It all started off as an innocent shopping trip to Bristol with friends. Whilst shopping, I spotted a big box of teddy bears by the entrance to the store, and on closer look found that they were not just teddy bears but GIANT 53” teddy bears! I’m a big softy and my heart just melted and I fell in love with the big, very soft and very huggable bears. They made me think of my little girl Aimee Jane Mary Bishop-Moore who was born asleep on the 31st May 2010. I thought of how much I knew she would love to have one if she was still here with us.
It was then that the idea hit me that as it would be Aimee’s 2nd Birthday the next month that if I got one of the bears I could raffle it in Aimee’s memory to raise funds for Swindon Sands. When for most 2 yrs olds birthday’s it would be a milestone where you would have a party for all their friends and family, baking (or buying birthday) cake and being able to share with them in their special day lots of laughter and hugs and presents and joy. For us we could only share part of that, we could still do presents, cake and sharing the day with family and friends but the most important things, the hugs, the laughter and the joy we would not be able to see on our beautiful girl’s face.
Ian and I decided that we would Raffle one bear (Aimee’s Bear) and we would also donate two bears to Swindon Sands, one as a group mascot (whom the group have named ’Sandy’!) and the other one to be used for future fund raising at our annual ball. I started by taking both bears along to the April support meeting to introduce them the group and explain what I was going to do, both bears were very popular and the group thought they were a great idea. Fund Raising started well and with in the first couple of weeks taking him to work, to the group support meeting, April quiz and Spring bazaar, I had raised approximately £150 and a lot of awareness of not only my inspiration (Aimee) but also Swindon Sands. I just knew this was what I wanted to do and to have reached so far and to have had such generosity and support was overwhelming and amazing.
After some final ticket sales and an unexpected but very generous final donation from my team at work the final total raised came to £356. I drew the winning ticket on the 31 May 2012 in the middle of my work place, and after a lot of excitement and anticipation we had a winner, peach ticket 265, a very happy Evelyn Kimuri.
Myself and Ian would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported Aimee’s bear raffle either by buying tickets or making a donation or taking time to listen or to ask about Aimee and Swindon Sands.
