patriotic theme. Guests enjoyed an informative and detailed talk from Colonel Porter about the long, harsh years endured during the occupation in the Channel Islands, when residents were left defenceless. After the break, everyone took part in a wartime-themed quiz courtesy of Vanessa, before ending the evening with some communal singing.
At Hey Day, our loaded tables once again proved popular, and Linda very kindly took on the responsibility of distributing unsold items to Blandford Hospital shops. We will miss her this year, but Pat assures us she has the key to the warehouse!
The August Bank Holiday saw the return of the Art Trail, where we sold drinks, sandwiches and homemade cakes at the Village Hall. It proved to be our best year so far, with many generous donations of cakes and sausage rolls. One chocolate cake even had to be re-baked by Natalie Wheen after an unfortunate (and expensive!) mishap involving her daughter’s dog.
We then moved on to the Cheese Festival, which Linda and Vanessa once again organised with great success. The event was extremely well run, particularly from a health and safety perspective.
Our Christmas Wreath Making event on 5th December in Hazelbury Bryan was enjoyed by all who attended. With coffee and shortbread, vegetable soups, rolls, bubbly, and afternoon tea and cake included in the £40 ticket, it was a full and festive day. Anne and Cynth put a tremendous amount of work into planning both the morning and afternoon sessions, resulting in another highly enjoyable occasion with excellent demonstrators.
Although we were disappointed that our £10,000 donation to Julia’s House could not be match-funded during the Big Give week, we understand that new contributors were being prioritised. A further £1,000 was agreed to be donated to Blackmore Vale Home-Start. Approximately 10% of our takings – £450 – was also passed on to the Rotary Club of Sturminster Newton following the Cheese Festival.
Our most recent event was an antiques talk and afternoon tea at the Tithe Barn in Hinton St Mary. Thanks go to Linda for liaising with Mrs Pitt-Rivers, who kindly allowed us to use the barn free of charge, and for suggesting Tim Medhurst as our speaker. What an excellent choice he proved to be! He was truly engaging and has even offered to return for a valuation day in the future. The event required a great deal of work from everyone involved, but the effort was well rewarded—we are still receiving compliments from the 70-plus guests who attended.
So as I step down as Chair, I do so with confidence in the future of SERO. We have strong foundations, a passionate group, and a clear sense of purpose. When I first took on this role, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but what I found was a group of people who care deeply, give generously of their time, and work quietly but effectively to make a difference. So it’s been a privilege to be part of that.
Together, we continue to support the people and causes which matter to us and everyone’s contribution has mattered. I’m proud of what we achieve together.
I’d especially like to thank Kate whose support and guidance have meant a great deal to me personally plus a big thank you to everyone who has worked so hard this year.
Kate Partridge and Julie Little