Reports From The Week

Friday 29th May - SOS Evening - The Toby, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Report from Kim -  " I would once again like to say a HUGE thank you to Jonathan Seed manager of the Toby and of course all of his staff, they are always very supportive to our troops. I would also like to thank Joyce for helping me out last night, thanks Joyce!   My tombola was one of my events for S.O.S.  Awareness week at The Toby Kenton Bank Foot. All of the tombola prizes were items which had been donated by supporters during the past months amongst other bags and parcels but I was unable to send out to British troops for various reasons. We chatted to some lovely people and heard many of their own stories connected to their friends or family members in the forces. THANK YOU to everyone at the Toby for showing your support for the British Forces, thanks for every pound spent on my tombola, due to your kindness the grand total raised was....  £177.36.  This fantastic amount will be sending lots of care parcels and morale to our men and women serving away from their loved ones! Kim xxx"

Friday 29th May - Street Collection Exeter City

The street collection in Exeter organised by Peter raised the wonderful amount of £382.

Sincere thanks to everyone who contributed.

Saturday 30th May - SOS Stand Asda

Report from Linda - " The SOS day at Asda was a huge success.  We collected £350.00 in cash and had a load of shopping given as well. Spoke to loads of people with family 'out there' and gave out loads of information on SOS. We'd like to thank Asda for their hospitality and everyone who contributed on the day.  Also sincere thanks to Chris, Chelsea, Yas and Diane for all their help."

Saturday 30th May - Street Collection Torquay

The street collection in Exeter organised by Peter raised the wonderful amount of £197.

Sincere thanks to everyone who contributed.

Sunday 31st May - Store Collection Morrisons Bromsgrove

Maria, Irene and Pam did a collection at Morrisons in Bromsgrove. Irene handed out shopping lists asking customers to purchase something from the list for a soldier and Pam and Maria collected cash in our boots.  Thanks to the wonderful support always received by Morrisons in Bromsgrove and the customers we raised £228.84 in cash and approx £200 worth of shopping which is now at Irenes for sending out to the boys and girls over a period of time.   It was a gorgeous day so we set up in the sunshine!

Sunday 31st May - Beanie Baby Tombola Jarrow Festival

Report from Joyce - "We had a lovely day yesterday at the Primrose Community centre helped of course by the fact that it was wonderfully sunny!  The Beanie Baby tombola raised £215.02 which we're delighted with.  We've also booked in at the same event next year, and hopefuly made a few good contacts.  The partner of Sue (the lady who organised it) is already in for the Great North Run and has promised to split his sponsor money with SOS!  So a great result, many thanks to everyone who contributed towards the day!  Joyce xx"

  Monday 1st to Friday 5th June - BAE Systems, Samlesbury

Report from Brian - " Once again many thanks to all the workers at B.A.E.Systems Salmesbury nr. Preston for their enthusiastic ongoing support for S.O.S.   Val, Michaela, Brian Lawrenson and Kerry organised a well presented display for Awareness week, which attracted a lot of attention.   The result was a full donations box and many merchandise items sold.   There are many packed parcels promised and there are several bins placed around the site for donations for parcels.   At present we have collected over 500 pounds with more to follow!     Fantastic effort!!    Well done,  thank you so much for your tremendous support."  And sincere thanks from us all here too, BAE Systems continued support is veyr much appreciated.

Monday 1st to Friday 5th June - Kenton Bar Primary School

Report from Kim - "I approached Kenton Bar Primary School to see if they would like to take part in the Support Our Soldiers Awareness Week. Kenton Bar decided they
wanted to show their support for the British Troops serving away from home
right now so work began! Assemblies were given, during the two assemblies
the children between the ages of 4 and 11 years of age listened to what
S.O.S. is all about. The children were very interested and really keen to
help show support to members of our forces serving over-seas, so following
the assembly many children stayed behind to write "postcards" with their own
messages which were lovely! Staff, parents and children collected many parcel fillers to make care parcels to remind our young men and women that we are thinking about them, I was able to make around 15 boxes with the donated items. I also received a
cash donation of £40.00 so a great amount of support from Kenton Bar during
Awareness Week.  The parcels have been wrapped and posted off to Afghanistan now along with the lovely messages written by the children, I am sure the men and women
will enjoy reading them and looking at some of the great pictures the
children took time to draw. A HUGE thank you to staff parents and children of K.B. for showing so much support to the British Armed Forces.  Kim xxx"

Monday 1st to Friday 5th June - Woodlands School, Derbyshire

Report from Helen - "Students at Woodlands Secondary worked really hard to support SOS Awareness Week and I was really proud of their efforts! It all began with an assembly entitled 'Heroes', followed by a daily sale of cakes and special SOS badges and keyrings. A total of £90.82 was raised. Thanks to everyone involved! Helen- SOS"

Wednesday 3rd & Thursday 4th June - Store Collection Morrisons Taunton

Sincere thanks to Peter and all the staff and customers at Morrisons in Taunton for their wonderful contributions.  The amazing sum of £742 was raised over the two days.

Friday 5th June - Fundraiser at Bodmin Pre-school

Report from Amy - "I would like to express a huge thanks to the staff, parents and children of Bodmin Pre-school who collected goods which totalled enough donations to make up approximatly 4 boxes. I would also like to give a special thanks to Lance Corprol Montague (Royal Marines) who gave up his last morning of delayed Easter leave to come in and speak to the children all of whom are aged 2-4yrs. The children were all attentative and loved helping make up the care parcels that are to be sent out to troops in Afghanistan or Iraq."  Fantastic Amy, thank you!

Friday 5th June - Street Collection Bideford

The street collection in Exeter organised by Peter raised the wonderful amount of £56.

Sincere thanks to everyone who contributed.

Saturday 6th June - Trinity Arts Festival Opening Concert

Our sincere thanks to Liz and Graham Walker for their donation of £100 raised at the annual Arts Festival at Holy Trinity Church in Southport.  Thanks too to everyone who contributed towards this.

Saturday 6th June - Phoenix Singers Concert, Barnsley

Report from Joy - "Well last night was my Charity Concert and although I have organised a few other events since I became an A/C this was the biggest. There were more than a few problems leading upto this event but WOW on the night it was fantastic. The Pheonix Singers were phenomenal, Kales poems very very well received, reducing several people to tears and the entire evening was a massive success. The feedback from many people was great, everyone loved the entire evening. People think SOS do a fantastic job and wanted to learn as much as they could.

I have to thank the following people for all their help,support and friendship:-
Wendy and Alwyn from the Pheonix Singers for starting the whole ball rolling.
Celia the Musical Director of the Pheonix Singers - She does a great job.
The Pheonix Singers - You were out of this world.
All who are connected to St. Thomas Church - for allowing us to use your beautiful church and church hall for free.
Bob, Julie, Pat and Phillip for your help and support in everything I do for SOS.
Jo A/C from Sheffield a big thanks for coming along and supporting me.
Well having said all my thanks I know you are all wanting to know how much we raised so here is the answer - £586.50!!!!! An amount which I am really really proud of given the poor start to this event. Finally I just want to thank everyone who came along last night and for all the lovely comments. Well done to all involved. xxxx"

Saturday 6th June - Store Collection Somerfield, Kings Heath

Report from Natalie - "The Somerfield store collection went well and lots of items were donated for parcels.  I would like to thank Somerfield, Kings Heath for their kind help and support! Total raised was £63.54"

Saturday 6th June - Street Collection Torquay

The street collection in Torquay organised by Peter raised the wonderful amount of £315.  Sincere thanks to everyone who contributed.

Sat 6th & Sun 7th June - Store Collection Morrisons, Bodmin

Sincere thanks to Amy and her team who raised the grand total of £492.75 at the collections in Morrisons.

Sat 6th & Sun 7th June - Trentham Gardens, Stoke On Trent

Report from Pauline " OPERATION TRENTHAM GARDENS  was to be our huge fund raising day in Stoke-on-Trent but unfortunately it was a disaster mainly due to the awful weather.  We should have known when the forecast gave out severe weather warnings for the weekend, however off we set early Saturday morning. Once we were told where to set up etc we put up the awning as quickly as we could but were hindered by awful rain and winds. To say we were soaked is an understatement.  We had to keep sitting in the car with the heater running just to get warm.  It wasnt long before the stall next to us had a small river running straight through it!   Around 14:00 after only a hand full of people turning up and not all of these coming to visit us we decided to call it a day. Really felt bad doing this but no one was about which is what decided it for us, if we had of being getting lots of donations etc then we would have stayed but as it was when we opened the collection tin, there was a grand total of ...........£4.60!!! On the Sunday I got up and looked through the curtains, saw that it was even worse than the Saturday and got back into bed. Such a shame as Trentham Gardens is a beautiful estate and you could not have wished for a better location to stage the D. Day landings that were planned. So SOSAW for me was a wash out in more ways than one but never one to be put off for long there are more events in the planning...!"

  Saturday 6th June - SOS Table Top Sale and Fete

Sadly the weather once again did it's worst and many of the attractions planned by Rachael for the fete had to be cancelled.  Nonetheless the wonderful sum of £100.75 was raised.  Sincere thanks to everyone involved for their efforts.

  Sunday 7th June - Fun Run & Family Fun Day

Well the forecast was for heavy rain and gale force winds, but thankfully the rain stayed away and the first Bingley 5k Fun Run and Family Day went ahead as planned.  We didn't have huge crowds, due to the weather and to other events happening locally, but those who turned up really made this a day to remember.  Over £1,500 was taken on the day before costs, and we're waiting for sponsorship monies to come in, so the total raised will be announced shortly.

We'd like to say very special thanks to everyone who made such a marvellous effort -

Bingley Detachment Army Training Cadets for all their wonderful help and for the first aid display, Bingley Amateurs for the Wartime Singalongs which were thoroughly enjoyed, Hayley J for her fabulous performance - (Hallelujah and Get Here certainly provoked a few tears!), Paul Harper the amazing 1940s entertainer who kept the show well and truly running, the City of Bradford Pipe Band for their wonderful performances which they did free of charge for us, Bingley Rotary Club for all their help with the marshalling of the run, Chris and Andy at the Arts Centre for all their help setting up, and to our fab team of volunteers - Judith, Gillian, Kat, Mandy, Bev, Anita & David, Becky, Sammi and Beth.  As always they were absolute stars and the day simply wouldn't have happened without them.

Thanks to the teams who took part in the run, special efforts made by the Forces Sweethearts, The Convicts from Millennium and 118 118 from JDA.  Fabulous costumes, we'll have some pictures soon!  And thanks to everyone of the 74 runners.  The youngest was little Charlie at just 10 months and the oldest Mary Peel of Bingley at an amazing 83 years! 

The day concluded with a balloon release with a yellow balloon being released for each of our Servicemen and women lost in Afghanistan and Iraq.  This was a very moving experience as you can imagine.

The total raised for the day £561.26 which includes sponsorship monies from Mary Peel, Mary Nommik, Donald Davies, Amanda Sagar, Mel Millary, Penny Taylor & Chris Russell and Anna Christie.  And a donation of £200 from Bradford Council towards the event.  Sincere thanks to them all.

Friday 12th June - Street Collection Morrisons Tiverton

The street collection in Teverton organised by Peter raised the wonderful amount of £474.  Sincere thanks to everyone who contributed.

Saturday 13th June - Street Collection Tesco Paignton

The street collection in Paignton organised by Peter raised the wonderful amount of £433.  Sincere thanks to everyone who contributed.

On behalf of everyone here at Support Our Soldiers may we add special thanks to Peter who organised and attended 8 events over the Awareness Week. We are extremely grateful to him for his amazing dedication.  To stand all day, particularly when the weather was not kind, is not easy, but the results of his determination are wonderful and we do appreciate all that he does for our boys and girls.