Bromham concert for Utange

Another fabulous event. This concert featured so many excellent musicians.  I had a stall, and sold over £100 worth of items within the space of less than half an hour, during the interval.  It has to ahve been my fastest selling ever!
As usual, I had some great conversations, and am hoping for a few repeat customers at the December Crafts Cakes and Produce event in Church Lane Community Centre in Bedford.

Shefford Gala

This is the first year I have been to this event.  Hopefully it will not be the last.  It was a lovely event - and a large one, as village events go.  Lots of sunshine, and lots of lovely contacts made, including two new volunteers to help with the sewing.  I am finding it very exciting to see how complete strangers see the value of what I am doing, and want to be actively involved. 
Just to put the icing on the cake, the lovely Frances came along and helped me to set up.  That was so much appreciated.  Even more wonderfully, despite having a Sunday lunch date with her mum, Frances returned to help me pack the stall away.  Setting up and packing down are by far my least favourite parts of an event, but her help made it so much easier.  Thank you, Frances, and thank you Shefford!

Caddington Village Show

What a wet one!
This was a way out of my territory, and came courtesy of a supporter of the Utange project, Cindy.  Cindy is one of my gradually growing group of helpers; she has previously taken boxes of bags into various groups for me, to raise funds, and has collected lots of denim and other fabric.  It was a pleasure (despite the rain) to go along to this event.  I really enjoyed the hog roast as well!  Possibly the highlight was watching a little girl, probably no more than 5 years old, thoroughly enjoying the mini flood produced around a drain which was unable to cope with the torrential rain.  I'm not sure her Mum shared my enjoyment, when the result was a need to return home for dry clothes!

Biddenham show

I have been going to this show for some time.  In fact, this was the first show I took on without the support of those who set up the Utange project.  It is always a lovely event, and this year we had the weather to match.  It is one of the few events we tend to do as a family.  Usually my husband comes along to do face painting, but this year it clashed with the Guitar Show, so Biddenham lost out!  However, I did have the lovely Emma step in to take on the face painting.  My daughter Hannah came to run a very successful toy tombola, and raised nearly half the total takings!

I had lots of lovely conversations at the sale, and have since had fabric and jeans donated as a direct result.  Thank you Biddenham show, and the hard-working show committee!

St John's Hospice Country Fair

A lovely summer day, and a very well organised event in aid of the Sue Ryder St John's Hospice at Moggerhanger.  The crowds were out in force, and it was a very profitable stall for Utange, which was great after a few less profitable ones recently.

on piZap.com
I enjoyed the help of my daughter for this event as well, and had lots of great conversations.  I met up with F, who would like to help me make bags (fabulous!) and with M and her son, who would like to help at events (also fabulous!) I received lots of offers of jeans (always gratefully received) and a number of suggestions of other events to attend.  I'll wait and see if I am contacted about any of those, and if so, work out how to find time to do them!!

Thank you St John's Hospice - I hope to be back next year!

As a side note, I am nearly half way to my target for the year's fund raising now.  The second half of the year, particularly the run up to Christmas, is usually more profitable than the first, so I am hopeful of meeting the target.

Bromham Show

Last year's Bromham show was heavily impacted (pun intended!) by rain.  Terrific storms, torrential downpoars - but still a great atmosphere.  In terms of weather, this year could not have provided a greater contrast.  The sun shone throughout the day - so much so that sitting outside my gazebo proved unwise, and consequently I managed noe of the cutting out I had carefully taken with me!  Fortunately I was well looked after and provided with an almost unending supply of drinks by the volunteers from the local churches.
It was a long day (particularly as I left the house at 7am to help cook bacon butties for those setting up the show!)  Sales were down on last year by some considerable amount.  I am not sure whether this was due to everyone spending their money on icecreams and drinks, or simply that this is the fourth year that I have been to Bromham show - and Bromham is a small village, so most people in it have already had the chance to buy my wares!  However, I had some good conversations, and a prime position for the displays in the main arena.  The two highlights, for me, were the sheepdog and duck displays, and the arrival of the RAF Falcons parachuting team - though we also had a football match, dancing, races, a double flypast and a vintage car display!
I'll leave youw ith some more photos of the day:
on piZap.com

Oops!

Time to get into the habit of posting again!  I have lots of photos to upload, but in the meantime, for any readers / visitors in the area of Bedford, UK, here are the events I have so far booked for this year.
19/5/2013 - Pentecost in the Park
27/5/2013 "Vanity Fair" at Kathy Brown's Gardens, Stevington, 1pm to 4pm
1/6/2013 Bedford Crafts, Produce and a cuppa at Church Lane Community Centre, 9am to 1pm
8/6/2013 Stony Stratford Riverside Fair, Millfield, Stony Stratford, 1pm to 4pm
25 and 26 June 2013 E2BN conference. Wybosten Lakes Conference centre (for delegates only)
28/6/2013 Henlow Academy Summer Fair, Henlow C of E Academy, Henlow, Beds, 6pm to 8pm
29/06/2013 Houghton Conquest Summer Fete
14/7/2013 Bromham Show, 1pm to 5pm
24/08/2013 Kempston Fun Day at Addison Howard Park, Kempston, 12 noon - 5pm
8/9/2013 Biddenham Show, St James' School Field, Biddenham, 12pm - 4pm
14/9/2013 Caddington Village Show at HEathfield Lower school, Caddington, 2pm - 4.30pm
5/10/2013 Bedford Crafts, Produce and a cuppa at Church Lane Community Centre, 9am to 1pm 
2/11/2013 Cambourne Craft Fair at Cambourne Church, 1pm - 4pm.
17/11/2013 Stratton Upper School Christmas Fair
7/12/2013 Bedford Crafts, Produce and a cuppa at Church Lane Community Centre, 9am to 1pm 
21/12/2013 Huntingdon Craft Fair

(The list of events may give some indication as to a reason for the lack of postings recently!! If you would like to help at any events listed, please do let me know - I would really appreciate it, particularly with setting up and putting down stalls.)