Hope you are all well.
I will start with our Euro Disney trip at the weekend. It was fantastic except for the cold and rain. We flew out Friday morning and it was good everyone showed up either early or right on time. We were met at the airport by an operations manager and were shown where to check in . After that we were shown to our room in the airport I had booked.
It was great for all of us to be together so we could meet each other and discuss a few plans for weekend. Security came to our room and went through security briefing and explained to the kids what to expect if the alarm when off during security scanning. We had photo’s taken and the staff loved seeing the kids. They made us very welcome and stayed with us right until we were on board, 1 manager even got on with us and made sure we were all happy. Did I mention the VIP boarding they gave us too? Kids were delighted with the fact that they and their family’s got to board before all other passengers and could choose their seats. The front of the aeroplane was filled with us.
When there we had breakfast together and evening meal on Sat together. We said hello to one another if we saw each other out and about and some of us met in the bar in the evening for a drink and chat and a catch up. (some of the families are a bad influence on me I was to be found in the bar each night and sometime till 12.45), but it was lovely.
Weather as expected was very wet and cold but we just had to wrap up and grin and bear it. Kids loved the characters and we had a character breakfast. They loved the rides as did I. The bonus on taking such a big group away was that if anyone was in the queue before me if I was on my own I would queue jump because after all I was with that family. Also I got to see a show from a good vantage point as a family with child in wheelchair shouted me when they saw me so I just went and sat by them and didn’t get moved, but there were spaced if anyone needed them in disabled spec or I would have moved,.
The feedback was great and I have asked family’s to share there experience with us and photo’s. Michele I have asked them to send direct to you by end of this week. can you set up a folder to keep them in and then I can see feedback in writing and pics. Then we will need to get pics on web and a newsletter done.
We finally got home around 12.30am as delays on plane due to thunder storms here in Liverpool and hailstones. So planes could not fly back to Liverpool for a while then we needed to get a crew as the others had no flying hours left. I think when we see the feedback we will all agree that the trip was well worth doing and families who had not met before met and bonded and shared there story’s and experiences. Our aim was to get family’s together, have a great time and bond. I definitely feel this was achieved and I know I have made some new friends this weekend.
Today should be the start of my official holidays from work however I have so much to do this week that if ok with everyone I will postpone till next week. Any objections please let me know.
Monday 5th December 2011
Today I had to go to storage and tidy up in there as last Thursday when we finished shop I just had to more or less throw stuff back in as I also had a branch meeting at Alder Hey I needed to do Thursday night. We made about £550 in shop. not bad considering it wasn’t a full week and last wed I had to drive there via Runcorn bridge as tunnels were closed so didn’t open till 10am and closed at 2.45 as didn’t want to get stuck in traffic. on wed if it had not been for my secondment shop would not have been open as my helpers don’t drive and no trains either so they would not have been able to get there. Today I also done pick up’s from 3 peoples houses.
Tomorrow I will have a day off. ( meeting I was going to in Birmingham has been cancelled till Feb).
Wednesday 7th December 2011
I have a meeting at Alder hey at Mchouse and a few charities meet at this meeting. Rep’s from Mchouse, Imagine appeal,Chics and wrvs meet. This is the first meeting this year I will be able to attend as usually I take a days holiday from work but with my nan needing so many hospital appointments this year I have been using my days holidays to take her so didn’t have enough left to go to the other meetings this year, as a direct result of my secondment I will be able to attend, after this I will stay at Mchouse and help around there for a few hours.
Thursday 8th December 2011
I need to do preparation work for our grotto on sat and I need to wrap presents from Santa and do a little bit of decorating. I also need to get prizes ready for our hook a duck and tombola stalls.
Friday 9th December 2011
I need to bake some cakes for sat and I need to go shopping for bingo prizes as prize bingo next Monday. I will still do that even though on hols as don’t want to let our supporters down
Saturday 10th December 2011
I have our Christmas grotto in Whiston. I can do this as a direct result of secondment as if I wasn’t on secondment I would be in work as my Saturday in.
Sunday 11th December 2011
I have our Christmas party in Alder hey.
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So as you can see another busy week for me, not that I mind, I enjoy doing this.
I have had an email from Alder Hey and they are going to look at me being a buddy on K2 with Lorna – let you know when that starts, and what it entails.
Val Frew
A very proud volunteer of CHA