As Others See Us, Differently

Long term readers will know that I spent a lot of years on the boys'  School’s Parents Teachers and Friends Association helping to organise the Xmas Pudding Fun Run and various Fairs.

The big fundraiser was the Summer Fair.  We on the PTFA realised that when we took posters advertising the Fair into shops some would make donations and others would say “If only you’d told us sooner we could organise something.”

So I created a begging letter to take into shops, and we got quite a good selection of raffle and tombola prizes when we followed them up the next week.

The pandemic finally put an end to my association with PTFA 

(the boys had left the school years before).

A couple of years ago I became involved with the Springfield Community Association and, naturally, help organise a Summer Family Fun Day where we raise funds with a raffle and tombolas.  I created a new begging letter, which the Secretary reproduces for me.

Last week the Chair delivered this year’s letters and Thursday found me pounding the hot pavements visiting local shops and businesses. 

I wore my coolest summer dress, big cream sunhat and my hair down; as I’d washed it and knew it would dry in the heat.

When I went into the mobile phone accessory store and presented him with the letter the proprietor said 

“At yes… there was a lady who used to come around with these.”

“Yes” I replied “That was me.”

“Oh no.  She was old.  You are young.”

I wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or complimented or both.