Update on Fund-raising

Hi to anyone who is checking in to this blog...

Well, it is Easter Monday, and all of our fund-raising activities are over.... It has been pretty successful, really.

The team of 10 have all paid for their trip expenses, including flights and living expenses, but on top of that, a trust associated with our church has contributed £1000 to cover the work we will be doing in Manila and Negros.

Furthermore, we have held a number of fund-raising activities, starting with the filipino meal held in December in the garden (yes, really!!!) of one of the team members - thanks Gordon and Irene for your hard work and generosity in this. Heart of the Father has just sent the £540 raised from that event to Puso Ng Ama, Heart of the Father's partner organisation in the Philippines, as part of a larger donation towards ongoing works at the Youth and Study Centre in Payatas.

A table sale at a coffee morning held at Debbie's work place raised £130. A gig at The Ship Pub in Leigh raised £170, on a very cold Easter Saturday evening, and we are really grateful for all the hard work of team members Debbie, Ian and Josh Chapman (who also opened the gig really well with a set of songs), Dane from Deb's workplace (who sang an interesting and entertaining set of songs with a roots reggae beat), and the 17 year old Sheila Lord, who wowed the crowd with her mature set of songs on acoustic guitar, accompanied by Ryan on keyboards. Sheila is half filipino, which added a lovely touch to the evening, especially as her filipino mum was in the audience....

The car wash this morning raised a further £225, and again, grateful thanks to the hardy bunch of volunteers who donated their sweat equity, to work on some really filthy cars (the owners will know which ones we mean!!!!) The worst of the cold weather held off, and we had fun doing it too. It reminded me a lot of the atmosphere on a team build on a GK site.... Fun and hard work, combined, in a good cause....

There have been a number of other donations and gifts, totalling £325, so we will be taking £850 out to the Philippines on Friday, which has more than met our target of being able to pay for a fishing boat for the village at Dacutan in Negros. Once we get there, the team will consult with Emma and local people, to decide what other projects to spend the balance of the money on.

Hence, overall, this trip has generated £2390 for the work in the Philippines, and hopefully, interest is still growing. To anyone and everyone who has supported the work so far, thanks very much. To anyone who has been inspired to give, then please contact us on our return, or by e-mail to JoCrowe.HeartoftheFather@blueyonder.co.uk

Thanks all, and we will try to keep you posted.

Love and God bless.

Jo