On August 3rd Ann and Brian opened their home and garden for Room to Learn UK’s main fund-raising event.

It ensures that Happy Days nursery remains open. We recruit boys and girls from poverty-stricken families and our charity provides a free pre-school learning environment for these little ones.

Over eighty people – families, couples, young and old walked down the leafy Cotswold village lane. The youngest was one year old, the eldest ninety.

Starters and drinks were served on the front lawn followed by a buffet in the conservatory.

Beneath the Marquee and in the spacious orchard there were ample chairs and tables.

The food was plentiful and delicious, all of which was produced by Ann & Brian and friends & family.

Our guests took their seats, admiring the flowers, bees and butterflies in the boarders.      Neither food nor drink ran out.                  The kitchen helpers were kept very busy.

Stalls

Trustees Corinna and Jenny had a charming stall of brightly decorated tables displaying yak woven shawls, hand-printed paper and books as well as linen shopping bags embroidered by our pupil’s mothers. See Empowering Women.

They sold all the yak wool shawls and all the bags made by the Mums with many people having to reserve future stock.

Next year we will have more shawls and bigger bags as requested.

Keith had provided young healthy self-grown fuchsias and penstemons.

All brought in much-needed money.

Hector and Clemmie have a tale to tell.

They went into our charity presentation room with mum and grandma. They read how the children had no toys at home and lived without tapped water and heating.

They had both given us toys last year, but Hector firmly told his mum, “I don’t want to give my used toys I want to give my new toys too”. “from the mouths of babes ……”

To end the day we had an auction.

  • An hour’s flight in a Cessna.
  • Three-day self-catering stay in a country cottage in beautiful Stanton, Nr Broadway.
  • Amazing, hand made, highly decorated beaded embroidery from Rajasthan suitable for wall, table or bed. Great interest was shown and it went for £160.
  • Writer and historian, Steve David’s signed book ‘Dynasty and Disappearance’ about Lord Lovell and Richard 3rd.
  • A Georgian port decanter.

The day was a great success.

It was lovely to see our family of Room To Learn supporters at our Garden Party on a perfect English Summer’s afternoon.

So if you are reading this and want to join us here next year, come on Saturday afternoon, 1st August 2020.

Our next major fundraising event will be Live Band on Saturday, May 30th 2020 2pm-11pm.

It will be at ‘The Windmill Restaurant’ on the A40 roundabout, Asthal Leigh. Asthal, Burford, OX18 4HJ

More on this later.