Month: December 2016

On Christmas Day, Trust chairman Ray Collins left home at 6.30am to meet three cooks at the Wantage Health & Wellbeing Centre. While most people were still asleep, the cooks prepped the SIX turkeys and they were put in the oven at 7am. The team then set about tackling the kilos of vegetables: parsnips, carrots, sprouts and potatoes.

The previous day Ray and several Trustees and volunteers had transformed the centre into a banquet hall fit for a king. 18 tables were dressed and decorated with gold & white table cloths, gold napkins and handmade Christmas centre pieces provided by Hazel Stanyon. Snowman cupcake holders from Waitrose also added fun and colour to the arrangements.

At 10am a fleet of volunteers drivers started collecting the lucky guests and bringing them to the centre. Each guest was greeted with a Christmas card from the Trust and seated with a drink of their choice.

At 11am a group of local folk musicians and singers led by Howard Hill played some festive favourites. The Wantage Town Mayor Steve Trinder arrived and wished everyone a very Merry Christmas and spent time talking to the guests before returning to his own Christmas festivities.

Just after midday the Wantage Silver Band popped in and treated everyone to several carols which got everyone singing along and having fun.

Forty-four people who would have spent Christmas alone, then enjoyed a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, a choice of Christmas pudding or apple pie & custard, mince pies and coffee. Then everyone was given a lift home with their Christmas hamper and box of chocolates and leftover turkey for evening supper.

The only disappointment were several people too ill to attend. With four in hospital, it put a tinge of sadness on the day. A couple of meals and hampers were delivered and hopefully the others will be well enough soon to receive theirs.

A massive thank you to all our helpers today: Tracy Wilson, Debbie Burberry, Castel Fairlie, the Harvey Family, Liz & Ken Peach, Robert Huffnagle, Chris May, Peter Williams, Les Bury and his wife, Katie Buckingham, Marie & Roy Clarke John Durban, Declan Laycock, Annette, Daniel, Jasper and Mathew Edwards, Fiona Frost, Sarah Crayford, Howard Hill and his musicians, The Wantage Silver Band who were all fantastic.

A special mention to two young ladies who were amazing and went above and beyond today: Bryony Wilson and Holly Jackson.

Both girls were completely at ease talking to the guests. They served food and drinks all day, tidied, carried hampers all with smiles on their faces and really bonded with the guests. Nothing was too much trouble. Often teens get a bad rap, but these two were exceptional today and we at the Trust are so proud of them both.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our supporters and thank you to Waitrose Wantage, Challow & Childrey Cricket Club and all of you for making this happen.

If ever there was an event that epitomises our slogan “Making a real difference in our community”, it’s this one.

The Ray Collins Charitable Trust had a very busy week leading up to Christmas. After making 120 hampers, over sixty were delivered in and around Wantage with the help of the Wantage Neighbourhood Police Team, trustees and the October Club.

On Tuesday 20th December the Trust were contacted about helping a local mum and her poorly child. Minnie Cutis’ 9-year old daughter Maria had undergone a kidney transplant when she was only 2 years old. Recently, Maria had become very unwell, rapidly losing weight and weighing less than 3 stone. Maria had been admitted to hospital in London and is hopefully on the mend.

Facing the prospect of spending Christmas Day miles away from her four brothers and sisters, and with no other family to help out, the Trust sent a special Christmas hamper packed with goodies to help both Maria and her mum enjoy the Christmas holidays wherever they spend it.

All the Trustees would like to wish Minnie and all her children a Merry Christmas. We are all hoping and praying Maria makes a full and speedy recovery.

Minnie and Maria received their hamper on Thursday evening 22nd December. They were both thrilled and touched with everyone’s generosity.

“This appeal is exactly why the trust was set up,” said Trust chairman Ray Collins, “Helping a desperate local mum facing being apart from her four other children and friends at Christmas to care for a very poorly daughter miles away was a no brainer. The Trustees didn’t hesitate to put together a huge hamper full of treats and staple foods to see Minnie and Maria through this tough time.”

Then, on Thursday 22nd December, Trustees from The Ray Collins Charitable Trust were joined by some naughty elves from Santa’s workshop. Together they delivered several hundred pounds worth of Christmas presents and Christmas food to a local family with a seriously ill parent. The Trust had raised funds the month before at our Chilli Quiz Night, to help this family get through Christmas at the toughest of times.

We purchased Christmas presents including brand new Christmas outfits for the three children aged 3, 5 and 8 as their mum would have done, Kindles, Paw Patrol toys, One Direction items, a huge turkey and all the trimmings, puddings, fruit, veg, Christmas crackers, cheese boards, biscuits, chestnuts, chocolates and much more to last through the holidays. We also hope to pay for a day trip during the holidays for the family to a venue of their choice.

We would like to thank everyone who supported our Quiz Night, including Dews Meadow Farm Shop, Peter Ledbury Ltd and KA Fitness. Thank you for enabling this wonderful family to have as enjoyable a Christmas as is possible at this extremely worrying time. Let’s hope 2017 brings them the greatest gift of all.