May Bee Myson, Head of Area - Cherwell and West Oxfordshire

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1 Campaign News 6 May 2015 Bee s News Bee s News As we start year three of the Today! Campaign I am proud to look back on the past two years and reflect on how far we have come. We launched the campaign in May 2013 with three aims: To raise 50,000 per annum to support the services offered in the Banbury Area, to raise the profile of White Lion Walk and to recruit more volunteers and we have succeeded with all three aims. We have a wonderful staff team and a dedicated band of volunteers supporting information & advice, phone friends, Solemates, I.T. training, community groups, social activities and clubs and so much more. Special thanks must go to the fundraising team for over achieving the 50,000 target and for getting year 3 off to a flying start. On another note, I couldn t be more pleased that one of our volunteers, Sue Baxter has become a Trustee of AgeUK Oxfordshire. Sue started life with AgeUK Oxfordshire as a phone friend at White Lion Walk and then became actively involved in the Today! Campaign. Whilst taking on more fundraising for the wider charity, in her new role as a Trustee, Sue will continue to be one of our volunteers here at White Lion Walk. Bee Myson, Head of Area - Cherwell and West Oxfordshire Loni Sykes is a star volunteer with Phone Friends. Loni has been volunteering with AgeUK Oxfordshire for 8 years and covers 2 shifts every week on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday afternoons. She calls her Phone Friends her Invisible Friends and looks forward to coming in and making her calls. Loni is in her late 80s and a real star! Welcome to two new Phone Friends Volunteers!! In the past few weeks, Phone Friends welcomed 2 new volunteers: Valerie Lester Valerie also volunteers at Leonard Cheshire in town. Thomas Irvine Heard about us via another charity in town. Both are bank volunteers who will be taking on their own shifts very soon.

2 AGE UK OXFORDSHIRE TODAY! TEAM TOPS FUNDRAISING TARGET Yes, we did it! The Age UK Oxfordshire Today! Campaign team are celebrating a super successful year of fundraising. We exceeded our annual campaign target of 50,000 by raising 52, in the twelve months ending March The money raised all goes to support the services offered by Age UK Oxfordshire in the Banbury area, activities in the community and our centre at White Lion Walk, where over 6,000 people were welcomed through the doors last year. Services that have been supported include information & advice, telephone befriending, footcare, computer classes, community groups, social activities and clubs. Our major jazz event at Broughton Castle in July last year, supported by Lord & Lady Saye & Sele and Martin Fiennes, raised just under 6,000 for the campaign. Raffle prizes were kindly donated by Sir Tony Baldry M.P. Brethertons Solicitors Louise Hodge Old Town Deli Café National Herb Centre Bannatynes Health Club Banbury & Bicester College ICC Hair Razors Cotefield Garden Centre and Belflair Chocolates. The Today! Team wishes to convey their thanks to everyone who has generously supported the campaign, including our volunteers, Films in Bloxham, St Mary s Church, Bloxham, The Royal College of Nursing, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Barclays Bank, Godswell Park, Banbury & Bicester College and The Hub. 30,000 was received from grants and charitable trust applications and included support from Banbury Town Council and Banbury Charities, CHK Charities, The P.F. Charitable Trust, Doris Field Charitable Trust, Adrian Swire Charitable Trust, Andrea Gotley Trust, The Sandford Trust and Sanctuary (Cherish Cherwell).

3 4,500 was raised from community fundraising, including participating in Banbury Old Town Party and Canal Day, raffles, tombolas, quizzes and the spectacular Malaysian Memories cookery demonstration by team member Yolanda Tapping. The remaining monies came from income from the Charity s café and IT lessons based at the centre in White Lion Walk, in memoriam and general donations. If you would like get involved with our fundraising activities for the coming year, please contact the Today! Team at Age UK Oxfordshire on or visit Donations since February to end March 2015 White Lion Walk Activities The Valentines Day Raffle raised The Bird Quiz raised The Squares Sale raised We are most grateful to the family of Michael Thomas for supporting the work of AgeUK Oxfordshire. The bag pack in early February raised Richard, Paul, Callum & Geoff cycled 280 miles and raised a fantastic for the AgeUK Oxfordshire Today! Campaign. WOW!

4 At the end of March we received the wonderful donation of 21,000 from OPIL. We are most grateful to Mr & Mrs David Robertson. This sum has been carried forward to 2015 and will support a new staffing structure at White Lion Walk. Income since 1st April 2015 White Lion Walk Gifts Table Singing and Knitting Clubs IT Lessons Café Takings Old Town Spring Festival Paula and Frances take a turn on the tombola at the Old Town Spring Festival. Many, many thanks to all the volunteers who helped both on Friday afternoon and all day on Saturday 2 nd May. Check out the new Tombola drum made and decorated by Richard and Ian. There is no limit to the skills of our volunteers! We are most grateful to The Banbury Guardian for the continued support for our campaign.

5 Volunteer IT Trainer Rudy, working one to one with Lucy Coltman. IT lessons last year raised ! and the Café netted Thanks to all our IT and Café volunteers and to Kasia. The Campaign total to 2 nd May 2015 is 21, towards our target of 50, What s Coming up? 14 th May Information Fair, Banbury Town Hall 10am - 2pm 200 Club We are hoping to launch our 200 Club to support the AgeUK Oxfordshire Today! Campaign just as soon as we can organise the bank account. The cost of membership will be 5 per share and half of the money raised will go towards the work of AgeUK Oxfordshire in Banbury and North Oxfordshire. The other half will be distributed as prize money with draws being held every month. The draws will be held at White Lion Walk. Participants will be entitled to hold any number of shares and each share will be allocated a unique number. If you would like to become a 200 club member or would like to sign up your friends, information on how to join will be available very soon in White Lion Walk.

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7 Once again we will be holding a Jazz Picnic in the Summer on Friday 3 rd July. This time it will be in the superb surroundings of Rousham Park Gardens. Tickets for this event will also be available at White Lion Walk. Tell all your friends and put up a poster in your village! Also don t forget: White Lion Walk Activities Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Singing Group Knit and Natter Gardening Club Monthly Book Club Film Club Film Club starts at 1.00 pm - just turn up on the day or call Troy Bryan on to book a spot. 29th May 12 Years a Slave (134 Minutes Long) 26th June Calendar Girls (108 Minutes Long) 10th July The Imitation Game (114 Minutes Long) 24th July The Hundred Foot Journey (122 Minutes Long) 21st Aug The Monuments Men (118 Minutes Long) Wednesday Gardening Club in action!

8 The AgeUK Oxfordshire Today! Campaign aims to raise profile, increase volunteers and raise 250,000 over 5 years to support the services at White Lion Walk. Would you like to do something to support us? There are many ways you can help depending on what feels right for you. Could you? Hold a coffee morning for your friends Open your garden and invite friends to visit. Sell teas and plants and hold a raffle. Take part in a sponsored event or organise one from scratch. Ask for donations to the Campaign instead of gifts for birthdays or anniversaries Can you donate an item for a raffle prize Can you offer gifts in kind? Any other ideas? We can support you with information, posters and even raffle prizes. Just be assured that you will have our full support and grateful thanks in whatever you do. Could you offer help for the following events? Banbury & District Show on Sunday 14 th June 2015 Rousham Jazz event on Friday 3 rd July 2015 The Old Town Party on Saturday 5 th September 2015 Canal Day on Sunday 4 th October 2015 We have a site especially for the campaign- If you would like to make a donation find us at Project Co-ordinator Roger Bell Campaign News Editor Sue Baxter Contact us at address is todaycampaign@ageukoxfordshire.org.uk Registered Charity No