I learnt about the Children’s Air Ambulance Charity in 2023. Although I knew of the regional air ambulance charities, I had never heard of a children’s air ambulance. I decided that more people needed to be made aware of the charity’s existence and that it would be my charity for 2024/5.
They have two helicopters covering the whole of England, specially kitted out with equipment for children, including incubators, and working with specialist staff to transfer very sick children to specialist hospitals.
Time is of the essence for these children and the helicopter can shave as much as 5 hours off of the equivalent road journey. However, the cost of this service is phenomenal:
Visit their website to find out more.
Launched at Craft 4 Crafters, Exeter in March 2023 year, Crafting by Steph started fundraising for Yeovil Hospital Charity for their Breast Cancer Unit Appeal.
I chose this particular charity because I have a good friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer during COVID and had to deal with all that entails in what was very difficult time. As if it’s not difficult enough dealing with breast cancer.
Funds were raised by £1 for every online booking through this website for my craft workshops being donated. I also ran draws at major events to win a set of my Abstract by Steph Jewellery worth £25. I also hosted a Coffee Morning at Ilchester Town Hall, which included a raffle and tombola. A donation pot was available at every event.
The final total raised was £519.63. Thank you very much to all who contributed financially and/in time to help me raise this wonderful amount.
Crafting by Steph’s first charity project was to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society and was launched at Craft 4 Crafters Exeter in March 2022, coming to an end on 30th June 2023 with a draw to win the Freeform Crochet Wall Hanging made during this time.
My Dad had Alzheimer’s and I could not have got through it without the help of the wonderful people in the organisation and their volunteers, particularly Bridport Memory Cafe.
Dad had been primary carer for Mum who was a severely disabled wheelchair user. When he said,’I’m not making the tea! That woman over there does nothing, but sit down all day’, It was heartbreaking for both Mum and me. They had been married over 60 years.
A call went out to crocheters in the West Country to make Scrumbles and send to me for inclusion in the wall hanging.
Scrumbles are freeform motives, random in shape and made up of a combination of basic and pattern stitches. There are no written patterns. There are no Rule. Anything goes!
It took lots of crochet workshops to get crocheters to forget about written patterns and teaching them to go with the flow. I had no idea how difficult it was going to be. Collecting enough Scrumbles and put them together on a backing. I have also added a few extra notions for fun.
The wall hanging completed and was on display at events Crafting by Steph, at Yandles Art & Craft Shop and in Yeovil Art Space.
As the winner of the draw, Lis Stokes was presented with the wall hanging. The final amount raised was £127.99
