Merry Christmas from The Brady Bunch
What a week it’s been. Marion pleaded for someone to tell her what day it was on Monday, as they spun about around collecting donations, trying to accommodate everything and everyone. They are all loving their new bigger bookcase courtesy of Joanne Leech.
MBC busy with arts and crafts
‘We needed more shelves to house the novels written by our very own Margaret/Milly/Annie (so many writing names).’ said Marion. Well, there will be more books soon, as the village post office near Thirsk where Margaret lives would like her to bring up some of the books on their shelves that are donated for people to read.
‘Share and share alike,’ they say. Margaret loves the little shop, owned by good people, whose goodbye to her this Christmas Eve was. ‘Don’t cause too much havoc.’ As though she would.
It was an incredibly busy week, Marion reported, but when isn’t it?
It started with Equans usual Monday meeting, then Shake that Boogey. MBC got busy with their amazing arts and craft skills creating Christmas Arts and Crafts; there were n trees, snow globes and prancing Reindeers. livening up the centre. Let’s take a minute and draw a breath, but no, there’s no time as we gallop on with the news: the CCA had a Free Christmas Holiday Club for about 40 excited children. The team were asked to pick the winning painting, guess what, they couldn’t decide so everyone was a winner. Sweets all round.
‘Refurb, who mentioned refurb?‘ gasped Marion. ‘All of this and our Warm Spaces is in full swing.’
The CCA team is thrilled with the new lighting, Blackpool illuminations do not compare with their brightness. ‘So bright one needs to wear shades’, according to Marion.
More knitted hats arrived, brought by Susan Laing who dropped them off after her busy shift at Plain n Purl. A simple text message was sent to Andy Hayes who arrived within the hour driving the Daft as a Brush charity bus to collect them.
A fourth box of toiletries were also collected and more arrived during the week courtesy of St Roberts of Newminster, Marion tells Frost Magazine that the response for the Wearside Women in Need has been phenomenal, so well done, Washington Youth Council. Special thanks of course to the wonderful people who have contributed.
Have we finished? Nah, the news is still flooding in. Twelve, yes twelve Chromebooks arrived. John Ford from Gentoo asked Kayley Hope to deliver these to the community centre, which is overwhelmed at the generosity.
The postman brought a wonderful cheque from ASDA foundation; ‘Whoop whoop; new blinds are on the menu once the decoration is completed.‘ say the team.
The gifts kept on coming during the week including another volunteer who has pledged her time to help the community, ‘Thank you, Christine Parker and welcome aboard.‘
The kindness of the Columbia community seems endless. Vicky from the “Little Onion Club” delivered an array of biscuits towards our Warm Spaces. Thursday saw the delivery of a huge bag of tea bags, biscuits and coffee from someone who lives close by. (No photos, they said they are not photogenic). and Joy Dagless must be called out too, as she beavers away securing booking for 2023 not to mention all the donations.
Marion was emphatic that there are just so many people to whom the CCA is grateful and who they cannot thank enough for their kindness and generosity over this past year. Without them all, the the team insists, they would not have been able to achieve what they have. And my word, what a huge amount has been achieved by the tireless efforts of everyone involved.
‘Special thanks to the staff of Equans for the gift of a Christmas Hamper, and for your help through these difficult times, but most of all, for your friendship and dedication to our Centre and our community.’ says Marion.
Marion also insisted that I must include the following: ‘Our heartfelt thanks go to a very special lady, a renowned author, editor of Frost magazine, who has taken an interest in our community (which was her mam’s) and how we are moving forward. Margaret Graham, thank you for all you do for us, it means so much. We have adopted you as one of our own, a proper Brady Square lass.‘
Mum would be so pleased, and thanks a million but frankly, Frost Magazine is in awe as we witness the sense of community, the untiring efforts of the team and ALL of you, as you bring this priceless community asset into being. You will, we know, succeed and in 2023 the CCA centre will hum with life and good will.
‘From our House to your House near and far a Merry Christmas one and all, and a very happy and prosperous New Year,‘ say the CCA team.
Frost Magazine echoes these words. Bravo the lot of you. Ever onwards, stronger and stronger, more and more inspiring and we will be with you all the way.
Information: Columbia Community Association Columbia uk Community Forum