Newsletter Number 8 August 2007Centenary Celebrations The Centenary Celebration of Scouting held at Walton Firs on the 1st August with the World Scout Foundation was one of the magic days of anyone’s life who was there.
The weather was perfect, the site well presented and the spirit of everyone who was there was one of great enjoyment.
Those of you who wish to view the press publicity can see these through the following links:
http://www.esher.co.uk/news/2013/2013536/king_of_sweden_visits_walton_firs_for_centenary
You might also like to look at the links to the photos and video of the Sandown Racecourse event on the 2nd August – the Elmbridge evening, when the Elmbridge Mayor’s Charity, Walton Firs, had an opportunity to raise further the profile of our money raising activities.
http://3401.e-printphoto.co.uk/nqsouthlondon/index.cfm?z=z&action=newsearch&next=next
http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/videonews/
Sadly the pantomime horse entered by Walton Firs, “The Walton Firs Flyer”, failed to win the race, but the prize was a further boost to funds.
Success so far
At the time of writing this newsletter we have collected or have promises totalling £506,956 towards our target of £800,000.
We do have the hard bit left which is to raise the final £300,000 over the next nine months, but a number of events are planned in conjunction with Rosemary Dane’s activities as the Mayor of Elmbridge, in addition to which we are continuing to endeavour to find individuals prepared to donate money and become members of Walton Firs Foundation.
The events from which we have raised monies in recent times are:
1. Sandown Race Night
Funds collected for the Mayor’s Charity – Walton Firs: £1,260 so far.
2. Andrew Leigh’s Clay Shoot
Held on the 23rd June, raised a magnificent amount of £2,285. Hopefully Andrew will be sufficiently encouraged to propose a date also for a further shoot next year.
3. Summer Event at Painshill
This raised a net amount of £14,178.
4. Gardens
The gardens which were opened during the early summer months, where the proceeds were passed to Walton Firs, provided additional amounts of £435, £680 and £234.
Many other monies have of course come in from individual donations and a large number of donations also have been received from Masonic Lodges to all of whom we are grateful for their thought and response to our appeal.
Founder Membership
We have of course extended the Founder Membership status to being one that can be subscribed for at the latest up until 31st December 2007. Three Scout districts have so far raised the monies to become Founder Members and are entitled to a 10% discount on all future camp fees. These are: Leatherhead
Runnymede
Spelthorne
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of Walton Firs Foundation is to be held at 9.00 pm on the 18th September at the United Reformed Church in Queen’s Road, Weybridge.
Notices will be going out formally to those individuals and organisations who are members of Walton Firs Foundation.
We will be holding, at 8 pm, our fund raising meeting, to which everybody is also welcome. We hope that, as ever, anyone interested in supporting Walton Firs will come along to these fund raising meetings to provide input, suggestions and ideas as to what we can do.
Participation by everybody in the AGM is, of course, also welcomed for this formal part of the evening.
Renewal of Membership Letters have gone out to all of those individuals who subscribed monies in 2006 to renew their membership of Walton Firs Foundation.
The membership otherwise expires each 30th June in each year.
Many people have already renewed their membership, the financial contribution from which is also a helpful support to our ongoing fundraising.
The future membership structure is something that will be discussed and considered once we have reached the target of buying the Activity Centre at Walton Firs.
This is one of the issues for future discussion since the need for monies for the improvement and enhancement of the site will require ongoing support from all of those who will have already helped to purchase Walton Firs.
Christmas Card
We have had the potential offer to print, at no cost for Walton Firs, some Christmas cards.
Christmas cards of course are things to be thought of at Christmas but, in reality, if we are going to make a greater money making operation out of Christmas cards these need to be thought of a little earlier in the year, as whilst the printing could be organised now, for us to put in place a marketing procedure would result in the sales targets perhaps being a little too difficult to achieve in the time we have.
A Christmas card for Walton Firs is therefore something that will be on the agenda for consideration in 2008 as will the search for an appropriate photograph.
Perhaps during this forthcoming winter some can be taken of the site in a wintry moment.
Future Events
8th September 2007 – Cobham Conservation and Heritage Day
We have been invited to raise money and raise the profile of the site locally by organising a pitch in Church Street, Cobham during the Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust Day on the 8th September.
Hopefully this is underway and the intention is that the pitch there would encompass the sale of souvenirs and memorabilia from Walton Firs as well as a fund raising presence with brochures and donation forms.
We also have our new collection buckets which were successfully used at Sandown on the 2nd August.
10th September 2007 – Elmbridge Ladies Luncheon
The Elmbridge Ladies Luncheon is being held at the Woodlands Park Hotel on Monday 10th September. Lady Baden-Powell is the guest speaker and we are hopeful that again this will give an opportunity to raise money for Walton Firs as the Elmbridge Mayor’s Charity for the present year.
29th October 2007 – Trip to Houses of Parliament
On Monday 29th October the Mayor is organising a trip to the Houses of Parliament in conjunction with Ian Taylor who is going to organise a guided tour around the Houses of Parliament.
The cost is expected to be around £10 to cover the cost and potentially also will provide through donations an opportunity to raise more money for the Mayor’s Charity.
If anyone would like to participate in this could you please contact Pam Ling, the Mayor’s Secretary at Elmbridge on 01372 474383.
6th December 2007 – Elmbridge Annual Carol Service
The Elmbridge Annual Carol Service will be held at St Mary’s Church, Church Street, Walton on Thames on Thursday 6th December at 7.00 pm. The traditional carol concert will be followed by mulled wine, mince pies and a chance again for everybody there to see the Walton Firs collection buckets be organised for donations.
7th March 2008 - Concert at Yehudi Menuhin School
A concert has been organised at the Yehudi Menuhin School on the 7th March including a performance by the Weybridge Male Voice Choir, which again the profit proceeds of which are to be applied to the Mayor’s Charity.
14th, 15th, 16th March 2008 – Elmbridge Fashion Show
An Elmbridge Fashion Show will be held at the Play House, Walton on Thames, with 2 shows per night at 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm bringing together a collection of new summer fashions from the high street.
This will again be an Elmbridge Charity event to support the Walton Firs appeal and tickets will be available early in the New Year.
17th March 2008 – Charity Golf Day
Burhill Golf Club in Walton on Thames is organising a Charity Golf Day for the Elmbridge Mayor’s Charity being Walton Firs.
We have entry forms or these can be obtained through Pam Ling at the Elmbridge Council offices.
Tee-off time is from 9.00 am to include a lunch for all commencing at 3.30 pm.
This is a team event of 4 golfers at a cost of £240 for the team event.
April 2008 – Mayor’s Civic Reception
The date remains to be decided for the Mayor’s Civic Reception but is the final major event during the Mayor’s year in Elmbridge.
We have been asked from within Walton Firs supporters if we could provide entertainment for approximately 10 minutes, designed as a thank you to the Mayor for all of the work which will have gone into raising money towards the acquisition of Walton Firs.
Thoughts are already underway as to what we can do and further thoughts and ideas would be welcome at the fundraising meeting on the 18th September.
3rd May 2008 – Elmbridge May Ball
On Saturday 3rd May 2008 the Elmbridge May Ball will be held at the Tingle Creek Suite at Sandown Park.
This again will provide one final opportunity in the Elmbridge Mayor’s year to raise a little more money for Walton Firs.
Tickets are £50 and tables take 10.
There will be magicians, a casino and an 18 piece orchestra with whom to dance away the night.
5th July 2008
The option to purchase Walton Firs must be exercised by the 30th June 2008 and we are hopeful that the balance of the large amount of £300,000 will be raised by then.
In planning forward it seems appropriate to suggest that we should have a Celebration Dinner somewhere in Surrey on Saturday 5th July 2008 to celebrate the purchase and preservation of Walton Firs within the Foundation and as a chance to thank everyone involved for their efforts so far (and perhaps to raise a little bit more money).
Could everybody please therefore keep this date in the diary and also come to the fundraising meeting on the 18th September with thoughts and suggestions as to where we might hold this celebration.
Thanks to the many people who are supporting the fundraising efforts. Please come to the meeting on 18th September with ideas and suggestions as to what else we might do.
16-08-2007 - more news... |
