Ray of light...

Well this time next week we will most definitely be pooped and hopefully sitting on a tidy sum raised for the pledge. Yes Pop Up Party is nearly here and we have had our far share of hurdles to cross since its inception back in June!

We have had a few people drop out last minute which has caused us a few bottom clenches. Conversly we have also had some amazingly generous offers of donations and company sponsorships (apparently it is a feel good way way to stick 2 fingers up to the tax man!). Flippancy aside I really thank you for your generosity and support. Knowing people are buying tickets even if they can't attend as they appreciate the pledge, the effort and the sheer bloody-mindedness of the Pop team is truly remarkable and humbling!

Another big win is we now have toilets booked - this was causing some concern but The Royal Flush will be provding luxury loos so no crossing legs.

You win again
Now I know that many of you are sadly unable to come due to other commitments. However you can STILL get involved and help raise the event fundraising total. One of the easiest ways is to check out our amazing auction prizes which have been generously donated and send in your maximum bid to me. We will bid on your behalf and you could really be a winner without even raising your hand. Don't take my word for it look at the auction items below - a pair of Pennyhill Park spa tickets are worth in the region of £300 alone and we have two pairs on offer plus many more amazing items...

Ticket to ride
Raffle tickets can also be purchased remotely (email me at helen@pebblecommunications.co.uk if you would like some... £2 per strip). The prizes have all been generously donated by some great British companies... if nothing else please think highly of these companies and pay back the generosity by shopping with them if you ever get the chance.

All that is left to say is "Let's party like it is 1999!"

And let's hope that we won't be "Singing in the rain"...

It's the final countdown

Well in 14 days time the party will be over and we will all have great smiles and probable thumping heads!

At party HQ the pressure is mounting and the "committee" have two meetings in the diary to ensure nothing goes amiss (wine is, natch, agenda item 1). I have to confess to being astounded with the level of response received and for those of you coming you are in for a whole evening of treats. If you don't leave the evening with a fab prize of some sort I will be surprised.

To whet your appetite (and close the deal for those of you sitting on the fence) here is a sneak preview of the evenings activities ....

- 3 gifting trees (£5, £10, £15): for those of you not in the "know" a gifting tree is a tree which guarentees you a gift. Simply part with your money and select a "leaf" from the tree and win. Simple! The bigger the stake the greater your chances of winning a gift of FAR greater value however nothing is worth less than your stake so win:win and there is no limit on the number of goes you can have! Items include 15 x Brita fill and go water bottles, Soda stream, perfume, 10 x votives, champagne, 12 boxes of homemade fudge, Graze subscriptions, books, vouchers for Muddy Boots, Cook, Jojo Maman, Boden, Waterstones...

- Raffle: a classic that even non-attendees can get involved with. 50p per ticket or 5 for £2

- Auction: items are still being clarified and I will post more before the event so silent bids can be sent in if you are wanting to participate but can't attend

- Head 'n tails: Pop £1 in the envelope on the table and when the game starts stand on your feet ready to win yourself 50% of the total party Heads 'n tails stake. When asked by the caller simply place your hand on your head or tail, the coin will be flipped and if you guess right you go through to round 2. If you are "out" within the first 5 rounds you can play again if you double your previous stake...!

Got moves like Jaggar? then you want to read on....

We have BGMs newest signing Truly Ford singing (http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/interviews/truly-ford-interview-277658.html) she is tipped for BIG things so be there at the start!

And then we have the Zefrones playing (www.thezefrones.com) a whole host of covers sure to get you in the swing and up and dancing.

Plus we are trying to get some more secret acts lined up for the night..... Nothing like a little last minute push!

Food Glorious Food....
As you know Pop Up is about keeping costs to a minimum and making maximum for the charity.Your £30 tickets includes all the entertainment (and boring things like event license, toilets, marquee etc) so please bring a picnic and booze OR... the pub have kindly offered to do gastro fish and chips for £7 per person - I am coordinating this so please book these with me by Tuesday 17th.

Also we will have a selction of desserts for you to gobble in return for donations. And of course if you are happy to make and bring a dessert to share we never say no, just thank you!

On arrival we will be providing a glass of something lovely and we are hoping we might be even have a gin bar - still under negotiation so watch this space. All you need to remember is to bring your wallets and dancing shoes!

99 Red Balloons
As this is a fundraiser we don't want to waste money on decoration. Both charities have sent us in a selection of balloons to help decorate the marquee and then instead of floral arrangements I have taught myself to crochet and have created 100 flowers for the tables....seriously!

Now after the event I really have no need for 100 crocheted flowers so I am hoping you will fall in love with these homemade, individual and unique items and pop some pennies into the various collection pots around the marquee and take them home with you. Attach to a hair clip, wrap around a hair band, decorate a little girles bedroom, create a baby mobile... you name it these flowers have a million uses so feel free to take them with you.

AND whilst you are feeling creative remember there is a competition for the BEST DRESSED table. Not only will this give the marquee a stylish and unique decor it might also win you a bottle of something in the process. So get creative with candelabras, decorative with dining sets and nutty with napkins and win yourself something special: the title of creative genius.

 

Hotel California?
Not quite...But for those wanting to party on til dawn we are offering camping in the garden/floor space in the house. No charge (although donations welcome) and I will make sure we have a tonne of hot water ready for morning showers... PLUS we will be opening the Pop up Greasy Spoon - those camping will be given a breakfast menu select from and your breakfast will be delivered to your tent door at your selected time - again all in return for a small donation!

Money money money
So all we need is guests... so far we have had payment from 24 people and as I am bank rolling this and need to pay the £3K marquee fee soon, any additional monies appreciated... get in touch and I will send you the bank details. Also please spread the word as the more the merrier and the more Pop Party Go-ers  we have the more we raise.

And finally if you are coming I THANK YOU so much for your support and guarentee you an amazing night. Without you this is all meaningless, without you guys the 1,000,000 pence is zero, without you and your support I wouldn't have realised how lucky I am to be surrounded by so many supportive "yes" people!

Get the party started...

So the Pop up Party is really beginning to take shape and we are getting really excited (mixed with a massive amount of in trepidation and nervousness). Having not organised a charity party such as this I have all the usual pre-party nerves (what if no one turns up, what if people aren't enjoying themselves, how can we get people up and dancing like it is 1999?) PLUS the massive implication that if no one buys tickets we will make a massive loss! So if you are reading this and PLANNING on coming please do me a favour. Spread the word far and wide; the more people = more money raised. Secondly please BOOK tickets so we have money in the bank ready to pay for marquees etc etc! Ping me an email at helen@pebblecommunications.co.uk for bank details.

We have also had a few comments about "what do I get for my £30 if I am bringing a picnic" which is a very valid point! So let me try and explain...

Costs for the event (marquee, insurance, bands etc etc) comes in at approx £3000 - 20% of that is VAT - grrr! So we need 100 - 110 people to break even and on top is profit so go sell tickets people!

At the event we have spent virtually zero on decoration and relying on wonderful donations from friends and family to really create a wonder ambience. Plus I have been busy teaching myself how to crochet flowers so each table will be adorned with centrepieces that can then be taken away by our guests... I have to be honest they look really very kitsch! Plus don't forget the competition for the best decorated table - we are hearing rumblings of candelabras and fine crockery and eco friendly back to nature style settings... can't wait to see the results transform the marquee.

We are delighted to welcome our band The Zefrones who are amazing -click here to see them in action. And we are amazed that we have Truly Ford is coming along to share her voice and music writing abilities - she really is one to watch over the coming months as one of BGMs newest signings and remember you have the opportunty to see her live before fame takes hold and she leaves the vale for the sunny climes of O2 arena and Wembley! Click here to see more about Truly.

And finally the prizes... we have been busy pestering UK businesses for donations to our cause and are delighted to have the following list confirmed:

- Porsche racing day
- Lanson campagne
- Pink lining baby bag (click here)
- Boden vouchers
- Waterstone vouchers
- Free trainers and gait analysis from Run Swindon (click here)
- £50 meal voucher for Royal Oak in Bishopstone (click here)
- Meal for 2 at the Eagle, Little Coxwell (click here)
- 2 bottle of DYNK perfume
- 2 lovely gifts from the gorgeous Gifted Magpie in Faringdon (click here)
- National trust family membership
- Shabby chic cabinet
- Ohyo water bottles (click here)
- Cool glamping gadgets
- Books from Red Magazine
- 2 x Graze subscriptions (click here)
- Celtic Sheepskin handbag (click here)
- Stanlake Park Vineyard bottle of Brut (click here)
- Stunning crochet baby cot blanket - AMAZINGLY beautiful
- Signed Peter Andre picture YIPPEE
- Handmade fudge from Sweet Sugar Kitchen (click here)
- Tickets for Cotswold Wildlife Park
- Cook vouchers (click here)
- Organica hamper (click here)
- REN skincare gift set (click here)
- Muddy Boots voucher (click here)
- Gifts from The White Room (click here)
- .... and much more still coming in!

These items will be auction, raffle and also gifting tree. This is where for £5 you select an envelope from the tree and inside is your gift which is worth at least £5... we are all winners at the Pop Up Party!

So hopefully you are getting as excited as we are.. if you are worried about accomodation camping is an option and is free - plus I will throw in a fry up in return for donations so get in touch if you keen!

Not long now so dust of those dancing shoes and get ready to party the night away!

2 months until we party like it is 1999!

OK so I am now in official manic mode. As if I don't have enough on my plate I now have a Pop Up Party to organise but with some woderful helpers (and there is room for plenty more so please step forward) we have a plan of attack!

Now I might not be a designer (see my efforts below) but I know how to party (well I did pre kids!) so please check your diaries and book your tickets ASAP... 9 have already sold so get in quick... details below

 

Let's get ready to party!

So we have now finalised the details for the Charity ball... or now to be named Pop Up Party. Havign investigated heavily the costs involved in hiring hotels for balls I quickly realised there was only one organisation making money from these and that is the hotels.

And had it not been for the quick creative thinking of some Little Coxwell lovely it might all have ended there, but delightfully not!

So on 21st September Little Coxwell will be hosting our Pop up Party; bring our own picnic (or order one from us) and come along to our fabulous marquee and enjoy the evening.

Evening promises gin bar, live music, desserts, horse drawn carriage, auctions, rafffle and much more... all in a fabulous cause.

£30 per person if you book before 1st September... more details to follow. Spread the word!

PS to book please email me at helen@pebblecommunications.co.uk thanks!

I'm back...

I'm bigger (too many pies) and sadly not better but I am back in the training regime. It has been a good few months since the marathon and my life too quickly reverted to life pre training. Too many "empty" calories and not nearly enough exercise have left my saddlebags very happy little puppies but the fight is on to work them away and get back on the training treadmill. My bikini will thank me come August and my legs will thank me when I attempt my second half marathon in October. Considering this time last year the furthest I had ever ran was 3 miles TOTAL even I can see what an achievement this is.

So today I went for an easy 3 mile run. Luckily I could still remember how to run but made some basic rookie errors; pre run toilet being the main one! So what I had intended to be a 3.5 mile run ended a little sooner as I had to return  before nature caught me out.

What amazed me most during that short run was how the seasons have so dramatically changed since I was last training. Now the Summer has FINALLY arrived the heat really took its toll; I was used to temperatures at least 15 degrees cooler and quickly realised how much I am a creature of the cold. And rape seed - who knew how bad it smelt? I often get a whiff whilst driving but it is gone in seconds but try running past it. It really is a repulsive stale smell which goes on and on and on... but is a great reason to sprint!

Now back to the fundraising - I am at the 5K mark which is half way. A long way to go but as I am learning through my new "hobby" nothing worth doing comes fast. The most exciting update is that the Charity ball is beginning to take shape and matured into a far more exciting, affordable and "me" Pop up Party. Details to be confirmed but current plan is a marquee in Little Coxwell, £25 ish per ticket, bring your own picnic and booze (although picnic hampers will be available at a cost and a gin bar will be up and running to help yourself in return for generous donations). Raffle and auction prizes will now need to be fixed so all of you who have offered help - a job list will be winging its way. Sound exciting? Hope you can make it - 21st September (TBC!)!

It's not the distance but the journey

Despite the weather fooling us into thinking we are still in the early parts of Spring, I am afraid to admit that in 22 days the nights start to get longer.

For the first 4 months of this year my life had been totally focussed on the marathon. I hadn't realised how all consuming it was and I am really missing the structure and regime. I am missing having something to write about (apologies for the radio silence). Having had a month out of training since 21st April due to my buggered sore knee, getting back into the trainers and pounding the roads is proving to be a hard slog. But run I must do. It has become a part of me. I love the solidude (hermit!) and the head space and feeling fit and strong. And most of all I miss being able to eat ANYTHING.

But tomorrow I have my next race. Whilst a 5km should be an easy task it will be an emotional race. I will be running with my lovely inspiration and helping prove that life doesn't stop when you get ill. I don't mean a cold, a sniffle, or even a buggered sore knee. I mean grown up ill. The sort of ill we live in fear of. The sort of ill no one deserves but 1 in 3 of us will, at some point, have an encounter with. So tomorrow, folks, it will be my pleasure to help raise some pennies to help find a cure to the illness which is cancer.  But more importantly I will take on the role of joker and raise a smile... after all we all need to remember the wonderful words "always look on the bright side of life!"

And that brings me onto my next, IMPORTANT question. What should the girlie belt it out playlist be for tomorrow? I am thinking...

- Let's get physical - Olivia Newton John
- Teanage dirtbag - Wheatus (you know you love it really!)
- Jolene - Dolly Parton
- Love shack - B-52s
- Barbie Girl - Aqua
- Ice ice baby - Vanilla ice
- I think we're alone now - Tiffany
- Gold - Spandau Ballet
- Reach - S Club 7
- Torn - Natalie Imbrulgia (sp?)
- Man I feel like a women - Shania Twain
- Let's here it for the boys - Deniece Williams
- Single Ladies - Beyonce
- Maneater - nelly futardo (sp?)
- Kiss kiss- Holly Valence
- Anything by Abba
- C'est la vie - Bewitched

OMG - I need a life. And failing that another gin....