by Val | Dec 18, 2011 | Val's blog
Last week I worked today at Ormskirk market, what a disaster couldn’t believe how empty it was and weather awful. 8 1/2 hrs today with travelling time.
Sunday 18th December 2011
I am doing hook a duck at local school 5 hrs.
Monday 19th December 2011
2 x pick ups in Liverpool as people want stuff out of their homes before Christmas – this is for our next shop. Around about 1 1/2hrs.
Tuesday 20th December 2011
I want to go and print stuff off that we need to put into bags that Gill Mc would find useful for in patients and day patients. Gill wants me to make up 2 slightly different bags with things in she thinks families might find useful and info on CHA. I will need to down loads pdf from cha web and I will input note pads for next to your phone and pens they will be done in our carrier bags. I will have Tommy and Tina colouring in pictures put in and I need to do a check of what newsletters we need printing again for clinic make sure they are up to date and plenty of them ready for our re launch in Jan. (Still awaiting confirmation from Ian ok for this to go ahead on date we discussed). I hope to be able to print these off from Alder Hey if not I might need to pop into my office and do them from there if systems will allow. Maybe I could take my laptop and connect to a printer will check this out. This maybe around 3-4 hrs.
Wednesday 21st December 2011
Mchouse doing preparation work for an evening meal. We the volunteers are cooking an evening meal for families who will be staying at Mchouse. I will also help with bedroom cleaning and ironing. Estimate 5hrs.
Thursday 22nd December 2011
I hope to be doing my ward buddy with Laura on K2.
That’s it for this week.
Happy Christmas
Val Frew
A very proud volunteer of CHA
by Val | Dec 12, 2011 | Val's blog
Just a reminder I am on hols this week. I still have a few things to do this week that were already in my diary so I will be doing them.
Monday 12th December 2011
Tonight I have prize bingo.
Saturday 17th December 2011
Awaiting confirmation if we have a book stall in Ormskirk, if so I will do that Sunday – we have been invited to a school in my area to do hook a duck were I will be doing that as well this week.
See you all soon.
Val Frew
A very proud volunteer of CHA
Update: just to let you know I have had confirmation we do have a market stall on Sat at Ormskirk so I will be doing that on Sat this week.
by Val | Dec 5, 2011 | Val's blog
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.
—
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
by Val | Nov 27, 2011 | Val's blog
Well next week is both a busy week and a very exciting week.
Monday 28th November 2011
We have charity shop. Thanks to everyone who has donated and keep any unwanted items comming. I will have the shop open Monday – Thursday. 9.30 – 4 (just 4 days, but on Thursday we need to close around 1pm so i can clear shop).
I will pick up volunteers in the mornings so will probably leave home around 8.40am and will drop them off to so probably home around 5pm ish.
Thursday 1st December 2011
I also have Liverpool branch meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm (will be wrapping this up around 9.15 as early start on Fri).
Friday 2nd December 2011
We are off to Euro Disney with families of CHA. What a trip this will be.
Val Frew
A very proud volunteer of CHA
by Val | Nov 20, 2011 | Val's blog
Last Wednesday I was not able to do notice boards at Liverpool Alder Hey as Becky’s husband called me Tuesday night to say she was sick and Becky had the material and I don’t even live near her to pick up so we will arrange when she is better. Instead I met with Gill McBurney cardiac liaison nurse at Alder hey and discussed what they need and where our advertising will go.
Then I went to the storage unit and made up some Christmas goody bags, then took them back to Debbie in clinic to sell for us, so time was not wasted or lost. I used the time for this. More awareness for us and fundraising too.
Monday 21st November 2011
Working at Ronald Mcdonald house at Alder hey ( this is the family’s home from home whilst at hospital) 5 hrs
Wednesday 23rd November 2011
Youth forum meeting in Manchester children’s hospital in the evening. Anne I will see you there. during the day I would also like to do the notice boards and meet with Linda and Kim if possible. I will contact Kim tomorrow as didn’t get a chance at our Ball of Hearts last night. estimate time with travelling 5hrs? Carol when I speak to Kim tomorrow I will ask her about doing some kind of coffee session for familys or awareness and get back to you on best date and time we can do that suits.
Thursday 24th November 2011
Exec meeting at Alder hey 3hrs and during the day I would like to do some more pick ups for our shop stuff as had some text of people letting me know they have stuff to be collected. estimate 5hrs
Friday 25th November 2011
Day off
Saturday 26th November 2011
Children’s Heart Association family day out to Manchester Science museum and Christmas market. Setting up shop for next week.
—
I would point out that other than Exec meeting this week, shop pick up’s and day out none of the rest of the help and support I will be doing would have been possible had it not been for my secondment. As a direct result of my secondment you can see how much more I am able to achieve.
Val Frew
A very proud volunteer of CHA
by Val | Nov 13, 2011 | Val's blog
Monday 14 November 2011
Christmas Prize Bingo Food shopping, make sandwiches, etc., pick up people who don’t drive, then Prize Bingo 7.00 p.m. to around 9.30 p.m. then drop people off at home (around five hours).
Tuesday 15 November 2011
Day off
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Doing notice boards Ward K2, 01 Clinic and MacHouse (around 4 hours) Get books from storage for book sale (1 hour 30 mins)
Thursday 17 November 2011
Book sale Ormskirk Market 7.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. (8 hours) helps with fundraising and awareness of CHA in the community. Put excess books in storage (around 1 hour 20 mins) A direct result of secondment as normally I would be at work during this time and it would not be possible for me to get volunteers there as they don’t drive and I need to be at work.
Friday 18 November 2011
Drop prizes at Formby Hall ready for big day on Saturday.
Saturday 19 November 2011
The Ball – that’s a day and evening event to set up and host – but it’s well worth it.
Val Frew
A very proud volunteer of CHA
