Virgin Money Giving

I should probably also mention that I have a virgin money giving page

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AlisonRamsey

Fundraiser No 1 - Christmas Baubles

Christmas Baubles

In the fundraising booklet an idea suggested was letting people decorate Christmas baubles. I carried this out in school in the last week in the run up towards Christmas and it turned out well!

I would advise future volunteers to try this out, especially as a first fundraiser. 

Steps to carry this out;

1) Where to hold it - (school or a youth club is probably the best option) then get permission from an authority figure. For me this was the teacher in charge of charities.

2) Estimate how many baubles you will need - I sold 250-300 for 50p each.

3) When you are holding it - Christmas (obv) - I held it over 3 lunchtimes in school.

4) Who you are aiming for - The school - but I found junior pupils more enthusiastic than seniors.

5) Price - I guess it depends on the baubles and decorations. I thought 50p was best because it was cheap so more people were likely to buy than if they were a pound. 

6) Other stuff - asides from baubles, you need something to write on them with. I used Pilot gold/silver/white fine tip markers, but approx 1/2 of these were broken by the end and some silly children splodged the ink everywhere (including over tables/faces...)

I also supplied stickers that could be used for extra decoration purposes and ribbons to tie onto the baubles.

Your not going to raise a fortune from this, because of the costs of buying baubles/pens/stickers/ribbon. I bought the pens and stickers myself and didn't bother about taking the money back, and my mum did the same for the ribbon. Though we did reimburse the biggest cost of buying the baubles.

I have a few pictures I will upload (if I get round to it)

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I GOT SELECTED!!!

On the 9th November, after an anxious week of waiting, I got a letter from PT through the mail saying I'd been selected and my countries were;
1) Malawi
2) Swaziland
3)Sri Lanka
This was great because i'd told the staff again and again that I really wasn't fussy on the country but rather the project.

In my form I'd actually put Swaziland first - inspired by reading Kate's blog (http://heyswaziland.blogspot.co.uk ) so I am now in a pool for it along with others who they are considering it to be their project for (fingers crossed though Malawi also sounds amazing!)

Let the fundraising of £5400 now begin!

The Start

Selection

Before my place was confirmed I had to attend a selection weekend in the beautiful Isle of Coll in the Hebrides. 

Getting there was half the challenge, myself and another volunteer Rachael (who PT had put me in contact with) took a ferry and two buses before spending the night in Oban with others attending the same course. Everyone was pretty tired that night and so went to bed early for our ferry at 6:45.

Of course our dorm were the last to get up in the morning and after a 20 minute jog (carrying hiking backpacks, and after going to the wrong side of the harbour) managed to find the right terminal for the ferry heading to Coll where everyone else was already aboard. After exploring the boat (not v. big) we settled down to card games for the 3 hr journey passing 'Balamory' on the way. (I was excited!).

Once in Coll we were picked up by trucks and brought the short, but very bumpy, journey to the Hebridian centre where we were welcomed with tea and biscuits.

Pretty soon it was straight to work and everyone had their notebooks out scribbling down notes. I don't want to give to much away about selection incase any future volunteers stumble upon this but it is VERY fun and VERY hardwork. Expect to be up all at all hours doing your 'homework'!

us on a rock (me=girl in hat)

I was fortunate to be in Coll over Haloween, staying with a host family along with 3 other volunteers Anna, Beth and Matilda. On Haloween we took Flora and Lucy, the host daughter and the child they mind guising (trick or treating), or rather they took us. It was a lovely was to see round the island and see how closeknit the community are.

Selection was over all to quickly and soon we were back on the boat again heading to Oban for one last night before heading back to Belfast in the morning.