 |
| Papa and Terry Burns |
Our Happy House Charity Night and Third Birthday party on Saturday was fantastic evening of family fun and celebration.
It was just so disappointing that Mama Sue, who inspires us all, was poorly and unable to be there.
 |
| New sponsors |
She had been so looking forward to it and was so upset, as were those of you who had come so far and were looking forward to seeing her.
But everyone rallied round and pulled out all the stops to give her and her Happy House family an £8,525 tonic!
That's the total raised, including a promised matched donation of £3,000 from Santander.
Our lovely Papa Dave came along a spent a few hours trying to get round to say hello to everyone and UK voluntary coordinator and trustee Elizabeth Gomm, who works so closely with Sue played understudy to tell everyone just how successful the fundraising mission that has brought Mama and Papa to the UK for a prolonged stint has been.
 |
| Missa |
 |
| Discoman Adam and Elizabeth |
But the family has grown, we now have 71 children dependent on us, and our children are growing. These bring new demands and make the need for more fundraising and more sponsors ever more pressing.In that time Sue and Elizabeth have been actively seeking new funding and sponsors and succeeded in finishing the primary school. They have done much to consolidate the financial foundation of the Happy House.
 |
| Bobbie, Andrea and Lesley |
It is for independent living accommodation as children must, by law, leave the Happy House care at 18.
But some may not be ready to be fully independent, and will need and home and support whilst they finish schooling, establish themselves in the workplace , or a home to come back to in vacations for those who go on to college or university.
 |
| Barry Hay and Paul Foulkes |
The Happy House is the children's family, Sue and Dave are their Mama and Papa, and if a child at 18 is not ready to move out, no family, no parent, wants to cast them adrift.
Nor will we.
Raising the money will be a tough call, but Sue and Elizabeth are on the case and know, with your love and they'll do it.
And to emphasize,what a real family Mama and Papa have created at the Happy House there was the first showing of a new video, The Happy House Haywards, produced by Sheila Davies. It shows the real difference being made to so many young lives and is both inspiring and emotionally stirring.
A night of fundraising always has a serious side, but it's also about having fun.
Everyone joined in, there were a few games, a tasty buffet and some dancing.
 |
| Gordon Oates, Alan and Barbara Hebden |
Thank you all the lovely people who came along a huge success ... additional thanks to Missa Miles entertaining with her fabulous voice, to Adam Discoman for being just the best dj, Wendy Hay for balloons, Andrea Manders for organising the bottlebola, Louise Webster Gaines and her husband Gary for organising the raffle, Lynn Baya Thoya for Lynn's Lucky Loot and just doing anything needed, Terry Burns for Terry's Teddies, Scott Webster and Red Groves for Putt a £, Sarah Latham who made the birthday cake (delicious) , Lucy Groves, Chloe Groves and Grace Dunbar for running the tombola, Ellena Manders, Kathryn Pidcock, Emma Fineman (pictured left) for selling Happy House bags, Karen Miles (pictured right with Gary Webster) and Lesley Pidcock for pitching in wherever they could.  |
| Prizes galore for Betty |
To everyone who helped in any way , who donated prizes and who spent their money to help our Happy House kids, thank YOU.
 |
| Raffle draw: :Lynn and Adam |
 |
| Paul Hatch and his lovely mum Betty |
 |
| Prize haul |
