F is for Fundraisers

 For every group, every charity, every village,  fundraising is key to keeping things going. My favourite sort of fundraiser is a charity book sale - of course!

 I miss jolly old jumble sales which was the way most fund raising was done in the 70's and 80's with a special Christmas sale each December - Father Christmas in attendance. With Scouts we also had a wonderful summer fete with a knobbly knee competition  and plate smashing was always popular too, and we were one of the first places to run a car boot sale.

For many years I travelled down to Colchester each October for the giant NSPCC book sale, but this year I just couldn't be bothered- even though it's the last one they were going to have after 20 years - and here is the problem in so many places - it's  often retired people who keep things going and they get older and run out of energy. There was a worrying message on a local Facebook page that the village hall where we have our Keep Moving Group urgently needs more people for the their management committee, as the treasurer and bookings clerk have been doing their jobs for years and would like a break. 

Where are the 30 and 40 year old's with energy? 

So I didn't go to the big Colchester book sale to start November  but I did visit one in Suffolk, a fundraiser for their Village Hall, they always have a nice lot of books. These are what I found. No grey cover Persephone books again but these below are interesting and there at the bottom of the pile is one to add to one of my other collections - The Little Toller Nature Classics series. I've read the one on the top of the heap but don't own a copy and it's a war time mystery so will be a good one to keep.

Just like the shops who have to make much of their profits at this time of the year, the run up to Christmas is peak time for fundraising for villages and groups too, hence the huge number of Christmas Fairs coming up.

There is a lovely list of local Fairs to visit to cheer up my November and December weekends, I might not spend much but I do need to find a few Christmas gifts this year as it's not been a successful year for finding things at boot sales.

My diary has filled up with ideas for places to visit....................

November 8th Monks Eleigh or Stuston; 

15th/16th Diss or Stowupland or  Eye;

 22nd/23rd Haughley or Otley;

 29th/30th Burgate, Stoke Ash, Thorndon, Debenham, Finborough or Stowmarket.

 December 6th/7th Cotton, Wetherden, Stonham, Mendlesham, Thornham Walled Garden or Rickinghall.

Then everything comes to a halt!

How many can I manage to get to? Will I have coffee and cake at some? - Not all! that would be silly.

Are there as many Christmas Fairs and sales in other places or is it just here?

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