Christmas 2019 got off to a very early start at Walthew House with a Christmas card making session in August! With paper hats, turkey sandwiches, mince pies and some fabulous cream doughnuts donated by Greggs, a group of determined revellers set about producing a winning design for this year’s Walthew House Christmas card.

The photo above shows the winning design, by popular choice, made by Ann Parker. The card shows two gold Christmas trees, with stars on top, painted on a blue and black background.

The photos below show the group in full swing, painting, sprinkling glitter and eating doughnuts.

• 

• 

We are selling the cards in packs of five at a cost of £1.50 per pack, available from the office. We can also post them out to you if you can’t get in.

We have a very full list of Events in the run up to Christmas. Full details are available from the office:

• Charity Auction – 25th October
• Quiz Night and Volunteers’ Party – Saturday 16th November
• Christmas Fair – Saturday 30th November
• Walthew House Steel Band – performing at Handforth Dean Saturday 30th November
• Christmas Wreath making – 30th November
• Trip to Dunham Massey Christmas lights – Sunday 1st December
• Youth Club Breakfast with Signing Santa – Saturday 7th December
• Walthew House Carol Service – Sunday 8th December
• Christmas Stocking Craft Event – Monday 9th December
• Christmas Dinner – Tuesday 17th December, after which social activities finish until after Christmas
• Friday 20th December – Resource Centre closes for Christmas, although orders can still be collected on Monday 23rd
• Walthew House is closed for Christmas between Tuesday 24th December and Wednesday 1st January. The Resource Centre and office are open on 2nd January 2020 and social groups and activities resume week commencing 6th January.

What else have we been up to?

The 10 Pin Bowling Team have just celebrated their 10th anniversary with an open event at Parrs Wood, which featured balloons and a cake in the shape of a bowling ball and pin.

Meanwhile, by popular demand our Youth Group visited the Anderton Centre in Chorley for their annual adventure weekend again this year. The photos right and below show some of the children on the rope slide, tree climbing and the whole group on the pontoon in the lake.

• 

• 

• 

Activities as part of our Lottery funded Making More Happen project now include two new weekly groups – a Pilates Group at Walthew House and a Walking Group on the running track at Woodbank Park. The benefits of being able to walk on the track have been summed up by one of the participants:

“For the first time in a long time I was able to walk in a straight upright position instead of looking down at the pavement for obstacles. This may not sound like much to some people but when you know there are no obstacles and you literally have a clear track in front of you you are able to walk properly. After a few laps and gaining a bit of speed and confidence I felt much better and felt like I’d had a proper walk not the usual amble along negotiating every day obstacles.”

in Stockport). The tiles explore the theme – what Walthew House means to me – and once finished will form a permanent display at the centre.
And finally a few ‘Please and thank yous’

Our fundraiser Shannon is asking for volunteers in the run up to Christmas – mainly for collections, including ASDA Stockport on 22nd November and ASDA Reddish on 23rd November. Help is also needed on 30th November to load and unload the steel pans for the performance at Handforth Dean. If you would like to offer support please get in touch.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported Walthew House In 2019, from the charitable organisations that give us grants, to the organisations that support us by nominating us as their Charity of the year – including Great Moor WI and Hazel Grove Inner Wheel – and the local businesses that support us in many ways. Kennies in Offerton for example donate hundreds of pounds a year from their counter top collection box and carrier bag charges, and the Railway Pub Quiz team that won the league and donated their winnings.

We’d also like to say thank you to all our volunteers and Naomi especially would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help with Making More Happen.

We’d like to wish everyone the very best compliments of the season, and we look forward to another busy and successful year at Walthew House in 2020.