2020 Network Ladies Group - Manchester Altrincham Bowdon Hale Sale

Women's Networking in Cheshire

Catherine climbs Kili for CAFT

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Catherine SandlandOn Saturday 5th October, our fabulous 2020 Chair, Catherine Sandland, begins a gruelling climb up Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust.

Catherine’s eldest son, Matthew, is joining her on the trek and will celebrate his 21st birthday during the ascent.

The team of 22 intrepid adventurers are expected to summit Kilimanjaro in the early hours of Thursday 10th October.

Catherine has been a dedicated supporter of CAFT for many years, through her involvement with 2020 Networking and generous support of their events and activities. Her fundraising page has already surpassed its original target, meaning more children can benefit from the magic that is CAFT.

Catherine’s commitment and determination is an inspiration to our networking group and we all wish her and the rest of the team the best of luck for their challenge. We’re so proud of you and will be sending positive vibes each and every day. You can do it!

If you feel inspired to donate, visit Catherine’s Just Giving page.

 

About The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT)

CAFT is a haven for terminally ill, disabled and disadvantaged children from across the Northwest providing holidays to children in desperate need. A magical special place where laughter and happy times are encouraged, friendships blossom, illnesses and sorrows are forgotten.

Please visit www.caft.co.uk to find out more.

No ordinary Elf Support with 2020

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Networking has never been so fun – or meant so much to others

A guest blog from our member, Hayley Hilton.

Wow, doesn’t Christmas seem like ages ago now? Well for me the memories of helping out the disabled and disadvantaged children at the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT) are still giving me a warm glow during this tumultuous British Springtime.

From the second we arrived, the staff briefed all the volunteers. There was a lot of pressure to get things just right for the kids and their carers to give them all some much needed respite. We were there to provide an actual taste of Christmas that give some had never experienced before. This was the biggest day with three huge parties each with over 100 guests. It was the end of a month of daily parties laid on by the amazing people at CAFT, with over 1000 total kids through the door during December!

The sports hall was transformed with tables laden with Christmas decorations and music pumping out of the disco speakers. Steve, the children’s entertainer was ready to smiles on the children’s faces (and wow did he work hard). The food and drink was ready to go with goody bags lying in the wings with a present for the kids to take home with them.

But the icing on the cake was the guests being greeted upon arrival by Bobby the larger than life CAFT mascot and all his Christmas friends, including a polar bear, a penguin and even a smiling dancing Christmas tree. The reason they were ‘larger than life’? Because myself and the other volunteers from the 2020 Network were to get inside these costumes and help create a real magical wonderland!

December 2018 was my second year of enjoying ‘mascot duty’ where we got to play dress up for the sake of the kids (yes, fully grown adults got to dress as Christmas characters, it’s not your typical ladies-who-lunch soiree!). I had the pleasure being inside the big smiley Christmas tree the first year but this year I was an Elf to support and guide my friend Angie who was dressed as a Penguin!

CAFT Christmas mascotsIt’s difficult to see where you are walking in these outfits but this year the Penguin decided she was going to dance with the kids on the dance floor, win a dance off with Steve doing ‘the dab’ and some ‘flossing’ too. She was melting at one stage inside that costume but she still soldiered on. Most importantly, she was there for some of the kids to come and hold her gloved Penguin wing for a bit. They’d never met a big fluffy penguin before and it was all like a dream.

There were tears of emotion all round as we were humbled enough to get a glimpse of what these kids go through but also able to put a smile on their face and fill their lives with wonder (which is what all kids should have at least once, right?).

I have been a member of other networking groups since working for myself in 2015 but none quite like 2020. Not only is it a monthly meeting of strong female minds who enjoy referring business to each other, but it’s also a not-for-profit group meaning half of our monthly membership fee goes to this wonderful charity. We are supporting CAFT even if we can’t make one of our monthly networking meetings. It’s a great feeling with a true abundance mentality.

I’m really looking forward to our other CAFT fundraising events throughout the year but can’t wait for Christmas 2019 to come around so I can feel like a big kid again!

Find out more about our relationship with CAFT.

Fun, Freedom and Friendships at CAFT

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2020 Network visit CAFT

The 2020 ladies visit the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust

Our February visit to The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT) came at an ideal time for us newbies to the group. I’d never visited the site before but already knew a little about the CAFT charity:

  • It’s a place where disadvantaged children and their families are able to take holidays together
  • It has annual running costs of approx. £1m and relies heavily on fundraising, volunteers and donations
  • 50% of our 2020 membership fee is donated to the charity and last year our funds were put towards the Christmas reindeer and purchasing some adorable pygmy goats!

The visit was a chance for 2020 members to see the facilities, meet key members of the team and hear about the incredible work that goes on at CAFT. It was great to see nearly all our members come together in support of such a brilliant cause.

After a delicious lunch and short presentation from CEO Anne Jackson, our expert guide and fundraising manager Alistair Laing took us on a tour of the facilities. We started in the Music room where children can play the instruments and record their own music videos. The studio is equipped with drums, electric guitars, a disco ball and disco lights. I could tell a few of the group were itching to have a go, particularly Debra Delglyn on the bongos!

Looking at the play area

Checking out the outdoor play area

Indoor play, outdoor adventure

Moving down to the sports hall, we discovered indoor activities on a giant scale, including a huge inflatable, Connect 4 and trampolines. We were told the sports hall is only used during bad weather as the children get most benefit from playing outside in the fresh air. So outside was our next stop…

A huge outdoor play area is adapted for both able-bodied and disabled children, with plenty of open fields to play football or tag. A wooded nature reserve, walk-in aviary with wheelchair access and an assault course provide adventure for children of all ages.

Meeting the animals

Getting to know our furry friends at CAFT

Furry friends

Then it was off to meet the animals: Candy and Polly, the miniature Mediterranean donkeys; three alpacas (one called Bungle who looked rather admiringly at my fur coat!); the famous 2020 pygmy goats; chickens and a large duck pond and sensory garden.

Fabulous facilities

Alistair then led us down to the beautiful original farmhouse which dates back to 1607. The building offers accommodation for 18 children and their carers. We were all glad to get inside out of the cold air and the farmhouse had a wonderfully warm and cosy atmosphere. I couldn’t help but feel at home there and thought the children must feel very relaxed and safe there too.

Our whistle-stop tour ended with a look at the colourful dedicated art room (where a few of us had to resist the urge to draw on the blackboard), sensory playroom and more specially adapted apartments. All the facilities are so clean, well maintained and beautifully decorated by the clearly dedicated team.

CAFT branded van

What a wonderful charity we support!

Thank you!

It was a real privilege to see the facilities first hand and hear some of the memories CAFT helps to create for disadvantaged children and their families. Huge thanks to Anne Jackson, Pippa Watson and Alistair Laing for giving the 2020 ladies such a warm welcome.

As I drove away from the farm, I recalled the team’s plan to create a guinea pig house this year and pondered ‘How many guinea pigs do you think we might be able to buy with our 2017 member donations?’

CAFT Family Fun Day

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Sunday 25 September, 1pm ’til 5pm

CAFT, Booth Bank Farm, Reddy Lane, Millington, Cheshire, WA14 3RE

Everyone welcome for a fun-packed afternoon at CAFT! Highlights confirmed so far include: BBQ & Hogroast, Bar & Tearoom, kid’s funfair rides, Bollin Morris Men, Gauntlet Birds Of Prey, classic cars & tractors (with tractor tug of war!), face painting with Elmscot, Stockley Farm, live music, helicopter displays, 99th Garrison Storm Troopers, your favourite mascots, balloon modelling with Jon The Balloon Man, Reptacular Reptiles & lots more!!!

Please go along and show your support for a fantastic charity.

Open Day Information

2020 Sponsors CAFT Reindeer

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The great people over at CAFT do a phenomenal job over Christmas, organising a huge amount of Festive Parties for deserving children with Elves, Snowmen, Father Christmas and even real live Renideer for the whole of December.  The ladies of 20/20 were pleased to have provided sponsorship for the Reindeer this Christmas and loved seeing these pictures of the children enjoying their time at the farm.

 

childrens adventure farm trust christmas reindeer

 

 

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