A few photos from the day!

I am in the process of making a dvd of the fundraising event and have lots of photos from various people to upload here to the blog, so bear with me! In the meantime, a few memories from the day...

 

 

 

 

 

 

World's Worst Singer - to the theme of Hymns and Arias!

Keith's Billy Crystal-esque opening moment!

Well good afternoon to friends, family and people we have just met
Our aim today is to raise lots of funds and leave you all in debt
Its all to build a lovely pool in the big Heath Hospital
So the little kids can have a swim, they'll all be soaking wet.

And we are raising lots of money, let's hope the next verse, starts to get funny

Here we are in Ystradowen, for jazz and a spot of tea
If Clare Gob hasn't told you yet, she's selling gas and electricity
For those of you wondering , just what is happening
Just stick a pound in this glass and I will stop my singing

And we are raising, lots of money, let's hope the next verse, starts to get funny

If you like an auction, then flog it is your call
On the astroturf there's football and your drawings are on the wall
It'll be eyes down for the bingo 'til you have to shout full house
Celebrating ladies please, remember keep on your blouse!

And we are raising, lots of money, let's hope the next verse, starts to get funny

We have raffles, games, an auction, we have sports and even quizzes
Last prize in the raffle is an evening with my missus
So come on good folks lets all dig deep and empty all your pockets
Fill up this glass with one pound coins and I promise I will stop it

And we are raising, lots of money, let's hope the next verse, starts to get funny

So thank you all for coming and making it such fun
Today is surely special for each and everyone
We hope that you all leave here with happy memories
But it's not over stay right here, have another cup of tea!

And we are raising, lots of money, you're right the last verse, just was not funny!

Speeches from 30 June 2013 - Vote of thanks

A big thank you to our kitchen staff today - in charge of the kitchen  - Julie and Mike, with their helpers Barbara and Diana.  They have been working so hard today preparing the food and will be doing the washing up later, so a big round of applause for them please.  Also thanks to Julie, Mike, Marilyn, Byron, Pam and Gareth for being here so late last night helping us to set up.

Thank you to our MC & games master Keith and Games Mistress Lucy.  Well done - they are doing a great job as always!

Unfortunately, Cliff is unable to be with us today, but thank you Barbara for being a big part of the entertainment here today with their very own version of 'Flog It' and helping us to raise funds for Splish Splash Splosh. I'm sure there is room for a slot on daytime TV!

Thank you to Abercynon Gardening Club and friends Sue & Colin from Mountain Ash for their donation of plants for the Gardening Stall.

Thanks to all the many crafters who have been working away for months to supply the craft stall. Family members like Rudy's great grandmother Hetty, still knitting at 92, her friend Betty, Lynda and daughter Clare in Australia and other daughter Laura, Marilyn, Avril, Hannah, Katie & then also family friends and neighbours - Marion and Norma from Abercynon, Pam Lloyd from Tonteg, Wendy from Ogmore Vale Bakery and her brother Michael, Nick's mother Julia from Hertfordshire for her homemade jams.  Also artists Alison Fennel, Huw Aaron and Luned Aaron for their generous donations and Byron for his cards.  I hope I haven't left anyone out! Many thanks to you all, it is much appreciated.

Many thanks to Hannah for organising the home and garden emporium - I know it's been a lot of hard work and also for baking all the delicious loaves of cake, which we are enjoying for our tea today. The chocolate cakes are just amazing!

Thank you to Byron for being our photographer today - we hope to make a DVD for the event and you will be able to get a copy in a few weeks time.

Thanks to Nick for doing the very important job of being our cashier today.

Thank you to President Norma Nesling from Inner Wheel and incoming President Victor Nesling  from Aberdare Rotary Club for being here today and for making their incredibly generous donations.

Thank you to the many people who couldn't make it today, but have made very generous donations to the event.  Also thanks to the many celebrities who have contributed to the raffle and the auction.

Thank you to Mike for his contribution of excellent ice-cream and to Julie for her donation of Welsh cakes and jam for tea today and to both of them for their invaluable help over the last few weeks.  Much appreciated!

Thanks to Katie for all her hard work over the past 4 months organising this event - a lot of time and effort has gone into the logistics & paperwork which are necessary to make a large event like this possible.

A very big thank you in advance to Clare Hingott and the Graham Watkins Trio who will be performing for us later and have waived their fee for such a good cause.  I know that a lot of people here are fans of the band and have seen them at their concerts at St Donats. I know that you are all going to enjoy listening to them later - and dancing too, if you feel so inclined!

Finally, thank you to all of you who have bought tickets and come along today to help make this event a big success.  We have been overwhelmed by the response, selling all the tickets with no problem at all and in fact, having a waiting list!  I assure you that this is much appreciated by the family and friends of Rudy Cole.

Now, a big round of applause for Amy & Matt, two of the bravest people I know and of course baby Rudy.  We are all supporting you in our own ways and will always continue to do so for as long as needed.

Avril Vokes

Auction Items

Just a few of the auction items for Sunday!

Limited Edition Signed Sam Warburton Print with certificate of authenticity (Limited Edition Number: 029/100). Donated by Jamie Baulch

Reserve Price: £120

Limited Edition Signed Sam Warburton Print with certificate of authenticity (Limited Edition Number: 52/100). Donated by Jamie Baulch

Reserve Price: £120

 

Original signed and framed Stereophonics photograph. Donated by Stereophonics

 

Reserve Price: £50

2012 Six Nations Squad ‘Where it all began’ signed, framed print. Donated by WRU

Reserve Price: £40

Wales Squad 2013 – signed framed print. Donated by WRU

Reserve Price: £40

RBS Six Nations Champions 2013, signed, framed print. Donated by WRU

Reserve Price: £40

A round of golf for 4 at the Vale of Glamorgan Golf Club

Reserve Price: £50

London Marathon T-shirt – framed and signed by the winners of the men’s and women’s race 2013. Donated by Mike Delaney

Reserve Price: £40

London Marathon T-shirt – framed and signed by the winners of the men’s and women’s race 2013. Donated by Mike Delaney

Reserve Price: £40

Lucy & Keith Myers-Sleight

Lucy & Keith Myers-Sleight are Rudy's aunty and uncle.  They met in Corfu during the summer of 1996 whilst they were both holiday reps.

Keith will be our master of ceremonies at the Splish Splash Splosh Fundraising event, having had experience of holding the mic at family weddings and birthdays. Keith currently works for Tesco as a team leader and has a passion for game shows.

Lucy will be helping the kids enjoy the day as much as the adults will, looking after her and Keith's two boys, Elis and Harri, as well as any other kids who want to join in the fun!! Lucy currently works for Valley Education Services as a business development manager and is also a travel consultant.

Lucy Myers-Sleight

Keith Myers-Sleight

I'm sure they will both help the event to be as much of a success as possible - thank you Lucy & Keith!

Julie Emlyn-Jones & Mike Delaney

 

 

Julie and Mike will be in charge of the kitchen at the event, along with their helpers Barbara & Diana.

 

Julie is married to Alun Emlyn-Jones whose daughter owns Crossways House in Cowbridge. Julie is extremely experienced at catering, having at intervals taken over the running of Crossways when it was a small hotel.

 

Julie has been an amazing help with the event & we are so very grateful for all her support.

 

Mike is a longstanding family friend to the Vokes family.

Mike has enjoyed a long career in the RAF as well as having been a successful international athlete and more recently, manager and mentor of elite-performance teams. Mike was a key member of the Great Britain management team at two Olympic Games. In 2010 he was manager of the successful Welsh athletics team at the Commonwealth Games in India.

 

Mike has made all of the delicious ice-cream you will be enjoying at the event!

 

Thank you to Julie & Mike!

Clare Moseley - Rudy Rocks Earrings

This is a photo of Clare with husband Julian & son Alex in Sydney.  Clare is the designer and maker of the 'Rudy Rocks' jewellery range, which will be on sale at the fundraising event.

Clare and Julian have just built their first home in Australia, having emigrated there four years ago.

Clare is a cousin of Rudy's mother Amy Cole.

Huw & Luned Aaron

A big thank you to Huw and Luned Aaron for supporting our event with their fantastic cards, which will be on sale in the home and garden emporium.

 

Huw Aaron is a freelance cartoonist and illustrator as seen in Private Eye, Prospect, Reader's Digest, The Oldie, Saga Magazine and others.  North Stand, Huw’s rugby comic strip, is published in several newspapers internationally.

 

Luned is an artist based in Cardiff.  She exhibits at various galleries, including Off the Wall gallery, The Frame Gallery, Oriel Awst, Chapter Arts Centre, The Gate Arts Centre and Tonnau gallery.

 

  

 

 

Please take a minute to check out their fantastic websites

at www.huwaaron.com and www.lunedaaron.com

Map & Directions



Thanks to Nick Lawrence for the brilliant map!

 

Directions from the M4

 

Leave the motorway at J34. At the roundabout take the third exit onto A4119.  Take a left onto the B4264 School road.  At the roundabout take the 2nd exit and then at the mini roundabout, the 2nd exit. Continue along this road and take the first left turn.  At the bottom of this street, turn left onto Pontyclun High Street. Continue along this road, passing through the villages of Brynsadler and Talygarn before you reach Ystradowen.  Entering the village , you will pass Tudor Garage on your left.  When you see the bus stop on your right, you will need to take the next right turn into (and drive through) the White Lion car park and through the double gates where you will be directed to a parking space.

 

Directions from Cowbridge

 

At the traffic lights turn left (coming from Cowbridge) or right (coming from Culverhouse Cross) direction Llantrisant. Stay on this road and it will take you to Ystradowen.  As you enter the village, you will see the church on your left and next to it, the White Lion pub.  Turn left into (and drive through) the White Lion car park and through the double gates where you will be directed to a parking space.

 

 

 

 

Jamie Baulch

With many thanks to Jamie Baulch for his very kind donation to the

Splish Splash Splosh Fundraising event. We really are very grateful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WRU prints

Many thanks to the WRU for these great prints to raffle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alison Fennell - Welsh Artist

Thank you to Alison Fennell for your incredibly generous donation of 20 wonderful watercolour prints and also a selection of greetings cards to sell in the home and garden emporium on June 30th.  They are absolutely fantastic.

Alison is a Welsh artist working in Ynysybwl, just outside Pontypridd in the South Wales Valleys.

Over the last three years Alison's work has featured in many UK and USA home décor magazines and been published by several UK card and print companies including Paperlink UK and Beechwood Publications with her work selling nationwide in WH Smiths, John Lewis etc.

Previously Alison's originals have been shown in the Royal Cambrian Academy's "Young Wales" show judged by the late Sir Kyffin Williams, South Wales Art Society Centenary exhibition and The Rhondda Heritage Park Annual Open Day.

Alison's future plans include learning to cartoon!

Update

Firstly, I would like to thank Michael Mort, Business Development Manager at the Snowdonia Cheese company for his company's generous support for the Noah's Ark fundraiser event. We really are very grateful. 

It has been a really busy week with meetings about the event.  The seating plans are currently a work in progress - it is no easy task to seat so many people, but we are almost there!

Please remember to bring your spare change to take part in the games during the afternoon.  All proceeds will be going to the Appeal.  We will have some great things going on over the course of the day before the evening jazz!

There will be a prosecco bar in the marketplace & a bar will be operating during the day and evening...but please feel free to bring bottles of wine with you if you wish. All profits from the bar will be going to the Appeal.

With regards to parking, the venue does have its own car park to the rear.  Can I ask that you please don't park in the pub car park which you will have to pass through.  There will be a few people in charge of parking on the day and when our car park is full, they will direct you to the best place to park your cars.

Lastly, I was given two absolutely brilliant Welsh rugby prizes on Monday.  As they are very special, these will be auctioned separately at the event.  More details coming very soon.

Kate x

 

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Max Boyce

A big thank you to Max Boyce for supporting the Splish Splash Splosh, Noah's Ark Appeal Fundraising event.

We are really grateful for the brilliant raffle prizes!

You can catch Max's forthcoming show at Chepstow Castle on Saturday 31st August 2013

www.maxboyce.co.uk

"...And we were singing Hymns & Arias...."

'Rudy Rocks' earrings

These fabulous 'Rudy Rocks' earrings have arrived from Australia, handmade by Clare Moseley.

There are so many lovely designs in the collection & will all be on sale in the home, garden & gift emporium on June 30th.

Thank you so much Clare!

Rob Brydon

It was such a nice surprise to come home this evening and find a parcel from Rob Brydon. We are very grateful both for his lovely letter of support and the signed DVD of 'The Trip' from both himself and Steve Coogan. 

With so many fantastic prizes, I'm sure that the 'Welsh celebrity raffle' is going to be a highlight of the day!

Carrie Elspeth

I would like to say a big thank you to Carrie Elspeth for her very kind raffle prizes and supporting this event.

It is amazing how quickly the time has passed and the fundraiser is now just over one month away. 

A lot of people have put in a tremendous amount of hard work over the past few months and none of it has gone unnoticed, thank you!

Stereophonics

I arrived home from work on Monday to find a lovely signed photograph from the Stereophonics to raffle/auction at the fundraising event in aid of the Splish Splash Splosh Appeal.

Thank you so much to them for supporting us.

I am a big fan and was just a little bit excited :-)!

The raffle will take place at the event and tickets will be available on the day.  However it will be open to anyone else who might like to buy a ticket or two.  We have more great prizes arriving every day & a full list will be here at the beginning of June.

All proceeds, as with everything else will be going to the Noah's Ark Appeal to build a hydrotherapy pool at the Children's Hospital for Wales.

Cardiff Devils & thank you!

Many thanks to the Cardiff Devils for supporting the fundraising event with their generous raffle prize of a family match ticket, for the new season which begins in September 2013. 

Thank you to Francine Harris at Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey Club.

People's kindness to date - individuals, companies and celebrities has been amazing and every one of us working on this event is extremely grateful.

The success of fundraising events such as this are only made possible by such generosity. So, a big thank you to everyone!

Leekes of Llantrisant

 

We would like to thank Leekes of Llantrisant for your support and generosity.

Many thanks from us all!

Signed books for the Splish Splash Splosh Raffle

Signed copies of four books arrived in the post today, which will be raffled at the fundraising event.

 

'Is It Just Me' - Miranda Hart

 

'Delia's Cakes' - Delia Smith

 

 

'The Story Teller' - Jodie Picoult

 

 

'A Street Cat Named Bob' - James Bowen

 

 

 

With many thanks to Eleni Lawrence!