Treasure boxes... and boxing clever!

Memory boxes are so very important to our children ... their own secret space that nobody but them can look in, unless by invitation.
In their memory boxes they keep all their treasures of growing up a Happy House kid, letters, postcards, pictures and birthday cards sent by friends in their sponsor families,  Star of the Week certificates and school awards, plus little trinkets that have a special meaning be it a sparkly plastic bracelet or a Matchbox car!
They are just box files - and we are appealing for more now our family has grown so fast - but these simple bits of stationery are so much more than that to each and every child.
They really do  cherish them and their contents. They are kept in the office, and a child can ask to look in or add something whenever they wish.
The memory boxes came about because of Papa. Mama grew up comfortably with her own space. But she was often lonely. Papa, meanwhile, was one of 10 children (his mum adopted an 11th)  in a struggling working class family, where ends hardly e met, where everything was shared - including beds - but where he was never lonely, there was always laughter, and ,he says, he had simply the best and most loving Mum in the world.
When he and Sue were first married and setting up home together, Papa asked for just one thing - a drawer of his own. His own private space.

Pendo and Happy

"Even if there was only a comb and a piece of string in it, no one ever looked inside. It was Dave's drawer.
" The first time in his life he had a space he could call his own," says Mama.
 "So with the Happy House kids growing up in a big family where everything is shared, I thought they, like Papa, would need something that was theirs and theirs alone."

Pauline's parcel 

We now  face a memory box crisis. Our family has grown so fast that we don't have enough and we  haven't been able to source them locally - and we really have hunted.
Mama and Papa intended to start packing for home next week and could manage to take a few back with them by packing other things inside, so if you would like  one or two  please send them to Mama at 49, Victoria Mansions, Newton Drive East, Blackpool, FY3 8QG or, if you are coming to the barbecue tomorrow, bring one along with you, if you can!
When Elizabeth told  our friend Pauline Royle, who is in Jane's sponsor family, we needed more memory boxes she snapped some up from WH Smith , and in no time sent one off to the Happy House neatly packed with other useful items for the family
Pauline says: " Any parcel needs to be kept within the 2kg weight limit and all sides added together to be not greater than 90cms - but that is not a problem with the memory box size
"It was a bit like the challenge of seeing how many items you can get in a matchbox.  I really enjoyed myself!"
That's what you call boxing clever, Pauline!
Thank you.
Get set for a barbie!
It's going to be a fun afternoon at Steve and Cherith Cushing's Happy House barbecue tomorrow in Staining, Blackpool, but if you are coming (it's ticket only from sue@childrenofwatamu.net) please remember to bring your high factor sun protection and , as it is on a farm, insect repellent.  It's always best to be prepared! 
Mama and Papa are so looking forward to seeing you all there.