Bank Holiday BBQ a sizzling success

Danny, Craig and Natasha

Bank Holiday sunshine provided a perfect day for a Happy House fundraising barbecue staged by Natasha Weman and her friends Craig Osborne and Danny MacFoster

The event held at London Colney Cricket Club, near Boreham Wood, was a huge success raising more than £1880 .

Natasha, who spent a month volunteering at Happy House last year,writes:

After visiting Kenya last summer with my Dad Russell, I definitely got the Happy House bug and couldn't help talking about it and spreading the love. My sister, Kara,

married this year and I met a lot of her friends at her wedding. They were all lovely, but two guys in particular, Craig and Danny, took such an interest in the Happy House and what it does they wanted to do something to help as well, in the form of a fundraiser.

 Plans got underway straight away and we decided on a summer BBQ.
 Craig works for a meat supplier (Nigel Fredericks catering butchers) and they kindly offered to donate all the meat, which gave me instant confidence of a successful day.

 We managed to get some amazing raffle prizes! So much chocolate, which I knew would be popular, booze, smelly sets, and my friend Janine, who works at Mars chocolate, managed to get us a signed England shirt and a couple of Wayne Rooney autographs.
It's so amazing how generous people are.

We decided to do the event on  August Bank Holiday Monday. The weather had been so unpredictable and we were panicking a bit when Sunday was a wash out.

 But the weather was definitely on our side and on Monday the sun was shining. I had managed to borrow lots of giant games -Connect 4, Jenga, dominoes plus more from my clients at Event Perfect. They were so much fun.

 Craig got the BBQ up and running and the food was amazing. It kept him very busy all afternoon, such was the demand!

We had loads of lovely freshly baked cakes too, made by our lovely friends to sell, a guess the jelly babies jar, an amazing raffle and a silent auction.

 Lots of other lovely things to sell including some beautiful handmade bracelets made in Watamu and Happy House bags

.It all went down a treat. It was just such a lovely relaxed day with some amazing music from my beautiful sister Kara, her friends Thom, Patch and Emily and another amazing musician, Kev Moth.

We are so lucky to know such talented people, all willing to give up their time. 
We are so happy with how the day went and will definitely be planning more events to raise money for the wonderful Happy House. We managed to raise an amazing total of £1880, plus gift aid,

I cannot believe people are so generous and  I know how the money raised will help  the Happy House to change kids lives in Kenya.

It's a pleasure to be able to stand up and  tell people honestly and with certainty that their money is going straight to the children. 100% of it!

 A special thanks to London Colney Cricket Club for letting us host the event at their ground, it was a perfect venue and free of charge.

I love telling people about my time in Kenya at the Happy House and getting them more friends and hopefully more visitors one day.

Huge thanks from everyone at Happy House to Craig, Danny and Natasha for arranging the barbecuse and for raising such a huge amount. Thank too to all those who supported it in any way. 

Every penny will be towards funding students, from abject poverty,  on our free place scholarship scheme in our school.
You are fantastic friends who are taking our Happy House work to a wider audience.
Thank you again.

  

Jonny helps out

A student at Newcastle University, Jonathan Marden is spending four weeks of his break volunteering at Happy House
Jonny, 20, from Lytham St Annes, said: "When I go back I will be starting my third year at university studying geography. 
"While I am here in Watamu I am working with the kids at Happy House and also gathering  some information to aid my dissertation, which will make up a large proportion of my final degree mark. "
Jonny has been helping in with holiday sessions in the classroom, leading discussion groups, and also with games outside on the sportsfield.
" Since my arrival everyone has been extremely welcoming ," added Jonny.
Before he set out for Kenya Jonny. and his friends Max Reid (who arrives at Happy House tomorrow) and Sam Fletcher raise £670 from a sponsored hike along the Hellfire Mountain trail in Ireland.

To find out more about volunteering at Happy House please go to: http://www.childrenofwatamu.net/volunteer

A day out for Priscilla

Nine year old Priscilla has been on her first home visit since joining our family in January.

Priscilla, whose mum suffers from debiltating mental illness,  spent a  day with her elderly grandpa, her mum, and her auntie and cousin, before going happily back to her  Happy House family..

Happy birthday Charity

Birthday girl Charity celebrated her sixth birthday with all her Happy House brothers and sisters at this week's Kidz Club.

And it was an extra bonus for members of her sponsor family, Hailey and Debs Aspinall, to be able to see her on her special day.

Mama Sue presented Charity with her birthday bag of goodies and afterwards everyone enjoyed a lollipop.

Home visits

As with every school holiday, children will go to visit relatives if it can be made possible.

Indeed, it is the Happy House commitment to maintaining strong connections between kids in our care and their blood relatives, that has enableed some children to go home to live family members who are now in a position to look after them.

On Saturday,  excited youngsters were packed and ready for a few days on a home visit.
School starts agin next week.

Tickly subject for teacher Debs

 Our little people had great fun communicating theough music, rhythm and touch, with special needs teacher Debs Aspinall. 

Debs. visiting Watamu with one of our very earliest volunteers, Hailey, is a qualified Early Years and general primary teacher currently teaching at Broadfield Specialist School in Oswaldtwistle, Lancs and is studying for her Masters in Education.

When getting ready for her first trip to Kenya, she wanted to bring something that would have lasting benefit. 
She writes: 

When preparing for this wonderful holiday to visit the Happy House, I wanted to bring something I could do with the children, but that would be  of benefit afterwards.

.As a teacher, there were obvious educational resources, however,I wanted to bring something different. 

I teach in a special educational needs school and and where I am the Sensory Curriculum Leader.

I have found a group activity called Tacpac to be very rewarding for the children I teach and decided to bring this to the Happy House.

 It is an interactive, sensory communication and relaxation resource which helps develop children's social, emotional and behavioural skills while promoting positive communication with each other.

I delivered  group sessions at the school to the younger children. 

They were very excited to see the variety of interesting objects we used, such as wet spongers, mini feather dusters, scourers and furry material.

 Initially unsure what we would be doing with them, the children soon followed my lead.

 They enjoyed the feeling of the different sensory objects as we listened to music corresponding to each. 
Children with serious faces soon started smiling, quieter children were giggling and they all shared the experience well together.

One child, who  Mama Sue had told me had, before coming to Happy House, suffered  before physically abused let me tap chopsticks on him gently and squash a wet sponge on his skin. 

He was soon giddy with excitement like his friends. For him, this was an opportunity to introduce safe touch and build trust. 

The session finished with individual hand massages and positive affirmations to each child. As they were told how good they are, clever and kind, every child had a beaming smile, and couldn't stop smelling their cocoa scented hands!

From one session, I have been able to see the different benefits each child has gained. 

The class teacher was involved and was also impressed by how responsive the children were, so I am very happy that they will continue using the Tacpacs  Hailey and I created and gave them.

For me, it has been a privilege to spend this special time with these wonderful children.

Easy to see why Happy House leads the way

Stevie, Hailey, Charity and Debs

 Hailey and Deborah Aspinall are bowled over by our Happy House.

Hailey was one of our very first volunteers and now, having just completed her Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy,  she is on a return visit, with Debs.

Hailey,  having worked with children affected by domestic abuse, will be starting a new role as play specialist at Lancaster Hospital on her return. She writes today's blog, and tomorrow there will be a blog from first-time visitor Debs.

Hailey writes:
"When the Happy House first opened in 2010, I was lucky enough to visit, where I met the child my family sponsor, Charity.

Debs and kids

 Arriving on the same day was little nine-month-old Stevie who I felt such a connection with, indeed I was destined to become part of his sponsor family too.
 I have always been eager to introduce, Debs to my extended family and I am so excited to be here again six years later with her. 
It seemed surreal to see the Happy House again as it has changed so much and so have Stevie and Charity. 

2010 with Steve (top) and
Charity (below)

They have both grown into wonderful young children; Stevie is quiet, independent and happy, and Charity is cheeky and full of smiles.
 There are, of course, lots of new little faces too, each bubbling with their own personality and full of curiosity as to who we are. 
We were welcomed with a fantastic showcase of talent; singing, dancing, acrobatics and a fashion show. 
Debs was overwhelmed with the feeling of warmth and happiness amongst the children, making her first experience a magical one.
 I was impressed to see how the Happy House has grown, especially the school which is thriving and it is easy to see why it is number one in the county.
 The school has fantastic facilities; a large library with the same reading scheme books used in England, spacious classrooms, a computer room and a variety of sports activities enjoyed by the children at break time. 
We are so happy that we will get to celebrate Charity's 7th Birthday with her this week before we head back to England... with a new addition to our sponsor family!

Thank you Mama, by Michael

Scholarship student, Michael, is in class eight at Happy House School and working hard towards his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam in November.

Being at Happy House is a dream come true for this grateful 15 year old.

My name is Michael Kombe. Since I came to Happy House I am so happy.

I am getting a a high education than I had in my life before.

Thank you Mama for giving me breakfast every morning

On Saturday, we are coming to school not only to learn but also for life skills and to play different games.

I would like to appreciate Mama Sue for her true love and providing to me the things that I need.

The teachers that are teaching me are qualified teachers and so they are providing to me a high education.

Thank you Mama and God bless you.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.