Digging for artefacts helps bring in £2,000 for the nook appeal
Those most passionate about Norfolk’s heritage have given East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) another £2,000 towards the nook appeal.
Norfolk Heritage Recovery Group (NHRG) holds charity metal detecting digs, charging members and guests to attend. This most recent donation to EACH takes its total raised for the good cause to £5,000. Tim Jenkins, EACH Norfolk Community Fundraiser, received the money from Godfrey Pratt, NHRG Chair.
Godfrey said: “We spend an awful lot of our time digging up the past as that’s what metal detectorists do, but through our regular charity digs we’re also fundraising for the future, in this case for better lives for the children offered care by EACH.”
Tim said: “We’re delighted to be receiving the ongoing support of this fine group that’s managing to do important work for the county whilst also supporting important causes such as ours. I know that in addition to the club donation there have been pledges from individual members, including Treasurer Neil Storey, and we’d, of course, like to say a big thank you.
“We hope the nook can become operational this summer, but there’s still £1.6 million of the £10 million public appeal to raise, so we really need one big, final push from all Norfolk communities.”
NHRG was formed in 2015 and currently boasts 70 members. They meet monthly at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich. Apart from fundraising, the main aim of the group is for members’ archaeological finds to be officially recorded. This takes place at a monthly meeting with the Finds Liaison Officer of Norfolk Historic Environment Record, when the finds can be correctly identified and then logged on the national database.
NHRG is always looking for land to dig, at least 20 hectares (50 acres) at a time, and makes a ‘finds report’ available to landowners a few weeks after the event. More information is available atwww.norfolkheritagerecovery.org/landowners.
For more on the nook appeal and how to get involved visit www.each.org.uk/the-nook.
Over 6,000 bags of donations a week needed to run children’s charity shops
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) has revealed it takes over 6,000 bags of donations a week to run its shops, as the charity launches its Bag It, Bring It, Boost It campaign for 2019.
EACH has 35 shops across Cambridgeshire, north Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk that last year generated an impressive profit of over £1.1 million.
They can only do that with a regular flow of donations, though, so the good cause is to continue running its successful Bag It, Bring It, Boost It campaign this year.
Encouraging individuals, families, community groups, schools and businesses to bag up their unwanted items and drop them off at an EACH shop, the donation drive was a huge success when it launched in 2017, with over 80 companies and colleges getting involved to supply in excess of 1,000 bags.
Ian Nicolson, EACH Head of Retail & Trading, said: “Our retail portfolio’s rapidly expanding, with nine shops having opened last year, and it’s important we continue receiving donations of all types of items to keep our shelves well stocked. We’re really desperate for homewares, menswear and toys at the moment.
“As we all know, January’s a great time for a clear-out. Maybe you’ve some items lying around unused due to new ones received over Christmas or, perhaps, you got some gifts you actually don’t want!
“Please bring them along to an EACH shop. The money raised from sales goes towards the care of hundreds of children and young people with life-threatening conditions across the region, and support for their families.”
To put into context the difference just a small donation to a shop can make to the vital work EACH does, here are some examples of what a donation could pay for:
- A top, skirt or pair of trousers worth £5 could pay for art supplies for a session of art therapy
- A tea set worth £11 could fund an hour of specialist play tailored to a child’s individual needs
- A nice wedding hat or jacket worth £19 could pay for an hour of vital physiotherapy
- An item of good-quality furniture or prom dress worth £24 could fund an hour with a psychologist to help guide and support families going through, likely, the toughest period of their lives
EACH can help provide themed collection bags, posters and flyers. It can also arrange collections for any companies, schools or just large groups that want to participate. Contact your relevant fundraising office:
Cambridgeshire and West Essex – 01223 204916 or cambs@each.org.uk
Suffolk and East Essex – 01473 917965 or treehouse@each.org.uk
Norfolk – 01953 666767 or norfolk@each.org.uk
For more information about Bag It, Bring It, Boost It visit www.each.org.uk or drop by your nearest EACH shop.
Norwich and King’s Lynn set for another foam-tastic occasion as bubble bonanza returns
Norwich and King’s Lynn will be awash with bubbles again this year as East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) has confirmed it is bringing back the exciting fundraiser that saw almost 3,000 people in Norfolk get covered in coloured foam last year.
Bubble Rush is a 5k fun run with a difference as participants head off amongst a sea of bubbles, before passing four bubble stations where cannons pump out foam to create a four-foot (1.2-metre) deep bubble bath!
Last year’s events were the first of their kind in Norfolk and, such was the furore to get involved, they raised in the region of £70,000.
In 2019, EACH will host a Bubble Rush on Saturday, 18 May at Eaton Park, Norwich. That will be followed by one on Sunday, 16 June at The Walks, King’s Lynn. At both, runners will go off in two waves at 11am and noon.
Emma Benstead, EACH Norfolk Events Fundraiser, said: “We’re thrilled to be running these two events again after such a brilliant response when we staged them for the first time last year.
“As anyone who went will know, the runs are a spectacular sight and great fun for all involved. There’s no race element, meaning participants are free to run, jog, walk, dance or toddle through the foam. It’s a completely natural and safe mixture.”
Alongside the courses will be lots of merchandise, catering and other amusements, making it a proper family day out.
Emma added: “Tickets for the Bubble Rush events this year will be sold in three stages, so the earlier you book the cheaper it is! Registration fees help cover the costs of your participation, so we’d like everyone to raise as much money as possible.
“All money raised from the Norwich Bubble Rush will go towards the nook appeal, our campaign to raise £10 million and build a new hospice in Framingham Earl, transforming children’s palliative care for Norfolk. Whilst that appeal’s ongoing, we still need to raise money to continue providing care and support at our existing Norfolk hospice in Quidenham. Money raised from the King’s Lynn Bubble Rush will go towards this.
“Come along and soak up the colourful atmosphere!”
The Norwich Bubble Rush is being sponsored by Bateman Groundworks and also supported by Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure and One Broker. The King’s Lynn one is being sponsored by Vancouver Quarter, with additional support from Bespak, Alive Leisure, Chalcroft Construction and the solicitors Kenneth Bush.
Ticket prices are as follows:
| Ticket | First 500 tickets | Second 500 tickets | Final tickets |
| Adult (16+) | £18 | £20 | £24 |
| Child (4-15) | £7.50 | £9 | £10 |
| Family (Two adults with two children) | £48 | £55 | £62 |
| Team (Six people or more) | £16 per person | £18 per person | £22 per person |
All entrants will receive a T-shirt and a medal. Children aged under four can take part for free. Those aged under 16 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Head to www.each.org.uk/bubblerush for more information. Online registration will close midnight on Thursday, 16 May for Norwich and midnight on Thursday, 13 June for King’s Lynn.
