June 26th 2024
Raising money for No.5 and Brave Mind
One of the highlights of the term is the annual charity event The Summer Lunch, which was held on Tuesday and this year was organised by Catherine Coulson, a parent with a son in Year 7. Each year The Summer Lunch supports a fantastic cause and this year the event was fundraising for two local charities operating in the wellbeing domain, namely No.5 and Brave Mind.
It was a gloriously sunny day and a coffee van was ready to serve from 8.30am, followed by early bird shopping for those not attending the lunch. Judging by the amount of shopping bags dotted around the hall, many took advantage of the opportunity to buy gifts and unique items. Ten per cent of all takings by the stalls is donated to the charity so guests could shop guilt-free! There was a wide selection of high quality goods, some more familiar as well as new stalls: SoSouk, Me Encanta, Bushbells, Oarsum, Dilly Dally, Ledbury Press, House of Bluebelle, Kaho, Turnbull and Hooch, Beaver Pots, Loved By Da and Sitaarah.
The guest speaker, Sarah Furness, ex RAF combat helicopter pilot, executive coach, mindfulness expert and now a Moulsford parent herself, shared with the 190 guests the importance of showing up as we are and the importance of being true to yourself, as others need us to be just that. She intertwined stories of her time in the RAF with what it means to be confident, what prompts us to behave the way we do and how to be real.
Representatives from Brave Mind and No.5 also addressed the guests and explained why their charities need support. No.5 have over a 1000 children on their waiting list looking to receive free counselling, despite having increased the number of counsellors available to them. Brave Mind tackle the stigma associated with mental health in the rugby community and kick off the conversation with outreach programmes in schools and universities. Both charities are vital in supporting young people through challenging times when self-destructive behaviour seems like the only solution. The charities are only able to grow thanks to the support of events like The Summer Lunch and they are truly grateful for all the support that the Moulsford community has shown.
We are still tallying up the amount raised as donations continue to come in, but a huge thank you to all involved.
