PURPLE Elephant, Frome’s family support charity, would like to offer their warm, sunny thanks in a cold, grey February, by acknowledging everyone in the area who has been a part of their community fundraising projects in the past 12 months.
Reaching families and children facing disadvantage and well known for the annual Children’s Festival, the Purple Elephant charity offers dedicated support through its range of services all year round.
“This vital work, carried out by a small local team of workers and volunteers, includes twice weekly stay-and-play sessions for pre-schoolers, a toy-library, Small Steps early years support for parents, an adult-led specialist befriending service and a range of active and creative school holiday activities for referred families, none of which would be possible without local support,” says a spokesperson for the charity.
Whilst funding supports a core element of the team’s work, Purple Elephant lead support worker, Rebecca Harrison said, “Here in Frome, we have some of the most community-minded people in the country. Not only are we so grateful to our volunteers who support at all our events but we have to extend a huge thank you to the people of the area for embracing our community fundraising call-out. They really pulled out all the stops.”
Recent activities carried out to raise generous funds for Purple Elephant have included: runners taking part in the Bath Half Marathon and mufti days held by the students of Trinity First and Vallis First schools; a gig played by Frome’s own The Frukes at the Cornerhouse; a Halloween pumpkin decorating activity: a hamper raffled at Fussel’s Fine Food’s Christmas shopping day; a wreath-making workshop; rides on Druscilla the Dragon and knitting and sewing of mini purple elephants, created by talented Frome crafts people and then sold at local fayres and charity events.
Purple Elephant have also had stalls selling toys and playing games, offering creative fun, decorating biscuits and accepting cash donations in their collection boxes at the Independent Market, the Carnival Fun Day, the Lions Fete, The Cheese Show, Leigh-on-Mendip Christmas Fair, the Cheese and Grain Christmas Fair and, of course, at the huge Frome Drone Show in November.
“The team wish to thank the individuals and organisations who put such hard work into delivering these events, as well as everyone who came along and joined in, giving their donations in the spirit of the community,” added the spokesperson.
In addition, Purple Elephant has also been supported by the generosity of donations from the ladies of Orchardleigh Golf Club, from the Frome Triathlon Club and from audience members at the Animal Guyz Animals Unleashed performance last year.
Rebecca Harrison said, “Purple Elephant is about putting fun and play into, often very difficult lives, and the way to raise money for that seems to be by having more fun! It could be you’re planning a bake-sale, a tea-party, a dress-in-purple day, a sponsored silence or a jumble sale, or maybe you want to run the Bath Half Marathon. Plans for this spring already include a Teddy Bear’s picnic, so whatever it is, big or small, if your group, school, friends or neighbours are planning an event to raise money, do please let us know all about it so we can share the good news. And to all of you who have offered so much already, thank you.”
Purple Elephant can be contacted via its social media, its website www.PurpleElephant.org.uk or email info@PurpleElephant.org.uk
