Past Events
Build-A-Bear & Zizzi - Sunday 15th January 2012
We have been inviting families from the Marsden every couple of months to share a day of making new friends and not just of the furry kind! Aimed at younger patients and their siblings, we invite the whole family to this event.
Families arrived at the Build A Bear store in the Glades Shopping Centre and were greeted by the friendly staff. Children were able to choose from a huge range of different furry friends who were then ‘brought to life’ by adding stuffing, a heart, a sound effect, and then finally the stitching.
Once each bear friend had been adopted by its new owner, it was time to choose some bear-sized outfits and teddy accessories. After all, a bear’s not complete without its own mobile phone! The children were entertained with games and printed out a birth certificate for their bear.
Next, it was on to Zizzi, where everyone was able to enjoy a lovely freshly prepared meal, with a huge range of choice in the Italian restaurant. Children had time to make new friends and chat to old ones made on the ward. Families had the opportunity to spend time as a whole unit, whereas so much time is spent apart when a child is being treated for cancer. Thank you for your kind donations that allowed this fantastic day to go ahead.
Pamper Day at Top Shop – Oxford Street – Thursday 15th December 2011
Every four to six weeks we organise a trip for 6 patients who are taken by limo up to Topshop, Oxford Street. It gives the young patients a chance to have a day out of the hospital environment, to have lunch at Garfunkels and then with the help of personal shoppers - kit themselves out with a new wardrobe.
Everyone was so excited in the limo, we toasted the trip with some fizz and then got to know each other a little better. We arrived in style in Oxford Street and went to have a lovely lunch in Garfunkels. Once we'd finished, it was time to meet the Personal Shoppers in Topshop, we were shown our private changing areas and were given snacks and drinks. The Personal Shoppers were fantastic and were so helpful in putting together outfits and finding items for us. After 2 hours our purchases were wrapped and we were ready to make our way back to the limo. We arrived back at the Marsden tired but with big smiles and lots of bags.
Christmas Winter Wonderland - Sunday 5th December 2011
Families and friends enjoyed a fantastically magical Christmas event kindly hosted by Paul and Sally @ Bluebell Farm, Billingshurst. Children enjoyed decorating gingerbread biscuits, face painting and make-overs, arcade games a petting zoo and a hog roast.
Father Christmas and his helpers were in attendance, providing presents to all the children and any adult who still believed in magic! There was magic in abundance as everyone had time to enjoy the different activities and chat to other families, renewing friendships and making new ones.
The afternoon was brought to a magnificant close with the fantastic singing of a local choir.
Parent & Carer Pamper Evening at the Royal Marsden - Friday 25th November
Every six weeks the members of the Trust, all volunteers organise a pamper day at the Royal Marsden in Sutton for the parents and guardians. This allows parents and carers, who simply haven’t got the time or opportunity to devote any time to themselves, the chance to relax for a couple of hours while our experts make them look & feel beautiful! With hairdressers, a massage therapist and manicures, parents sit back with a glass of wine some nibbles & can enjoy being looked after themselves for a little while. Everyone leaves with a goody bag.
EAT Rocks - Saturday 29th October
The Emily Ash Trust celebrated Halloween this year with our 1st ever EAT Rocks Evening @ Brockham Hall, Brockham. This was truly a night to remember, with fantastic music by the Dark Ages and drink available from the bar all night. People came to rock and scare!
The Crows they screeched, the wind did howl,
The air was thick with deeds most foul
Shudder not, you're safe and sound
The cure for all these ills we've found
Evil reeled in fruitless rages
The music pumping from Dark Ages
This rapture sent the Gremlins running
With performance that was simply stunning
The exorcism soon concluded
There's no one who the truth eluded
So, if you need to rid your pox
Be sure it's E.A.T. that Rocks!
By Tim Rolfe (Chairman)
Annual Fundraising Ball – Saturday 1st October 2011
Following the success of our fantastic 'OSCARS' themed Ball last year we chose an even more glamorous theme for this year. Our Venetian Masquerade Ball took place on Saturday 1st October and was held at the Marriot Hotel, Lingfield Park.
On a glorious sunny evening, guests were greeted with pink champagne and had the opportunity to watch the sun set over the beautiful Lingfield Park race course. The evening was literally packed with entertainment, including live music, a main and silent auction, a car raffle, a further raffle for a beautiful diamond ring, casino tables and guests dancing into the early hours. We also enjoyed a delicious 3 course meal with wine.
The evening also had a reflective and serious side as we were able to look back at the past year, celebrating all the achievements of our heroic fundraisers, the events we have organised for children and their families facing cancer and raising money for our next year of commitments. Awards were presented to people who have supported the Trust with outstanding commitment and our chairman, Tim Rolfe, provided us with an inspiring speech. The Tyler family were featured in a very moving film, showing how the Trust supports families of children battling cancer during their long and difficult treatment. We would like to thank everyone who bought tickets for the evening, bid on auction items or bought raffle tickets - whether your donation was large or small, every little helps in 'Bringing the sparkle back to children facing cancer'.
As soon as we have a date for our next Ball we will post it here, but to make sure you don't miss out, why not join our mailing list to keep up to date with all our fundraising events: info@emilyashtrust.co.uk
Family Fun Day – Sunday 24th July 2011
We arranged this special day to provide fun for the whole family, following our very successful Sibling Day in June. We also invited long term fundraisers and supporters of the Trust as a special thank you for all their hard work over the last year.
Jackie Irvine of Shovelstrode Racing Stables, East Grinstead, hosted a wonderful day of fun activities and provided a fabulous hog roast and a bbq. We had face painting and beauty, a live karaoke, horses, bouncy castles, slides and jousting. The sun shone and there were lots of smiles all round.
Tri for Life – Sunday 10th July 2011
We are a partner in this fabulous fund raising idea, set up by the late Harvey Selby. He saw the opportunity to combine the fastest growing sport with that of raising money for charities and set up Tri for Life. It is an event for all the family; it’s fun, energetic but with a serious goal, to raise money for those in need. On Sunday 10th July, a group of brave and determined people took part in the Emily Ash Trust wave of the triathlon, raising funds through JustGiving. Well done to all!
With a choice of two distances either 400m swim, 5km run and 20km cycle or an 800m swim, 30km cycle and a 7.5km run, participants were able enter as an individual or a team. There was also a Scootathlon for children between 4 and 8 so everyone could take part! Children were well entertained with free use of bouncy castles, go-karts and a climbing wall.
The day was enjoyed by everyone with lots of encouragement provided by supporters and participants proud of their amazing achievements. On behalf of the Trust, the children and their families we would like to thank each and every one of of you for taking part.
Sibling Day – Country Wide Special Events, Brook, Surrey, Sunday 19th June 2011
On Sunday 21st July, 57 children, parents and Trust members experienced a fantastic day out at Country Wide Special Events! The day started with a fabulous breakfast of bacon rolls, fruit, juices and hot drinks. Having been put into our teams we then went to try out our first activity of the day. Activities included: Battlefield Live - laser quest, Towering Inferno, building a tower using crates, Quad Bikes, Power Turns, Climbing Wall, duck herding and eggs in space - a team building exercise. There were 4 activities before lunch, allowing each participant plenty of time to master a new skill or challenge.
We met back at the centre for a delicious lunch, with a general sense that everyone had really enjoyed the activities they had taken part in and were looking forward to trying more. There were morev challenges to follow lunch, finished with a team building exercise. Afternoon tea was followed by prize giving with everyone proud of their achievements. Exhausted and happy we were then transported back to the Marsden by coach.
The Trust would like to thank the staff who looked after us so magnificently on the day, making it truly a day to remember! There was so much laughter and the biggest smiles.
Our thanks go to all the fundraisers who, thanks to their efforts, we are able to provide this experience for siblings and parents, allowing them some quality time together in what can be such a difficult time.
Don't forget to add the Emily Ash Trust as a friend on Facebook to view all our photos of past events!