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We are grateful to be back at Morrisons Horsforth for the first collection there in 2016.

As many will be aware our visits cannot be at the same frequency or duration that we have formerly enjoyed, but nonetheless both staff and customers welcomed us back on the 11th February and donated £233.10 to our grateful volunteers - Tony Greaves, Karen Creed and Barbara Skinner.

As always, Sarah from Morrisons and our own Trevor were the organising forces and we are indebted for their work.

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Carpeted and heated

From this   Chambers

 

to this       Carpets

 

We're now fully carpeted and we have HEATING!!  For this we must thank the collective efforts of some notable contributors.

In alphabetical order, Naomi Barnard, Dave Butler + family and friends, Diane Leatham, and Alan & Sylvia Shackleton.

Without their efforts and generosity, the centre, whilst functional, would not be the warm and comfortable environment it now is.

Thank you from all of us - volunteers and members and of course Joanne.

 

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The total amount collected from Morrisons Horsforth Leeds in 2015 is an incredible £10,616.69!

The total since 2012 when Sarah adopted us as their local charity and gave us regular bookings is now a staggering £30,726.21! Many, many thanks to all the customers & staff who made us all so welcome!

CollectorsHowever the support we have received in the past from our supermarkets cannot be taken for granted.

With supermarket chains across the country reviewing the availability of their premises to host charitable fundraising, our regular, frequent and very successful store collections look likely to be severely curtailed in the future. Indeed some of the collections that we had planned for 2016 have now been cancelled by the retailers.

Many of the large chains of supermarkets including the "Big 4" cite reasons such as customers feeling pressurised and over demand from charities for events amongst other complaints. The recent phenomena of professional charity fundraisers and "Direct Debit" fundraising have all added to the conclusion by some retailers that charitable activities need to be curtailed or at least significantly reduced.

This affects not only ourselves but also the large national charities as well. The difference being that we rely heavily on the income provided by the collections to maintain our centre, around 10% of our income came from this source last year. Not only that, but importantly it also provides a means of talking to members of the public about our centre and its therapies which raises awareness and that can only be a good thing!

Happily however, with much help from staff at Morrisons at Horsforth, we have been informed that our collections there for 2016 will continue. Whether we'll be allowed the same frequency as in the past we'll just have to wait and see. Whatever we are given, we're immensely grateful for their continuing support.

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Many thanks to all my friends at the centre for the many kind comments and best wishes for my retirement.

Thanks for all the cards and gifts!

Thanks to everybody who donated to the collection for me and raised £300.

'm hoping to buy an iPad with this money so will think of here all the time I'm using it!

I should still be here most Wednesdays as a volunteer and maybe other days if needed!

So, thanks once again.

Trevor

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Trevor GledhillTrevor started as a volunteer in 2000 when his wife Pam started her dives. Trevor was employed in 2002 to drive the bus.

From that humble beginning he then took on and developed the supermarket collections  raising over £250,000 in the past 13 years with help from the members.

For many of you, Trevor's infectious enthusiasm and seemly boundless energy and humour will typify your visits for your chamber dives.

He will be leaving this Friday (6th November) and will be missed by everyone and we wish him well in his retirement, though he will still be around and hopes to do more fundraising through the internet.

Thanks for 13 years of unstinting support and encouragement Trevor.