Michelle, as well as
being the Principal Architectural Designer at Taylor Tuxford Associates,
volunteers for an independent fundraising group named Blucrew, who primarily
raise money for the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice located in Dinnington.
Christmas is their busiest time
for fundraising and this year has been no exception, with three full stage
shows, three separate carol singing events in Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Carol
singing at the Wickersley Lights switch on event, Carol singing at Crystal
Peaks, Waitrose in Sheffield and at a care home in Sheffield, as well as
several other supporting functions (eg. assisting in setting up a grotto for
the Bluebell Wood Children) all within the space of 5 weeks in the run up to
Christmas!
Michelle has just had a very busy
weekend supporting Blucrew and so we thought we’d tell you how it went: -
Saturday night saw Michelle at Silverwood
WMC by 6.45pm to find the room
looking very festive thanks to the efforts of other members of the Crew in
readiness for their second full Christmas variety show of the season.
It can be a very nervy 5 minutes in
the changing room as they wait for the introduction music, then they’re on with
the show! There’s no time to sit back and relax between acts either as they are
constantly checking what’s coming up next, what should they be wearing, what
order do we need to go on stage, etc, etc? It certainly keeps you on your toes.
Although they very nearly had one cast member singing O Holy night in a grass
skirt and coconut bra!!!
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| Blucrew mini panto cast Dec 2015 |
The performance was over by
10.30pm and everyone seemed to have had a really good night, the Audience
joined in with the fun and games there were lots of smiling faces, a very good
result all round.
Of course, now the show was over
(and once comfy shoes were on sore feet) they set about dismantling the stage
set, lighting, sound equipment, tables, etc. There really is no one specific
role for individuals in Blucrew, everyone mucks in, and so, ten minutes after
taking their final bow the team were busy carefully packing away.
Sunday morning saw Michelle up
bright and early (well, maybe just early) as she had offered to help set up the
backdrop and up-lighters at a Hotel in Sheffield, where Bluebell Wood were
holding a Christmas Party for the Children, she arrived there for 8am and after
a quick set up was away by 9.30am. She then travelled to Meadowhall Shopping
Centre to set up for carol singing on the Mall outside Next and was ready for
action by 10.30am (ish!)
It was a lovely atmosphere in the
Mall and the Centre Management was very accommodating assisting with cordoning
off the cables runs so no-one could trip over them. Although, during a song
where one of the singers was performing a solo (so she has stepped forward out
of line) two shoppers walked straight through the back of the performance area
and through the line of singers, completely oblivious to what they were doing!
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| Blucrew carol Singing at Meadowhall Shopping Centre Dec 2015 |
Blucrew carolled until the mid
afternoon to a very appreciative crowd and were congratulated by the staff at
the adjoining Love Koffee who had had to listen to their songs at least 3
times!
They then dismantled the set
again and loaded the car back up. Michelle then jumped back in her car and
returned to the Hotel to dismantle the backdrop and lights after the Children’s
party and so didn’t arrive home until 6.30pm
feeling very happy that they’d had such an enjoyable, if not tiring, couple of
days. Later that evening the team received an e-mail advising that the Elves
had counted the takings from the previous night’s show and the donations from
the carol singing that day, and that the two events had raised approximately
£3000! It all makes the hard work so worthwhile to have a result like that,
which is one of the reasons Michelle volunteers, and they’re all completely blown
away by everyone’s generosity.
In closing we’d like to take this
opportunity of wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, whatever you are doing,
and we hope that you all have a happy and prosperous New Year!
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