Northern Crisis Event - Wetheral... great success!!

For the last few weeks I've been working towards an event of 'live music' with a Pie & Pea Supper, raffle and Auction... just as well really as it distracted me from not being able to get out on my bike (or do much at the gym) - well a bit!!

It all started at the gym actually, when an old colleague of mine told me he was in a band called 'Northern Crisis'and offered to play for me to help raise funds.. It took wings from there.... I wrote to all the local Village Halls and Wetheral came back with the best offer (£30 for the weekend).. fitting really as Trudy and I used to go to disco's there in our teens.

So I walked the streets of Carlisle and Wetheral and got lots of great donations - originally it was just going to be a raffle, but as the prizes got more extensive I decided it might be a good idea to have an Auction too. I wasn't too sure who to get as an Auctioneer but my choice proved to be a good one.. Sean Reed (who I've worked with and known for many years) was brilliant.. alternative carear awaits him if he ever gets fed-up with the 'day job'... I raised £535 from the Auction alone - I thought I'd be lucky to get half of that!!

As well as the band and the raffle/auction I had a 'Pie & Pea Supper' I wanted to keep it as local as possible so contacted my local pub The Bridge Inn, Penton unfortunately they had too much on to do it all, but kindly donated 3 large pies (enough for 24)... yummy!

The remainder of the pies came 'highly recommended' from a local butchers 'Wilsons' .. the pies lived up to the recommendation and everyone wanted to know where they came from!! The peas became a bit of an epic... with someone saying they'd get them - not coming good until too late, by which time I'd bought them and had them soaking!  Cooked them the day before .. 3 huge pans full - only forgot to switch off the last pan ... result - had to make more the day of the event!!! I also decided to make Cava Jellies and sell them - v successful .. but much fiddlier making 100 as opposed to the dozen or so I'd made previously!! Had to finish them off on the morning of the event too..

Just as well I had a larder fridge and hadn't been shopping!!!

Fortunately Lisa came down to help on the morning of the event.. with Jacqui and Guy's assistance we got the Hall ready.. by lunchtime... all that was left to do was the balloons to be blown up and the raffle tickets to be folded ..

Dashed back home via BikeSeven to buy Lisa a bike for her 30th birthday.. a surprise - she loved it!! 

 Then it was back to the hall to open up for Bars2u to allow them to set up.. not the easiest jobs as there were quite alot of stairs up to the Hall.. but they were brilliant - great bar, fully stocked and really pleasant, helpful people.. recommend them to anyone!! 

We then had to collect a homemade cake from the Village Cafe and take the pies to a friends to heat up in her oven.. got back to the Hall and Alex was waiting..  I had some balloons printed with the Cycle Cuba logo's on that I want to sell to others doing the trip - so this was an ideal opportunity to show them off!!

My friend Jill (who makes amazing bunting) and was making one for me .. only she forgot the date and two days from the event she managed to make and post it to me... maybe I can sell them too!!

So scene was set .. band were doing sound checks.. Ricky Beatty (or should I say 'DJ Downstairs') was ready to do his stuff and the girls (Lisa & Alex) had taken control of the kitchen... now all we needed were people!! Didn't start too well - first person to arrive brought back their tickets as they couldn't make it!! Then an elderly couple walked in, heard the band play - turned around and walked out... they did come back later and seemed to really enjoy themselves!!

Then they started to come and before I knew it the Hall was full and people were eating and having fun.. I bought a whisky bottle (a good one from a small shop in Keswick that closed) and people had to throw a £1 coin towards it... the nearest after 15 minutes won it - very successful.. and good fun.

So it was an evening of fun.. after days of stressing about not selling enough tickets.. not really for the fund raising side of it, but more because I wanted the band to have a good audience, Bars2u to make money and to have a good atmosphere for all the people who had bought tickets to enjoy themselves..  Fortunately it was..

The band were brilliant..

DJ Downstairs was great...

The food was yummy...

.. and one little girl loved the balloons..

.. and I raised a staggering £1,794!!!

Incredible - thank you so much everyone.. in particular Lisa, Alex and Jacqui who helped so much at the event.. and to Northern Crisis, Ricky, Sean, all those who donated prizes, bought tickets, bid at the Auction, bought the jellies and came along and supported me on the night... :-)

Now I just need to get fit again and out on my bike!!