Sew and Sews Successful Summer Fete
A group of residents from two of Castlebeck's Hexham services held a successful charity summer fete to raise money for Leukaemia Research UK in memory of a senior staff nurse who died of the disease.
The group, called The Right Sew and Sews, held the event on Saturday.
The group, from Chesterholme and Oaklands, began working together doing arts and crafts two years ago, but have now formed themselves into a social enterprise group. Each member has a job, from treasurer to chairperson, and they have just secured their own premises to work from.
As well as selling their arts and crafts creations, the group also sell their talents, taking on commissions in patchwork, embroidery and other mediums as well as completing people's half-finished cross stitch designs - for a small fee of course!
They decided to raise money at the fete in memory of Don Moffat, who was a member of the Chesterholme team for five years and who died a year ago.
Sue Dyne, Deputy Manager at Chesterholme, said: "Don was very open about his illness and readily discussed it with the residents, hoping that by doing so he would help them understand and accept that death was a natural part of life and that cancer wasn't something to be afraid of.
"The Sew and Sews decided to hold the summer fair as a way of raising money for leukaemia research in his memory and have worked very hard on this project. I know Don would be very proud of this altruistic gesture."
Pam Richards, the group's Chairperson, said: "We chose to raise money for this charity as we loved and miss Don, and we wanted to make him proud of us."
The fete included a craft stall where work from The Sew and Sews was on sale, and there was also a bric a brac, a tombola, hand massages by Hexham's Loose Women, a cake stall, a raffle and a books and CDs stall.
The event was held in conjunction with Stage Fright, who hosted a film festival at the fete.
