2011
December 13th/14th
The two concerts were very successful, playing to nearly-full audiences on both evening. We were treated to excellent instrumental and singing performances by some very talented students - and a very well rehearsed choir of students, staff, parents, governors and friends, including an Acorn supporter. The money raised from takings and the income from the two raffles and stalls, is likely to be of the order of £1800. So our grateful thanks to all who were involved, particularly our volunteers who worked so hard to make the evenings such a success. What do we have as our major fund-raising event next year?
November - Arrangements for sale of concert tickets
Tickets are now on sale for the two Xmas concerts on December 13th/14th. The tickets for both evenings have been initially allocated equally for sale via Acorn and Hinchingbrooke School.
The school tickets (120 each evening) are largely intended for parents, staff and the children.
Acorn tickets (also 120 each evening) are available to sell to members and the general public. (NB. As at 22nd November some 60 Acorn tickets have already been sold
The poster below refers only to tickets sales via the school. The Acorn tickets are available via Gordon Dyer . Send Gordon an email giving your requirements for tickets and a telephone number. Gordon will then contact you suggesting alternative ways for you to get the tickets from him.
October
Has been a good month for us in terms of obtaining funding. We have received grants from Npower Little Barford Power Station, Huntingdon Town Council and from the Elizabeth Coteman Pancreatic Cancer Fund.
There will be a presentation ceremony for the Elizabeth Coteman grant at the Huntingdon meeting on 9th November. The Chair of Trustees of the fund, Gerald Coteman, is expected to be there, as will Jane Darlington, the Chief Executive of the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF). The CCF has been a major source of our funding over the past 3 years. Huntingdon members are encouraged to try to come to the meeting; it will be our chance to thanks them both for their support.
15th September (Re Christmas Variety Concerts 13th/14th December)
See item below. If any member of Acorn would like to perform or sing at these events, you can contact the event organiser, Liz Mummery, Head of Music at Hinchingbrooke School at ehm@hinchbk.cambs.sch.uk or by phone 01480 375700 ext 5783
14th September
Today Yasmin May led the first creative visualisation session with a group of seven at Huntingdon. Eileen Pratt, one of the participants, said to the group afterwards that the session was wonderful and she encouraged others to take part when it is next offered.
5th September
Today Margaret Thomson attended her last meeting at Ramsey as Team Leader. She has done a wonderful job there for the past four and a half years, first as a helper and then as Team Leader. So as she takes a well earned rest, we thank her for everything that she has done for Acorn and our clients at Ramsey. We also thank Paddy Godfrey for the help he has given to Margaret behind the counter and thus to us over the past two years. He too, is stepping down, and taking a break.
However, to offset this slightly sad note, we are very glad to say that Julia Mitchell has taken over the Team Leader role at Ramsey. She will be assisted by Liz Hickford. This will be a smooth transition as Julia and Liz already hold the reins at St Ives. We thank them both for stepping in.
4th September
Cally will be hosting a
MACMILLAN...WORLD'S BIGGEST COFFEE MORNING on... Friday the 30th September at...
the Old Hurst Village Hall... 10:30 to 12:30.
Please inform your contacts. Please
feel free to bring friends, family, neighbours or anyone you can drag along! All
most welcome.
Cakes would be most appreciated if
anyone has time to make or buy!
ChristmasDates for your diary
Lunch at the Dolphin 7th December
This year's Christmas lunch will be held on Wednesday 7th December at 1230 pm. This is always a very popular event so if you wish to join us contact Cally or Julia.
Variety Concerts - 13th and 14th December
On December 13th and 14th a Christmas
variety concert called “STARS” will be held at the Performing Arts Centre in
Huntingdon on the Hinchingbrooke School site. The School Music Dept is in the
lead. Acorn has been chosen as the Charity to
benefit from 80% of the takings. This should generate about £1K but this
relies on Acorn selling about 200 tickets spread over the two nights.
It will be a challenge to maximise the ticket
sales, but there a some favourable features which should help . Tickets, at £5
and £3 for concessions, are very
reasonably priced and could make good Xmas presents. The tickets would be
available from 1st November.
All members have their own
networks and we hope that several will have a block of 10 tickets and do their
utmost to sell them. The availability of tickets will be
confirmed through the coordinators and bids for tickets are
welcomed.
Any member who is a
singer is invited to take part in the
choir. Rehearsals will be from October 7th between 3.45 and 5.00pm.
The concert will start at 7pm and lasts for
approx 2 hours. Doors to the Theatre will open at 6.45pm,; the foyer will be
open from 6.15pm for drinks and
snacks.
AGM 2011
A very successful AGM was held at the Dolphin
Hotel on 20 July. The Minutes are available here
.
20 July
We are very sad to report the passing of Geoff
Cobb. Geoff has been a stalwart of Acorn for the past six years since he
first started to attend meetings at Ramsey. He initiated the Men’s Forum
where his enthusiasm for dominoes soon became infectious , which encouraged men
to join and feel at ease within the group. He will be sadly missed for all
the care he has shown to others in need through his free taxi service to Acorn
clients and his many other kindnesses. Our thoughts and prayers are with
Barbara at this sad time.
The funeral will be held at St. Peters Church,
Upwood, on Thursday 28th July at 1030 am.
Flowers or donations to Macmillan or St Ives Acorn Cancer Support Group to Swearers, Funeral Directors, Ramsey.
12 July
Two boat trips - in June and July - have now taken place followed by lunch at the dolphin and a great time has been had by all. Here is a group of happy punters before setting off in the Ladybird.
We have two more trips to follow- 16th August and 15th September. Contact Cally about taking part.
31 May
We are very pleased to report that Sarah-Jane was safely delivered of a baby girl - Lois Jane - who weighed in at 7 lbs 7 ozs. We send her and husband Jay, our congratulations and very best wishes
A Note for your Diary
All members of Acorn are invited to attend the Annual
General Meeting (AGM) which this year is being held on 20th July at the Dolphin Hotel St Ives.
The AGM is an opportunity for membersto tell The Committee if we are meeting your needs and, should you wish, to offer suggestions for future activities that we might consider as part of our plans.
You will also have the opportunity to propose and vote in the election of The Committee members for the current year.
We would also like to have your views on this website
The meeting is being held in the Terrace
Bar.
May
On May 18th three visitors came to the St
Ives meeting, Michael Houlding of Cheffins, St. Ives, and Sam
Weller and Jacquie Warner from Cambridgeshire Community
Foundation.The occasion was the presentation of a plaque to Gordon, as Secretary, to commemorate the
recent Cheffins grant of £500 to Acorn.
The visitors stayed with us for 1.5 hours and joined
many conversations within the group.
All three left saying much they had enjoyed their time
with the group.
Michael Houlding of Cheffins presenting the plaque to Gordon
On the 9th May, Sarah-Jane provided the last of her very popular seated-exercise sessions , Tai-chi style, at Ramsey .
She has temporarily withdrawn to have a baby. We send her our very best wishes for a safe delivery. Sarah-Jane's parting gift to us was a collecting box containing £80 of donations from individuals who attend her fitness classes at St.Ivo. So, thank you to Sarah-Jane and all those who have put money into her box.
We hope that Sarah-Jane will rejoin us for the August meeting in Huntingdon. Her plan is to bring the little one to that meeting. If so, that will be excellent news, as he/she can be a companion for Leah's baby. Darcey-Lily is always welcome at meetings as a little helper, and so too will be the new arrival. It has been decided that we can waive the normal requirements for these little helpers to have a CRB check!!!
April
Both The Committee and Trustees met in April.Their reviews concluded that the past year 2010-2011 had been very successful,both in terms of numbers attending meetings and in obtaining grants.
Numbers are particularly buoyant in Huntingdon, though we would like to see more attendees at Ramsey and St Ives. The prospects for fund-raising are not quite so good in the year ahead as with government cuts there are less public sector funds to make bids to. We plan to approach local businesses for donations.
We are also pleased to announce that David Pratt has volunteered to serve on The Committee in the coming year.
March
We are sad to report that Donna Schuenemann resigned from Acorn in March due to the pressure of other commitments. Donna has supported Acorn for 8 years, first as a helper at Ramsey and then for the last year as team leader at St Ives. We thank Donna for her enormous contribution over the years. She, and her cakes, will be sadly missed.
We are also pleased to report that Julia Mitchell, previously Secretary of Acorn, is taking Donna’s place as team leader at St Ives.
Julia is also helping Margaret Thompson with
running meetings at Ramsey.
January
We were pleased to welcome two new complementary therapists to the Acorn team. Uma Mistry was appointed to Ramsey, and Yasmin May to Huntingdon. This means that we now offer six sets of therapy each month. Three therapists will normally operate at Huntingdon meetings, two therapists at Ramsey, and one at St Ives. We will keep this arrangement under review and adjust if needed. However, like everyone our therapists do take holidays so don’t be surprised, if occasionally, you are offered therapy by someone who is covering from another venue.
A late Xmas thought – At a
school nativity play three six years old were cast as the Kings. Presenting
their gifts at the stable, the first said “Gold”, the second
said “Myrrh” and the third “Frank sent
this”!
Annual Report for 2010/2011
You can read the Annual Report for 2010/2011 from the Chair of Trustees by following this link.
Christmas Carol Concert Island Hall - 17th December
We are much indebted to Christopher and Lady Linda Vane Percy of Island Hall Godmanchester, who following our approach to them agreed that the proceeds of their Annual Christmas Carol Concert should be donated to Acorn. The Acorn secretariat organised the promotion mailings and ticketing.
The fifty paying guests who attended the concert on 17 December and those who donated have raised an amazing sum of £2100 for us.
Fundraising aside the concert, with singing provided by the local choir Tapestry in the decorated setting of Island Hall, was truly magical. Those of Acorn who attended also had chance to exercise their lungs at three points in the programme to join the choir in singing some carol favourites.
Grateful thanks to the volunteers - Cally, Val Edwards, Donna Atkin, Beverley Barlow, Barbara Duke, Lorraine Winsor, Leah Bussetil-Humes - who did such a magnificent job at the concert, receiving the guests, serving drinks and food, and washing up at the end. Without volunteers like you, Acorn could not survive.
Christmas Lunch at the Dolphin -9th December
This year's Xmas lunch was held at the Dolphin Hotel on Thursday 9th December and a lovely lunch and a great time was had by all. Over 60 attended and each of our three venues was well represented.
The entertainment began when the Fairy Queen decided to descend from the top of the tree and started to waive her wand and cast her spell.
Guess who!
Proceedings were further enlivened by the guest appearance of a familar looking Elvis Presley
We thank Cally, shown here enjoying her lunch with Acorn friends for organising the event. Cally has now fully taken over the role of Centre Coordinator.
We also thank Cambridgeshire Community Foundation for their grant which enabled us to provide the lunch free to our clients
Annual Boat Trips
Following the practice of the recent past, Acorn organised three boat trips on the River Ouse - one each in the months of June, July and August. The boat trip has the added bonus of a stop at a riverside local hostelry - either the Dolphin or Brampton Mill - for lunch. The boat tips are regarded as one of the highlights of the Acorn calendar. Here are three photos taken on one of the trips showing just how much our clients and volunteers are enjoying the event. The boat-trip looks as if it will be a fixture in the Acorn programme!
Report on AGM
The 2010 AGM was a great success with 21 members attending. The Dolphin looked after us very well and as a result we look forward to having our Xmas event there on 9th December.
A major thrust of the meeting was to get feedback on how well we are serving our clients. It was a good opportunity to ask clients present to complete a valuation questionnaire, on how well they thought Acorn was fulfilling their needs and to seek their ideas on new activities. The responses to the quetionnaire added to those collected at recent Hntingdon and St Ives meetings encourage us to think that we are doing the right kind of things. We discussed a number of suggestions for innovation. As a result a minibus trip to a daytime entertainment event is now being investigated.
All members of Acorn are entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which this year is being held on 14th July at the Dolphin Hotel St Ives.
The AGM is an opportunity for you, should you wish, to tell The Committee if we are meeting your needs, and to offer suggestions for future activities that we might consider as part of our plans. You would also have the opportunity to propose and vote in the election of The Committee members for the current year.
The AGM commencing at 8.15pm. We would hope to finish about 9.30pm.
The meeting is being held in the Terrace Bar.
April 2010
Arrangements are now in place for coordination of activity at our centres. Donna Schuenemann will look after St Ives, Cally Bussetil, Huntingdon, and Margaret Thompson, Ramsey. Cally has agreed to take on a few wider roles in connection with events, i.e. the June and July boat-trips, and the Xmas lunch. We thank all three for agreeing to carry out their new roles.
We are also very pleased to welcome some new members to the Macmillan team. Eileen Murphy has joined Acorn as the new Macmillan Nurse at Ramsey, and Donna Atkin has joined at St Ives.
Also, some more good news is that we have been successful in getting grants to support our activity in this new financial year. Gordon, as writer of this newsletter, would like to place on record on behalf of all Acorn members, our gratitude to those who are providing funds this year, including: Cambridgeshire Small Grants Fund, Macmillan, The Cooperative Community Fund, Huntingdon Freemen's Society and St Ives Town Council.
Finally, readers will wish to know that, at their meeting this month, the Trustees felt that 2009 had been a very successful year and believe that we can look forward to 2010/2011 with confidence.
Annual Report for 2009/2010
You can read the Annual report for 2009/2010 from the Chair of Trustees report by following this link.
February 2010
We are very sad to hear that for health reasons, two stalwart members of Acorn, Barbara and Geoff Cobb, have had to resign. Their contribution to Acorn has been absolutely amazing over the past years. They have attended each of the three meetings each month, and their enthusiasm and drive has been the core reason for Acorn's success.
Geoff has been running a very successful Men's Forum, and giving lifts to those unable to drive to meetings themselves. Barbara has held the role of Secretary, Treasurer and Centre Coordinator in the past and it is a testament to her contribution to the growth of Acorn, that these roles are now split between three people. It is likely that her current role of overall centre coordinator will be split between three people, one each for St. Ives, Huntingdon and Ramsey.
We offer them our gratitude for all they have done, and our very best wishes.
Gordon, Acorn Secretary