CFAC Festive Fun!

CFAC Festive Blog

As we approach 2012, Clothes For a Cause have some exciting changes that we will be launching in the New Year, including giving more money to your cause.

We have also put together lots of festive activities to keep you and all your family entertained this Christmas, so take a look below to find some fun activities for you to enjoy over the Christmas period.

December’s School of the Month

Congratulations to everyone at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School for raising a whopping 620 kilos of textiles and raising £310.00 for your school.

CFAC is delighted to award them with December School of the Month Award, for raising the most money throughout our December collections.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School will now be rewarded by us with a letter, certificate and special prize to say thank you for all their hard work and efforts to raise money for their school.

To see if your school is in with the chance of winning the “School of the Month” title then simply email me at Shannon@btr-ltd.co.uk or give me a call on 0117 9717349 to book your first collection.

Price Rise starting January 1^st 2012

We’re rising our prices to enable you to raise more money from 1^st Jan next year! This means that the next collection you book with CFAC after this date will be at the new rate of 50p per kilo (which we will increase to 55p per kilo, if you collect more than a tonne.)

Books, Glorious Books.

CFAC, are proud to announce that following your many comments on our feedback forms, we are pleased to offer a new collection item- we now collect books too!

The books must be donated from the home, (i.e not textbooks) and should be put in a separate black bin liner to your normal Clothes for a Cause bags full of clothing and shoes.

The price we will offer is 5p per kilo, so yet another way to gain funds for your school.

There has never been a better time to fundraise with us.

Now for some Christmas ideas we would like to share with you.

Make Santa a Hat

Why not try and make your own Santa Hat this Christmas, all you need is 1 sheet of red paper, 15-20 cotton balls, scissors, craft glue, ruler and a pencil. It’s very easy to make!

Decorate the hat as if you were Santa and get creative this year.

Click on the link below to start making your own Christmas Santa hat.

http://crafts.kaboose.com/santas-hat.html

Thumbprint Christmas Cards

How about making your own thumbprint Christmas cards this year with the kids?  It’s all about being creative, you could make a Christmas tree, snowman or to make it even trickier, how about a reindeer!?

Click on the link below to start making your cards!

http://crafts.kaboose.com/thumbprint-christmas-card.html

Festive Cupcakes

Try making your own Festive cupcakes this Christmas; you can make Christmas tree cupcakes, Twinkle Star cupcakes, Santa cupcakes and lots more!

Click on the link below to find the ingredients and instructions of how to begin.

http://uktv.co.uk/food/homepage/sid/8621

Think Recycling!!

Christmas is a time to think of others, to give and to receive.

So how about taking a moment to think about our world…. 

Take your Christmas tree to be recycled at your local household recycling centre (for free!) and keep all your wine bottles and beer cans in your black box ready for the council collection. It may not seem like a lot but if every house does it then we will stop unnecessary waste ending up in land fill. Keep our planet clean!

Have a good old clear out!
Once all your new gifts and clothing have arrived it is probably a good time to start a spring clean! Clothes for a Cause can help you raise money and clear out your cupboards!!

So Roll up roll up, and book your first collection now. Email Shannon@btr-ltd.co.uk

Merry Christmas and Happy New year!

From Everyone at Clothes For a Cause

CFAC November Blog

As Winter is coming, CFAC have come up with a few ideas to keep you and your families warm and productive this winter.

To start off CFAC Winter blog, I would like to say a massive well done to everybody at Llanrhidian Primary School in Swansea for being our biggest fundraisers in November. Llanrhidian Primary School collected a whopping 828 kilos and raised a fantastic amount of £372.60!

Llanrhidian Primary School was rewarded by us with arts and craft card making set, with lots of glittery pens, I hope you all have fun designing your own christmas cards!

CFAC things to do this Winter.

Arts & Crafts: Have fun with your children indoors this winter by using the winter scenes colouring print outs.

All you have to do is print out the scene you want to colour and start colouring in.

Click on the link to start colouring your winter scene: http://www.netmums.com/activities/pictures-to-print/winter-pictures-to-print-and-colour-in

Create your own christmas cards: CFAC also liked the christmas cards and gift tags to colour in.

Make some handmade christmas cards with your children.

http://www.netmums.com/activities/pictures-to-print/christmas-pictures-to-print-and-colour-in

Cooking with the kids: Try cooking with your children this winter, by making some delicious chocolate chip muffins for the whole family to share.

Click on the link to find out how to make them. http://www.kidspot.com.au/best-recipes/kids-cooking+5/choc-chip-muffins-recipe+1236.htm#

Board Games: There are some adventurous board games on offer in Argos, a great way to stay warm and have fun with all your family and friends this winter.

Click on the link below to find up to half price board games on offer this winter in Argos.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Browse/ID72/14417788/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CToys+and+games%7C14417629/c_2/2%7C14417629%7CGames+and+puzzles%7C14417785/c_3/3%7Ccat_14417785%7CFamily+board+games%7C14417788.htm

Ice Skating: Take the children to visit Bristol Ice Rink and let them have a twirl on the ice, if ice skating isn't for you then sit back and enjoy a lovely hot coffee from the cafeteria whilst watching your family skate. http://jnlbristol.co.uk/

Brunel SS Great Britain: Step back in time when you board Brunel's SS Great Britain. Discover the true stories behind the ship that changed the world.

Experience the sights, sounds and smell of life on board for Victorian passengers and crew. Descend under water below the glass 'sea' to touch the world's first great ocean liner.

Click on the link below to find out more about Brunel SS Great Britain.
http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/

National Trust: Come and visit the magical leigh woods this winter and find lots of paths for you to explore. Diverse array of wild flowers, birds and butterflies. A great escape from the bustling city of Bristol and this is all on the backdrop of the Avon Gorge and Brunel's world famous suspension bridge http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-leighwoods

Bristol Aquarium: Go and visit Bristol Aquarium located in the famous Bristol Harbourside, the Bristol new aquarium is a must see attraction for nature lovers. Go and admire the tropical sharks, the beautfuil sea horses. and sit down and be amazed in the undersea tunnel.

Click on the link to find out more about Bristol Aquarium http://www.bristolaquarium.co.uk/

Indoor Picnic: Why dont you bring the sun into your living room this winter and enjoy a indoor picnic for you and the kids?

Click on the link Below for some great ideas to have the perfect Indoor picnic.

http://www.ehow.com/how17662indoor-picnic.html

We Hope you have lots of fun!

CFAC Autumn Blog

As Autumn is now upon us, CFAC have come up with a few ideas to keep you and your family busy this autumn.

Here are some ideas CFAC found for things to do this Autumn:

Leaf Collecting: There are so many different ways to help kids learn about Trees. Leaf collecting is a fun exercise. It’s also a great way to teach kids about leaves. After all, they‘re practically everywhere: on trees-shrubs, flowers and sometimes they’re even on our plates- lettuce leaves, spinach leaves and cabbages!!

 Kids love to be creative so why not have them create a leaf collage with their leaf collection. Simply just glue them on to a large piece of paper and put them on display.

Fun bug Activities: Many bugs are colourful, either to attract mates or to appear poisonous to their predators. Allow kids to explore these interesting colours by creating their own whimsical bug. Use coloured paper and let them cut or tear pieces to form the various parts of their bug. This is actually an ideal activity for explaining the different parts of an insect. You can talk about their legs, head, wings, feelers, eyes, etc. Once they have arranged their bug parts, allow them to glue the pieces onto a large piece of black paper. This helps the colourful bug stand out. The kids can also label the parts of their bug using pieces of white paper. Be sure to hang up their finished bug!

Collecting Conkers: The best thing to do during Autumn time is to wrap up warm with your friends and family and see who can collect the most conkers!

This is an adventurous activity for you and your families to do this year, as there are lots of fun ways you can enjoy the conkers you have collected.

CFAC have found ten things you could do with your conkers!! Click on the link below to find some exciting ideas you can try! http://www.herewearetogether.com/?p=682

Visit Bristol Museum and Art Gallery- This museum offers free entry, so why not take the family out for the day, by visiting the region’s largest museum and art gallery that is guaranteed to inspire you. http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery

                     

The Georgian House Museum- The Georgian house is an 18^th century, six storey townhouse that has been restored and decorated to its original glory.

The house was built in 1790 for John Pinney, a wealthy slave plantation owner and sugar merchant, it was also where the enslaved African, Pero lived. It is displayed as it might have looked in the 18th century and provides an insight into life above and below stairs. Imagine the busy kitchen where servants prepared meals, taking a dip in the cold-water plunge pool and relaxing in the elegant upstairs rooms.

With free admission this could be an educational learning day for you and all the family.

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/node/2916

M-Shed- For the first time, Bristol has a museum dedicated to telling the amazing history of the city, through the objects and stories of the people who have made the city what it is today. Free admission http://mshed.org/

Finding Autumn Recipes- CFAC have found some delicious autumn recipes you can try making this year, with recipes on how to make mince pies, pasta bakes, soup recipes, brownie recipes and lots more!

http://uktv.co.uk/food/homepage/sid/6355

Summer Holidays: A Fun, Free and Fabulous Guide!

As the school holidays are almost upon us, our CFAC team have come up with a few ideas to keep your children entertained, whatever the weather this summer!  

The best place to find ideas is on the Netmums Local webpage- we liked their ‘101 free things to do’ article.

 Our top 5 free things to do this summer are:

• Make cardboard houses- Young children always seem to be more interested in the packaging than the contents anyway! So why not head down to your local recycling centre or supermarket and make a cardboard house for your garden, or indoors! 

• Fruit picking- A great healthy way to get your children interested in fruit! Spend some time in the sun working hard with a juicy reward for afterwards. Plenty of fresh air and lots of vitamins from your yummy berries!

•  Tidy up days. Great for a rainy day and great to leave your house and mind clear from clutter. Take a leaf out of Mary Poppins book and turn tidying into a game with the kids, turn up the radio and have a good old sort out – remember to save your clothes for the next CFAC collection!

• Bike rides- if your family is lucky enough to have a bike each then why not take them out for a spin around your local cycle paths or nature reserves. All the best and safest routes can easily be found on the Sustrans website. Why not take a picnic with you, or that fruit you just collected?! If you aren’t lucky enough to have a bike, for a small fee these can be rented, take a look at this great site cycle hire info site on where to find them or check out 'better by bike' for more info.

• Visit galleries and museums. Lots of museums offer free entry, so why not take the family out for the day. Bristol’s new M-Shed has just opened and boasts free entry to all! Teach kids the history of Bristol’s maritime past, learn about the people, places and life in Bristol and get involved with the interactive exhibitions on show. 

Other free or cheap days out include visits to:

• The Bristol Museum & Art Galleries 
• The SS Great Britain & The Matthew
• The Bristol Gallery 
• The Arnolfini 

A few other suggestions we have for the holidays would be to visit local farms or sanctuaries that are open to visitors.  

Visit Local Farms

Lawrence Weston City Farm offers free entry where you can visit their Animal House, apiary where the bees make yummy honey, outdoor pig pen, chicken coup and three large paddocks. Not only this but they have a secret garden complete with poly tunnel, an outdoor soft play area, picnic area, orchard, duck pond, and compost heaps! 

Windmill City Farm is holding their Summer Break Family Day on Saturday 23^rd July. The event includes:

• face painting
• story telling 
•  a bouncy castle 
•  make a mini garden 

The event is £3 each or free if you’re a ‘Farm Friend’. Many places will be open all summer, such as Bristol Zoo and the Aquarium, not to mention Horseworld and Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre who both run special events from time to time. 

Bristol Balloon Fiesta and Harbourside Festival

My favourite idea is to take the family to Bristol’s annual Balloon Fiesta - run over 4 days from the 11^th to 14^th August, it is free to enter, and there are lots of things to see and do. Bring a picnic, pocket money for ice creams and some blankets to watch the beautiful nightglow on the Thursday and Saturday nights. What a fabulous family day out. 

The Harbour Festival is Bristol’s largest, liveliest and most diverse free event, and one of the biggest events of its kind in the country. Running from Saturday 23^rd to Friday 2^nd July, the 40^th Harbour Festival will not be one to miss: jam-packed with music, dance, circus, ships and boats, dragon boat racing, markets and children’s entertainment.

Whatever you choose to do this summer, we hope you have a fantastic time and look forward to hearing from you in the new school year! 

End-of-Term Eco Activities

As we approach the summer holidays we thought we’d give the wonderful teachers involved in Clothes for a Cause a few ideas for their closing week classes using our favourite theme: The Environment. 
Included are quizzes and games to occupy, delight and educate your young pupils, and other activities that may help end the school year on a high!

Especially for our Primary Schools:

• To end the term on a colourful note we have a rather fab colouring-in sheet for your younger years!
• For the junior ages we have a lovely renewable energy wordsearch, and a '3 Rs' crossword on 'reduce, reuse & recycle'.  
• Why not encourage everybody to make their own instruments out of potential waste? 
• Or how about practising and performing a class or whole school play based on recycling- this could make a great end of year assembly! Lots of ideas can be found on the worksheets linked.
• What about a simple collage? Get every class involved with making their own green-themed collage and display them all at the end of the year!

Secondary School Fun: Something they can get their teeth into! 

• Print out this sudoku quiz and wordsearch on energy for your lower year pupils,
• Or if you fancy challenging the older ones why not have form groups take part in this brilliant interactive eco quiz on powerpoint? 

Other great activities that can be enjoyed at any age include:

Pond Dipping/Bug Watching - If you have a nature area on your school grounds then why not take your pupils out for some exploring? Bring out the David Attenborough in your pupils whilst making it fun and educational - who can collect the largest number of creepy crawlies, or test their knowledge on different species. Nature is always at its best in beautiful weather! 

Energy Conservation - A great "homework" task you can set your class can be found on this energy conservation worksheet. Send pupils home for the summer holidays with a project to monitor and conserve their energy useage- it's a simple and fun way to learn about the issue of waste and consumption and could also save parents a few bob!

Whatever you choose to do in your closing week: KEEP IT GREEN! 

Disclaimer: Although all links provided were safe at the point of upload, unfortunately BTR does not accept liability for any harm that may be caused to the recipient's system or data by this message or any attachment.

CFAC online

The Clothes for a Cause team at BTR have decided it's time to get online this summer, so we're all over the interweb now!

This is our first post on Blogger.com where we'll be releasing weekly updates on what's going on at BTR, in Bristol and lots of other news and events about our fundraising project, CFAC - just click to follow us and you can stay in the loop!

Not only have we joined Blogger, but we have new Facebook and Twitter pages too! Click on the links to take you to our pages and follow us in the comfort of your own homes.

We'll be adding snippets of eco-tips whilst building up a community of fantastic green-minded fundraisers. You'll be able to find out who our 'School of the Month' is each month, not to mention hearing about our latest offers, all at the click of a button!

You can also book a collection with us just by sending a quick message - we'll get back to you with dates, arrange a kit and our drivers will be with you in no time.

Take a look at my profile page for other info, otherwise sit back and wait for the updates!