A quick update from the DC side of things...
I'll be there at 7:30 - I think I may be in charge of the key to the toilets! 
I'll hopefully have the trophies and the special prize in my car.
There'll also be some flyers telling people about the commemorative pieces to go in the programmes if that's OK? Terry - do you want those before hand?
For
those that don't know, we're making some commemorative beer tankards
engraved with the SCBH logo which will only be available to order from
our shop on the day. A percentage of each one will go straight to the
appeal.
The restaurant will be opening at 9:30 for
breakfast. Cream teas will be on later in the day. Again, a portion
of each breakfast and/or cream tea will go the appeal.
Not sure how many programmes, Terry - is it one per Mini? How many Minis are we expecting?
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The CHSW Teddies are getting restless they are mumbling amongst
themselves
and when you look at them they go quiet. The word is spreading
and has
somehow got out of Little Bridge House. There is an eerie
sense of
foreboding around them. WHY
BECAUSE THEY HAVE
HEARD THERE ARE FOUR COACHLOADS
OF NEW CHSW TEDDIES HEADING FOR DARTINGTON CRYSTAL
AND THEY SHOULD BE THERE ON SUNDAY 27TH JULY.
What a coincidence so will we.
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Most of you will know that we have a special calender coming out and Alison has been working really hard to make sure it is ready for this years LGt. If you do not know the story here it is.
A few years ago we gave Lttle Bridge House about £6000 to help towards extending the Messy Play area at LBH. A couple of years ago we gave Chartlon Farm £130,000 to pay for and equipe their Messy Play area.
Now we are going to try and raise enough money to pay for and equipe the Messy Play area at the new CHSW being built in Cornwall. But this year we have some very special help and that is the children at Little Bridge House they have been doing a few pictures for us and they have been doing them in the messy play area.
We are going to make them into a calendar and they are going to help us raise enough money to pay for and equipe the New Messy Play Area in the new Children's Hospice being built in Cornwall.
Well today I recieved this from Alison.
"I am trying not to panic that it wont be ready on time and am doing my damndest!!!!
Have
spoken to all the families for permission this morning......just to
hear how thrilled they were does your soul good..........
one young
deceased girls Dad said, "We would be honoured if you used Sarahs
picture"............I'm speechless!!!....HE'S honoured??!!"
I always knew that the Calendar would be something special but even I did not know just how special.
This
is what we have done together, That's you, Alison and the care teams
but most important the children and the families at Little Bridge
House. Together I think we really can make a differance.
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I AM SENDING OUT NEW LGT BOOKING FORMS EVERY DAY SO IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A BOOKING FORM AND WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS YEARS LGT, THEN PLEASE FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO SIT ON AND SEND IT BACK.
THERE ARE STILL PLACES LEFT BUT NOT ALOT.
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So what makes the Grand Tour so Legendary?
It could be the mini owners who raise so much money and keep coming back year after year? Maybe it is the thousands of people who go out into the streets of North Devon to watch us drive by. They really do fill Lay byes and they stand or sit on the side of the roads just waiting to give the minis a wave. Wherever we go, we get a welcome that is hard to beat.
It could be the 50 or 60 motorbike marshals that give us so much help and the event wouldn’t really be the same without them. It might be the 8 car parks we use over the weekend and lets face it some of them are spectacular and they all look fantastic when we put 300 minis into them.
It is all these things plus a lot, lot more but there is one other very special ingredient that must top the list for making this event legendary and that is Little Bridge House. No other motoring event in the country will fill you with so many different emotions.
If anyone thinks we just drive in and out very quietly without a sound how very wrong they are, if they think we see nothing but the buildings and flower beds how little they know.
When we go into Little Bridge House it is so full of life, the special children, their brothers and sisters and their mums and dads, the careers, the cooks and everyone else is there to greet us.
The cheering and the flag waving from everyone in the grounds is a picture that will remain with most of us forever. All of the families at Little Bridge House have asked to be there that weekend because of the minis. We see a side of Little Bridge House that few people ever get to see. We see so many smiles and a lot of happiness, we see joy and excitement and we see a lot of people just having fun. If only everyone could see what we see.
Sometimes it is hard to remember that Little Bridge House is still a place where get well cards do not work and no matter how many hugs you give the special children, you can never kiss them better and all the magic in the world cannot change their diagnosis.
Those mini owners who do the Legendary Grand Tour really do feel humble and privileged because for a short time they have been part of the children’s life’s and in that short time they made them smile and laugh and that is worth more money than we could ever raise.
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Dartington Crystal Update |
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We have 10 fantastic iceberg trophies donated by Dartington Crystal here are the classes
- My favourite Mk 1 or 2
- My favourite Mk 3 or 4
- My favourite Mk 5
- My favourite van, estate or pick up
- My favourite mini
- My favourite new MINI
- I think the winner of the sound off is
- I think this mini will not win anything today
Children’s choice
Don't for get every mini that turns up is automatically included in the show & shine and everyone who turns up is a judge, that means you, if you turn up.
I hope you do not mind but this year we are going to charge everyone over 17, £3-00 to get in but as we have said before every penny we raise on the day will go to the messy play appeal.
All our events are family events hence the children’s choice, we will have a prize for one of the children who take part in the Children’s choice voting.
New for this year is ROCKER COVER RACING organised by the Silly Mini crew and there will be a cup for the winner. So bring your racer along or get making it.
Our games are a test of skill, agility & nerve and may be to tough and exciting for some of you so we have restricted those to the under six and over sixty but every one is a winner.
Auto Jumble
You can bring as much auto jumble as you like in your mini and we will not charge you anymore the sell it. If you bring it in a van then we will charge you £5-00. If you would like to set up a trade stand we will charge you £10-00
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Today (1 st April ) I had a lovely surprise visit from a couple of children from the Hospice, Angel & Luke, and guess what they were in? This is what Little Bridge House thinks about your gift.
What a vehicle! Couldn’t be more thrilled with the way it is working out! It is a joy to drive, swift to load and easy to strap the children in; the fitting guys have even placed a small custom made box at the back of the car to hold an oxygen cylinder and suction machine perfectly so they don't wobble around in transit!! It is clearly being used... out every day since it was bought!! It is helping children who would never have gone out before experience the joy of a small trip. Just this morning a young lad asked if he could "pop to Blockbuster later"... Well, of course he can because we now have the car to "pop" in!!!! Staff are delighted to drive it as there are no apprehensive feelings about handling a "bus" or finding somewhere to park!.......an all round winner Terry!! Well done you!!! and all those fantastic mini drivers who made it possible.
Had a chat with Luke and Angel's Mum & Dad on our return and they are more than happy for you to use the pics of the kids if you want to put them on the website. They were as thrilled as us with the car and had been admiring it in the parking bay!
They send their congratulations for all your hard work and achievement and say if it helps to promote what you do and spread the word, then they are thrilled that Luke and Angel can be part of that.
Alison
That was from the Hospice.
I of course do have one more thing to add, Angel not only came to visit in your gift but she has been sleeping in the special cot that you brought. The carers said it was lovely this morning we could adjust the cot so she could watch telly in bed.
So here’re the pictures.
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