Andrea's birthday gift will go on giving

Andrea and  Natasha

Kind hearted Andrea Manders' birthday gift from her family and friends will ensure a Happy House education for a needy girl.

Celebrating her 50th birthday and the completion of her year-long treatment for breast cancer, Andrea asked for donations to the Happy House instead of  presents.

And her family and friends gave generously, to the tune of £1456 which, at Andrea's request, will support the education of one of our Dr Danwata Scholarship girl students for four years.

Mama named the scholarships for  Dr Danwata  the oncologist who treated her at Blackpool Victoria Hospital's Breast Care Unit. He was also Andrea's consultant there.

Andrea  has been supporting the work of the Happy House since 2009, when it was still under construction, and she is in Natasha's sponsor family.

Andrea with her husband Paul

Being a part of our family has brought her many new friends and she and Lesley Pidcock, who also sponsors Natasha, have become such good pals they had been planning a 2014 visit the Happy House   with their daughters, Elena Manders and Kathryn Pidock,  to celebrate Andrea's 50th and Kathryn's 18th,  but were forced to put their plans on hold because of Andrea's illness.

Now they will make their trip next year when  Andrea is looking forward to meeting Natasha and all our family,

By coincidence, Andrea and Natasha's birthdays are  just two days apart. 

Our picture of Natasha (with Uncle Billy) celebrating her birthday at Kids Club shows her clutching a gift from Andrea!

Andrea with her party guests 

 Andrea is delighted her birthday will make a difference to a girl striving to learn and so thankful to all her family and friends for their donations, but also for the love and support they have given her over the last 12 months.

Many, many, thanks  for being a wonderful friend to our family, Andrea, for all you do to support us and for the love you show for Natasha. Another big thank you to every one who donated.

Our family wins new friends

 Year 9 students at St Bede's Catholic High School, Lytham, are all fired up to help raise money for our Happy House family after a visit from  Elizabeth Gomm.
Elizabeth was invited to be a guest speaker at the Year 9 assembly when their subject was the importance of being "Green" and protecting our precious world.
Elizabeth showed a short presentation highlighting all the ways the Happy House protects the environment by being green and telling the story of one of our children, Victoria, an orphan, whose grandfather struggles make a meagre livelihood by going collecting used plastic bottles to sell to recyclers.
 He brought Victoria to the Happy House in the hope of getting her a free-place Dr Danwata Scholarship in our school, but when Mama heard of their extreme hardship she offered the child both a home and schooling.
The old man, a carer who had no hope of providing for the child he loves, was overwhelmed with gratitude.
The St Bede's staff and students were both moved and inspired by the way children's lives are being transformed.
Many thanks to Aaran Cassidy, Rebecca Cole and Jagger Bamber for working the technology, and to Lucy Banks to introduced Elizabeth and Luc Cougara who led the prayer.
Special thanks to teacher Clare James for bringing the Happy House into school  and who will be taking the fundraising forward.
Pictures: Top: Elizabeth with Lucy and right: Clare James with Rebecca, Aaran and Jagger.
Kirkham talk

The Mothers' Union at St Micheal's Church, Kirkham, were wonderful audience when Elizabeth introduced them our amazing family.
They really took Mama, Papa and the children to their hearts as they heard how Mama had turned her dream of creating a uniquely special home for vulnerable children into a reality.
A collection and raffle (organised by teacher Joanne Rossall whose class at St Aidan's Preesall are in Linus' sponsor  family) resulted in £101 for our family.
Thank you ladies for your kindness.

School report: Back in class again

Class 7 get to work

 It's back to school with a flourish, as school manager, Madam Rose, tells us in our weekly report from the Happy House School:

The term has started on a high note as all the pupils arrived to school in time and they were very happy after their break.

They were all eager and ready to learn and to sharpen their minds to make their futures bright.

This was evident in their faces as their first lessons go underway with great enthusiasm.

Class 6 in class

We look forward to a successful term and hope the pupils will enjoy this second term.

A visit to grandma

The school holidays have come to an end and our children are returning to class.
For some the holidays have included a night or two away from the Happy House when they have been to visit relatives.
It is important to maintain contact with family members, where is it safe to do so, and Uncle Billy ensures that everything is in place for any child going on a visit.
A grandmum who could not provide on a full-time basis  enjoys being able to have a grandchild or grandchildren home on short visit.
Rukia is pictured with her grandmother on the day she arrived to collect her to take her back to her home in Malindi.

Super seaside Saturday

It was a happy Saturday for friends of the Happy House on the Fylde coast.
The Sewing Sanctuary, Thornton, hosted a Dress a Boy Around the World event when anyone who wanted to have a go a making a pair of shorts for a little boy in the impoverished world was invited to pop in during the day.
Elizabeth Gomm went along to tell them about our family and to say thank you for the 20 pairs of shorts that will go to our children. We have already received beautiful dresses from their Dress A Girl event in February.
We are limited to the amount we can take, but are so grateful to everyone who gave up their free time to go along and know that the lovely items they made will bring joy to every needy child who receives them.
It was a lovely, friendly event for all ages with Jessica Woolley providing tuition for absolute beginners - including Phil Wolstencroft and Sean Holman who were delighted with their finished results.
Sean's daughter, Megan Holman, 12, a pupil at St Mary's School, is junior ambassador for the Sewing Sanctuary and she made three pairs of shorts during the day and little Emma O'Donnell, there with her mum Joanne, also had fun modelling the shorts they made!
Andrea Manders, who is in Natasha's family, is a keen needlewoman and was happy to give assistance where it was needed.
Enthusiastic owner of the  Sewing Sanctuary and Grace & Favour fabric shop,  both at Marsh Mill Village, Caroline Bramhall, who does much forlocal charities,  is now hoping to do more for our Happy House family by fundraising and raising awareness, too.
Thank you Caroline for your kindness to our kids.
                                                                                     Masonic Giving Day

 Earlier in the day Elizabeth was at the first Giving Day held by North Fylde Group of Freemasons at the Masonic Hall, Cleveleys.
The event was attended by representatives of the 27 lodges in the group, plus guests, and representatives of  some of the 38 charities who had received donations from them.
The Giving Day was to celebrate the huge contribution made to local charities by the Masons which totalled more than £31,000 in the last year and to give the charities an opportunity to  showcase their causes.
The  Happy House  was delighted to have  received £250 from Normoss Round Table Lodge in March.
The Mayor and Mayoress of Wyre , Councillor John Hodgkinson and his wife, Linda, visited every charity stand to hear about their work, and were very touched by the magic worked on our family by Mama and the Happy House..
"It was a wonderful event ," said Elizabeth "the Masons do so much for charities. It was a privilege to be there and to be able to tell such an interested audience a little about our family.
"It was also a chance to say a personal thank you from the Happy House to Normoss Round Table Lodge and to make other Lodges aware of our charity, which is entirely funded by the generosity of others,."
*Elizabeth is pictured with Peter Gunn of  immediate past Worshipful Master of Normoss Round Table Lodge and his wife,  Joanne.

Our donkey - by Evans

Evans brushing Mary.

Our donkeys were a very welcome addition to our family when they were given to Mama as a gift. Today our junior blogger, Evans, tells you more about them.

I am writing a blog about donkeys. We very lucky that our Happy House Family is a lovely family.

Last year,  one of the visitors who came at the Happy House she promised mama a present during the Christmas.

When the Christmas came the visitor brought the young donkeys.

When  we saw the donkeys we were excited and mama was excited, too,  because it was her present we promised her we will take care of them and then we were told  we will  give them nice names. The female is called Mary and the male is called Joseph.

Christmas gift for Mama

We are very happy because the small babies will ride on them. 

We are training them so that they can not hurt the young children and they are good. 

We love our donkeys so much.

Lots of love from

Evans Hamisi

Sand, sea and fun

 With the school holidays coming to an end, everyone enjoyed a trip to the beach.
It was held just before volunteer, Auntie Fab, set off for the next stage of her African adventure so that she and her boyfriend could enjoy the fun.
With plenty of adults on hand, our staff teachers and other volunteers Auntie Mckenzie and Auntie Coral to supervise, the kids had a great time splashing in the surf and building castles in the sand.
And our young beachcombers came up with some interesting finds, as shown here by Linus and Oscar.
When it was time for the walk home, it was some very tired little people who arrived back at the Happy House.
Tired, but very happy too.