Five Northamptonshire friends raise more than £3K for various charities with afternoon tea delivery boxes

Originally the friends were going to host a charity ball, however it had to be cancelled due to the pandemic
A group of friends has raised £3,000 for three charities by making and delivering afternoon tea boxes.A group of friends has raised £3,000 for three charities by making and delivering afternoon tea boxes.
A group of friends has raised £3,000 for three charities by making and delivering afternoon tea boxes.

A group of friends from across Northamptonshire came together during lockdown joined by the desire to do something for charities close to their hearts.

Allie Arissol, Adelle Chilinski, Sally Goodenough, Helen Hardick, Mandy Robinson and Kerry Ward originally organised a charity ball, which was due to take place at The Park Inn hotel, Northampton in September last year.

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Due to the pandemic and restrictions on events, the ball had to be cancelled and the group had hoped to rearrange for this year.

The women made and delivered 120 boxes over the course of two days.The women made and delivered 120 boxes over the course of two days.
The women made and delivered 120 boxes over the course of two days.

However as many of the organisers are classified as clinically vulnerable, they decided not to go ahead with the ball this year.

Instead the women had to get creative and find a Covid-safe way to raise money for the three charities they had chosen between them.

Allie said: “I have Rheumatoid Arthritis so I have always supported the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and I’d always wanted to organise a bigger event.

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“We got the group together in 2019 with the view to put on the ball last year, but it got cancelled and this year we were nervous about a big event.

Customers were very pleased with the boxes, according to the organisers.Customers were very pleased with the boxes, according to the organisers.
Customers were very pleased with the boxes, according to the organisers.

“But we all still wanted to support the charities we’d pledged to help so we decided to do something different.

“We decided to make afternoon tea boxes as many of us are bakers.”

The group made and delivered 120 boxes over the course of two dates in June this year, which Allie says were well received by people who wanted to support the charities as they also got something they enjoyed.

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Over the two dates, more than £3,000 was raised, which will be split evenly between three charities: The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, Oxford Hospitals Charity and Dementia UK.

Allie added: “All the charities are close to at least one of our hearts.

“We have even worked with Dementia UK to make sure the money we have raised will go towards a specialist nurse working around Northamptonshire.

“We’re overwhelmed that we have managed to support charities and make people happy despite the ball being cancelled.”

The group of friends hope to rearrange the ball for when they feel comfortable, but they are also planning Christmas boxes to deliver this year as another way to raise money for charity.