1. Who does what at the moment - sending goodies to right people:Everybody please remember to send things to the right people! Also, it would help to keep our cost down enormously if people who send a variety of things (i.e. finished items, artwork for finishing, loose materials etc) could separate them and send the bits to the respective people. I know it's a bit more work for you but it really would help us - we've been spending a lot in postage recently. Here's a list:
Send to Sarah McKinnon:all stitching materials (aida, evenweave, cottons, tapestry wools, canvas, plastic canvas, kits, patterns, beads etc) including leftovers and patterns of the kits she's sent you for stitching
Send to Sandra Martin:all items for finishings (completed artwork to be made into cards etc; card blanks, cardstock, papers, ribbons, stickers or any other items useful for making up cards etc);
also card fronts for recycling cards, and fronts of handmade cards you've received for making into new cards (if you don't want to do that yourself)
Send to Petra Hudson:all finished items for sales or gifts to charities (using Woodlands address);
also cheques for items you've sold yourself for the benefit of SfP (using Treffelin address);
also at the moment still all goodies for the FARA Christmas Parcels (= all knitted goodies plus any stitched items particularly suitable for children of all ages) - please note deadline for goodies arriving here (Woodlands address!) for this year's parcel is the 15th of September; after that please watch out for potential new address.
also at the moment still all goodies for, as well as finished, Care Cloths (Woodlands address, but watch out for potential new address in the future).
2. Message to all crafters of 3D decoupage cards:Since the introduction of the new posting scheme in Britain by size and thickness, I found that the very thick 3D cards have drastically dropped in popularity. Could all 3D crafters please adjust the thickness of their work to only 3 layers (if using sticky pads) or 4 layers (if using silicon). This still looks lovely and cards then fit through the slit for standard letters. Thank you.
3. How you could help us further to keep down both cost and time:It is a wonderful improvement that a lot of you have chosen to try and finish off their own stitched or 3D work into cards, as well as donating cards they made in other techniques - this has greatly improved our variety, too! If you would like to further help SfP become more efficient and be able to give more to our different charities, would you please consider to get them ready for sale (i.e. put each in a plastic pocket together with an envelope of a suitable size). A few people have already been doing that and it makes a lot of difference! This is NOT a MUST but it would help... Thank you.
4. Farming out more of the jobs that need doing around SfP - IMPORTANT:Ideally, we are looking for two more helpers for quite specific tasks: a FARA Christmas Parcel Coordinator and a Care Cloth Coordinator. The reasons for wanting to farm these out are explained below, along with the requirements for the two helpers. Neither is very much work but both require a bit of storage and the relevant charity to be reasonably near you. If you find that you would be able to do one or the other, we would be most grateful!!!
Reasons and Requirements FCPC:Unfortunately, my husband's business is taking up more and more room in our house and SfP has to make way. Currently, I have 2 big boxes sitting in the passageway upstairs because the cupboard where I used to collect these things is now full of laptop parts... These two boxes will be given to FARA in September, so not too long to go. However, next year's collection I would rather not have in our house again as it really is causing a problem.
The FCPC does not have a lot of work to do but needs room to collect items for at least 2 big boxes over a year. We now have a lot of knitters within SfP and their work was very well received by the FARA children and the families they look after outside St Nicolas as well. This includes scarves, hats and gloves for children of all ages; baby garments and cot blankets; and lots of lovely soft toys - it is a bit voluminous... These items are being sent by the knitters as they get them finished or in small batches and need to be collected and stored safely until September each year. The FCPC would have to acknowledge receipt with a little thank you by email or occasionally by postcard (2 knitters don't have email) and inform Karen and myself regularly about who's been in touch. That's all except for once a year finishing off the parcels and delivering them to the nearest FARA shop (which means it is essential that you have a FARA shop somewhere not too far away, as postage would be way too high for us!).
This change would be effective from about mid-September when I need to finish off this year's boxes for FARA and any new goodies would then have to be send to the new helper.
Reasons and Requirements CCC:With the move of the former THP Chairman Barbara Mudd away from this area, our contacts with THP have sadly dried up. I have not had any acknowledgement for our last donation of several bags full of Care Cloths despite pressing more than once (I know they've got them but we have nothing in writing), and have not heard back on my question whether there is interest for further cooperation, which I therefore take to be no. I'm sure there are other similar places for homeless people near here as well as elsewhere - it seems a good point in time to consider moving this part of SfP to another area, too (particularly seeing that we already give goody donations to 3 other charities in my area here).
The CCC would need to have room for the equivalent of one big box full of goodies (although it's easier to keep the different parts in small boxes or bags); some time to regularly assemble and deliver Care Cloths; and a homeless place near enough to do that without hassle. This place should be willing to acknowledge receipt with a short letter or email, and respond to contact.
We have a whole lot of SfP members who regularly contribute to the Care Cloth project by sending either finished Care Cloth bundles; sewn-up Care Cloth flannels; or goodies for filling. These need to be stored and made into Care Cloths reasonably regularly. Again, the CCC would have to acknowledge receipt of each package with a little thank you (this is almost always by email) and keep Karen and myself informed about who's been in touch, as well as about any donations made to the charity.
5. Urgent Material Appeal:Sarah has informed me that we have totally run out of white aida, so if anybody has white aida of any size (from smallish leftovers to proper sheets) that they could spare, please send them to Sarah McKinnon.
Sandra, who is now our Finisher, could do with card blanks of all sizes, colours, styles... Again, if you have any you are unlikely to use yourself, why not consider donating them to SfP. Please send directly to Sandra.
6. Additional Sales Stations:I was also wondering if anybody other than myself would be able to help with the sales of mainly cards,and occasionally a few other goodies such a bookmarks. I found that there are three methods that work:
- regular stalls run by yourself (mine is at church but other regular meetings, i.e. Clubs, might also be suitable)
- card parties (at your home or a friend's home, inviting a group of friends for chat, a drink and browsing the cards - ask them to bring a list of upcoming birthdays...)
- if you have connections to a "friendly little shop", hairdressers or similar they might agree to put up a small box of cards on their counter and keep the money to one side for you
If anybody would like to research possibilities in their area and give this a try, I would be able to supply a copy of the price list, table top sign or even part of our portfolio if required, as well as a guideline for pricing the cards.
7. Recent Donations:Just a quick update on our recent givings:
- A big box of fabrics has gone to
The White Lodge following their wanted ad on the local Freecycle list. These were fabrics collected by SfP from donations over a long time as well as more recently and they will now be used in craft work with the disabled people at the Lodge. We felt that this was still a way of making use of them in the sense that was intended and never happened within SfP due to the lack of a "soft finisher". The White Lodge have responded with a little email thanking us for the continued support.
- A biggish box of cards and goodies is ready for the
Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, who always sell our things with great success through their local fair stalls. This is awaiting pickup.
- A smaller box is also waiting to be delivered to
The Anaphylaxis Campaign, the next time I get to Farnborough. TAC sell our cards via a stand in their office where they are a hit with staff, people calling, and also people from other offices in the building/neighbourhood who've heard of them! We give them a box about once a year and they are always thrilled with it (I usually use this box to sort out cards that have been hanging in our sales stock for a long time...).
- The next financial donation will be to the Dorset + Somerset Air Ambulance but I've had to put this on hold for the moment due to low funds because of increased spending on postage and lower sales activities on my side (sorry - having a very busy year).
