There were balloons, banners and bunting aplenty at a charity shop in Poringland as staff and volunteers celebrate its first birthday.
As well as being able to browse for a bargain, customers of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) are being treated to cakes. A guess the name of a giant teddy bear competition is running and any children dropping by can pick up a free book.
The shop is on the doorstep of the nook, EACH’s new hospice that has been under construction since November 2017
Maria Hall, Shop Manager, said: “It’s been a great first year becoming part of the community here and I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who’s donated items and volunteered here over the 12 months. Excitingly, the nook is now close to opening and we hope people in the area continue shopping here to support our service caring for children and young people with life-threatening conditions, and supporting their families.”
The shop, in Overtons Way, is open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday. Chartered surveyor Ben Du Brow cut the ribbon last year. He was one of three vendors of the land EACH bought to build the nook – and he very generously donated all his share back.
EACH shops are always in need of donations of the following clean and good-quality items to sell: clothing, bric-a-brac, modern paperbacks, toys, jewellery, DVDs/CDs, household linens, retro and vintage clothes, and small electrical items.
EACH also needs donations of good-quality furniture and can collect it free of charge if you are unable to transport it yourself. You can contact the charity’s Retail Distribution Centre on 01842 821620 for more information.
Anyone interested in more information on volunteering at the Poringland shop can drop by for a chat, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01603 984498.
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices staff and volunteers stepped back in time to celebrate a 1940s-themed weekend in Sheringham.
The annual feast of nostalgia took place on 18th and 19th September and was run by North Norfolk Railway.
Businesses in the town were encouraged to get involved and EACH staff and volunteers decorated the window of their shop in Station Road. They also rolled back the years by wearing outfits from the era.
EACH Shop Manager Naomi Munro said: “It was a very memorable weekend. We decorated our window with flags and everyone got in the spirit by dressing up. Many of our customers also wore special outfits so it was great fun and created a very happy, positive environment. It really was like being in a time warp and going back to the 1940s.”
This weekend (Sunday 8th August) will see Benny’s Poppyline Marathon run in memory of a brave little boy from East Runton in Norfolk who sadly lost his battle with cancer last year.
Benny Pitcher was just six year-old when he passed away in July 2020 after a 15 month fight against brain cancer. This Sunday (8th August) Benny’s dad Kevin will be joined by 17 other marathon runners as he completes the challenge. The marathon will start at Sheringham Primary School at 9am and finish outside the Crown pub on Lifeboat Plain at around 3pm. Fireworks to celebrate Benny’s life will be set off over the sea at around 4.30pm.
Additional runners will be joining the group for shorter distances to show their support taking on a half marathon, 10k, 5k and fun run – with around 30 people in total will be taking part. It is hoped that pupils from Sheringham Primary School, where Benny attended, will take part in the fun run.
Kevin Pitcher, Benny’s father has organised the event: “We were originally going to run the Brighton Marathon for Benny, but it was cancelled because of Covid. This event is our way of celebrating Benny’s life and giving back to our local community and the charities who have shown us so much support and kindness at this horrible time.
“We want as many people out on the route as we can – to show support and encourage our runners. Please be bright and colourful, wave flags and wear superhero outfits. Cheer us on in memory of Benny!”
All the beauty of the East Anglian countryside awaits cyclists who sign up to ride three counties in three days as part of a returning charity challenge.
Ride for Life, back from Friday 6th May to Sunday 8th May 2022, sees participants covering over 200 miles to raise thousands of pounds for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
The first day starts at Johnston Logistics UK, the event sponsor in Snetterton, heads to The Nook, EACH’s hospice just south of Norwich, then down to Ipswich. The second takes riders past The Treehouse, EACH’s hospice in Ipswich, and across to Cambridge. The final day passes EACH’s hospice in Milton, just north of Cambridge, before heading back to Snetterton.
Ride for Life has been a flagship event for EACH since 1993, with Johnston Logistics UK sponsoring it since the inception. This year’s staging is in memory of Richard Johnston, the founder of Johnston Logistics UK who sadly died in December 2018.
A four-year-old dog called Sydney has been walking through 12 inches of snow in New York, as part of an international group of fundraisers supporting East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
In January EACH forecasted an operational deficit of £2 million over the next year owing to disruption caused by the pandemic and encouraged people to run, walk or cycle 100 miles during February, as part of its EACH Mile Counts fundraising campaign.
Jane Rous Milligan, EACH Music Therapist, based at The Nook, the charity’s hospice in Norfolk, has just celebrated her 15th year of working at EACH and decided to take part.
Asking for support from friends around the world to reach a £100 target, she got more than she bargained for as eight plus Sydney and two other pooches opted to join her in taking on the challenge.
Those taking part from the UK were:
hose taking part from the United States were:
Mother and son duo Kate, a teacher at Hopton CEVC Primary School, and Toby Jones, 21, an Exeter university student, completed the mammoth challenge of cycling and running to every town across Norfolk to raise over £1,500 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
It was Toby who had the idea back in March when lockdown first hit the UK. Having returned home from university, he was studying online and had a part-time job, but still felt he wanted to take on an extra project.
On his one day off a week he would cycle to three or four towns in a day and proud mum, Kate, decided to join him. The pair decided to make a contest of it and raise money for EACH at the same time. Toby cycled to all 30 towns in Norfolk, while Kate ran the same distance each week around their home village, the pair clocking up a total of 940 miles over two and a half months.