THIRSK CHAMBER OF TRADE LADIES GROUP
AUGUST NEWSLETTER
Hello everyone
Hope you all have your diaries and pens out as there are lots to tell you this month.
First of all, we had a lovely meal at The Kings Arms and they were very helpful and we really enjoyed it there.
Now on to serious things!! For those of you who are not aware we do have a website called www.christmasinthirsk.com which will keep you up to date on what’s happening around the Christmas lights switch on, and Christmas fayre. The most up to date information can be found on our Facebook page Christmas in Thirsk – later this year we also hope to have a Thirsk ladies group website on which you will be able to view this newsletter, and keep up to date with the very latest news- so don’t say you didn’t know about things as there are plenty of ways to find out.
The THIRSK FESTIVAL is on 6 AUGUST and we are having a stall advertising Christmas Lights with Buy a Christmas Light Bulb for £1. We do have 4 volunteers for the time 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. but if you feel that you could come along for an hour please let me know 01845 522333. It will be a fun day and as the admission is FREE there should be a lot of people attending it.
On 8 SEPTEMBER there will be an AUCTION of PROMISES in Thirsk Town Hall at 7 p.m. presented by Chris Marsden, we will have a limited number of promises but we are hoping that you will promise something as you attend, be it baking a cake, cooking a meal, etc etc tickets are £6 inc a pie and pea supper from Johnsons butchers, and yes we will have a bar in the hope that the alcohol will loosen the purse strings- Tickets for this will be available from Jill at Millers or directly from Jo who’s at 19 school garth, Sowerby or you can call her on 01845 525030.
On 21 SEPTEMBER, there will be an INDIAN NIGHT at the Jaipur Spice at Busby Stoop. The tickets are £20 and this includes a specially selected menu from their award-winning chef. We will be holding a raffle on the night, and Malik and his team are really looking forward to helping us raise money for the lights- tickets for this one will be available from the Jaipur Spice or again from Jo
On OCTOBER 6th, it is the MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT at The Angel in Topcliffe. The tickets are £25 including a hot supper and a great evening entertainment from Sue Gibson and her fabulous troop of actors. We’ll be having a raffle, and as we have chosen a Halloween theme we’ll also be having a fancy-dress contest- don’t worry if you don’t want to dress up it is optional but adds to the fun- tickets for this one again available from Jo and don’t forget if you want to pay by card Jo has the facility to do this too.
On 18 NOVEMBER, it is the Dinner Dance at Solberge Hall. Due to certain increases in costs this year the tickets will be £40. The tickets have been the same for quite a few years with us carrying extra costs but I am sure you will agree that this is a fun evening and worth the money. We have booked a 49-seat coach and the areas where the coach will pick up will be added to the invites and the charge for the coach is £15 per couple which again is very reasonable. These invitations will be going out in August and we do hope that at least 100 people will attend and this year will be a little different and no games (for those who definitely don’t like them), an Auction and Raffle. There will be a three-course meal, disco as usual and also John and Mandy will be there to take your beautiful photos.
We have permission from Tesco to use the front entry to their store on 18 NOVEMBER to sell the Christmas Stockings that the Yarnbombers are busily getting ready for us and there will be 2 Golden Tickets (or maybe something a bit different) to find in the stockings and the winners help to switch the lights on. We will need volunteers for that as setting up is from 8,30 a.m. and finish at 12 noon. I am sure you can sort a time out in your diary and let me know if you can help. Tesco are again supplying 2 Christmas Trees, a table and some tins of sweets and we thank them for their support.
The CHRISTMAS LIGHTS are SWITCHED on Friday 24 November and the CHRISTMAS FAYRE begins that date as well running to the 26th. I understand that Jo still has some stalls available so please book early so you won’t be disappointed.
We had a Christmas Meeting this week and as many of you know we are the group of ladies who raise this £15,000 to light up Thirsk apart from a donation from Thirsk Town Council. We would very much like to light up Finkle Street and have received a quote for that. We do have sufficient brackets and bulbs but would have to purchase metres of wiring to install them, plus install the brackets and put in the bulbs plus a very generous labour charge and it will cost between £1500 and £2000 to do this. I am writing formally to all the businesses on Finkle Street to see if we can raise that amount. We were only able to install lights on Millgate and Kirkgate last year due to a donation from the film company so it is up to us this year and whether we can find the sponsors. If I could find 10-12 businesses that would be willing to put their hands in their pockets as we all do for many other events in the Town, that would be marvellous and we would of course mention the businesses in the paper if they wish as it would be fantastic to light up the main street into Thirsk from the A19 North and South plus the A1. After all, £150 is not a lot to support the Town and the Lights. I will let you know how I get on. Unless any of you know a company that would be willing to sponsor the whole thing. I must add that since spending £5000 on LED bulbs the electric has halved and so if we could add FInkle Street perhaps the electric costs would not be too much more. I must add that we are forever grateful to Steven Dresser and his team for their fantastic support and work during this time. Watch this space.
Again, I am advised by residents that they are sure that Hambleton District Council pay for the lights and again I tell that it is us who fund raise with only the one donation. How easy would it be for residents to each give £1? I leave that thought with you.
We are also ordering new collection boxes and when they arrive Jo and I will pick up the old ones and replace them with the new ones which Gemma is designing a new Christmas Lights cover for.
The next meal is at Hung Moey on 9 August and we will order off the menu but I will still need to know if you are going so that the restaurant can accommodate us please let me know 01845 522333.
The next Quiz is 15 August so if you want to join us as a 1,2 or 4 just let me know and also if you are vegetarian 522333.
I will leave the rest for Jo to add for you.
Take care
Jill