Ray Collins Charitable Trust Easter Dinner

All through March The Ray Collins Charitable Trust and friends of the trust were collecting Easter eggs in Waitrose Wantage for all the local day centres, Fitwaryn school, The Children’s Hospital at the JR, Sobell house and for elderly and vulnerable people living in isolation. In total the trustees and volunteers collected in 850 eggs approx. £2,000 worth which is a staggering amount. All the trustees would like to thank the staff and amazing customers in Waitrose for their continued help and support.

A huge thank you to Sarah Lewis Tynan, Adam Tynan, Tracey l, Sarah Crayford, Julia Trinder and Ellie, Karen England, Susan Thwaite, Paula-Jane Dean, Jan Taylor, Georgina Hicks, Jacqui Allen, Stuart Game and Daisy Wendy Stimpson for giving up your time and helping with this fantastic effort and to Lisa Henry for her sorting and stacking skills and stacking skills.

They say nothing in life is guaranteed but I guarantee we will see 850 massive smiles on some of the most deserving and very special people’s faces aged from new-borns to 100+. Together we are making a real difference in our community.

Life always gives you an opportunity to make someone smile. Trustees made up Six Easter egg parcels for Maria Curtis, her siblings and her mum Minnie. Maria is looking so much better than she did at Xmas where she spent several days in hospital. Her kidney is functioning better but still a long way to go. All the Trustees wish Minnie, Maria and all the family a very Happy Easter and an we will continue to monitor Maria’s progress and help where we can.

Trustees delivered hundreds of eggs to The October Club, Wantage Health & Wellbeing Centre, The Charlton Centre for adults with special needs, Stirling’s Elderly Care Home, Grove Day Centre, Beatbox youth club children with special needs, Fitzwaryn School, all wards at the Children’s Hospital at the JR and children’s A&E and Sobell House. Ray and Phil visited the Children’s Hospital. Several patients were thrilled with their chocolatey surprise none more than little Connor who is recovering from a serious head operation. How big is that smile!

The trust also purchased a brand new fridge freezer for Sweatbox youth club after there’s failed and couldn’t be repaired economically Ray and Kate delivered the fridge freezer along with Easter eggs for Beatbox. Thank you to all who donated your generosity and kindness made this possible. Happy Easter

On 16th April or Easter Sunday Ray met three cooks at the Wantage Health & Wellbeing Centre at 7am to get over 10kg of topside beef in the ovens ready for The Ray Collins Charitable Trusts Easter dinner. Waitrose Wantage contributed £348 towards the dinner through their green token scheme with the trust paying for the rest, this enabled forty six local lonely elderly and vulnerable people to enjoy a fantastic meal, fantastic company and fantastic entertainment.

Trustees and volunteers decorated the centre on Good Friday with balloons, Easter bunting, set the tables with wonderful flower decorations from Hazel Stanyon and purchased all the food and drink for Sunday’s dinner. Volunteers then made up the Easter egg parcels so all the guests had more of a surprise to take home not just a wonderful egg but some lovely treats as well.

At 10.15am volunteer drivers and trustees began picking up the dinner guests, as each person arrived they seated a given a drink of their choice. At 12.30pm dinner was served roast topside beef with all the trimmings followed by apple pie and custard all of which was consumed with glee by the hungry guests and volunteers who all sat together enjoying their meal and each other’s company. We also delivered three dinners and eggs to people to poorly to attend the dinner. At 1pm local folk band Shotgun Weather Ferret arrived and played a medley of toe tapping tunes which thoroughly entertained the crowd. The Mayor popped in and sat chatting to many of the guests to their great joy as many had never met him before, the mayor’s wife Julia Trinder and children Ellie and a Daniel had handed out Easter cards to all the guests and help get drinks for them. Just after 2pm the trustees brought out Easter eggs parcels for all the guests contains a large egg, shortbread biscuits, mini eggs, marshmallows, Easter bunnies, ginger bread men, coconut macaroons and more.

Trustees and volunteers then took everyone home while the remaining helpers tidied up the centre and cleaned the kitchen with everyone home and finished by 3.30pm.
Thank you so much Tanja Salter, Michelle Church, Castel Fairlie, Tim Waite, Katie Buckingham, Karen England, Fiona Frost, April Moore, Laura Beale, Johnny Jenkin, Shelley Breakspear, Hazel Stanyon and Robert Huffnagle for all their help on Good Friday.

Thank you also to Castel Fairlie Tracey, Karen England, Anna Byrom, Jan Taylor, Oliver Taylor, John Durban, Robert Huffnagle, Peter Williams, Chris May, Tracy Wilson, Ian Matthew Donaldson, April Moore, Jo Dickie, Julia Trinder, Ellie & Daniel, Steve Trinder, Ema Ralson, Daniel & Jasper Edwards, and Waitrose Wantage for all helping at Sunday’s EASTER dinner. Another fantastic event by The Ray Collins Charitable Trust helping 46 local elderly and vulnerable people living in isolation.