Tag: appeal

#365daysofbiking A completed job

Saturday December 12th 2020 – One thing that had been a bit sad about the Christmas tree going up on the miner island in Brownhills was that there seemed to be an electrical fault with the existing, permanently installed lights on the trees around Morris. When the tree was connected, these stayed resolutely off and we assumed there was some terminal flaw.

Thankfully, council electrical wonks attended, and have got the lights working again, for which we are all grateful: Morris now has that Vegas sparkle returned and he is surrounded by festive sparkle.

A job well done, and seen through to completion: Thanks to all involved!

You can find out more about, and donate to the Brownhills Christmas Tree Appeal by clicking here.

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/3hJydS9
via IFTTT

#365daysofbiking Tree cheers


Monday December 7th 2020 – Thanks to the tenacity and dedication of Susan Forster and friends who work so hard to raise money and organise the provision, Brownhills finally had it’s second festive community Christmas tree lit up on the miner island for all to enjoy.

Some electrical issues and council staffing difficulties meant it was a few days late, but no less excellent and very, very festive for us all to admire.

The tree is paid for like every other local tree in Walsall Borough by community donation and commercial support, and the volunteers have worked like demons to sort this out. The first tree they organised was in 2019, and that was the first we’d had in Brownhills for over a decade.

My thanks and best wishes to the all. You can find out more and make a donation at their Facebook page by clicking here.

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/3pG2tQf
via IFTTT

#365daysofbiking Not forgotten:

October 28th – I was charmed and humbled passing through Hednesford on a much needed restorative ride to Cannock Chase to note the main square has been decorated with knitted and other hand made poppies and material for Remembrance. 

It’s really very impressive, and sobering. It’s beautiful to see so many displays of Remembrance in towns and villages at the moment, particularly on the centennial anniversary of the end of the Great War.

My thanks and compliments to those who took time out to make and arrange this display. Real community in action.

May 25th – A ride out on a grey day. I’d intended to get a good, long ride in but the weather had been pretty horrid and my heart wasn’t in it. I contented myself with a ride over Chasewater, down through Burnwood, out around Whittington and back through Weeford and Shenstone.

I forgot my camera, too, and so I had to make do with the phone – which rarely makes for a good picture.

At Chasewater, I noticed that the yellow ribbons for the Stephen’s Story appeal in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust were spreading up here, too, and were on cars, fences and gates around the railway. It was a nice thing to see.

This is a remarkable phenomena.

You can donate to the Stephen Sutton appeal here.

May 18th – Since the sad passing of young cancer patient and charity fundraiser extraordinaire Stephen Sutton, his home town of Burntwood has been spontaneously bedecked in yellow ribbons as a token of mourning and support. I’ve never seen anything quite like this – at least since Diana died – and the floral tributes and book of remembrance at Chase Terrace School, where he was a pupil, are sombre and touching.

It’s worth taking a trip up there to see this, as you can’t capture it in photos. It’s like air air of sadness is perched upon the town. And one of pride, too.

It’s interesting to see how the public have taken to this story, and constructed narratives around it. Propelled by social media and human goodwill, it has been an astounding thing to witness.

You can donate to the Stephen Sutton appeal here.

Cancer is a filthy thing, to be sure. 

April 5th – I wasn’t feeling great. I wasn’t down anymore, but I felt achey and muzzy like I had a cold coming, the weather was grey and windy, and I contented myself with a trip to Chasewater. On the way I passed the remarkable shrine to Jamey Coleman, who was tragically killed here in a hit and run incident a week before.

It pulled me up short. Don’t think I’ve ever seen so many tributes.

Please – if you know anything at all about this incident – no matter how inconsequential you think it may be, please do contact the police. 

Please see their appeal here.