In aid of Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance
Amount raised: £1438
Running total to date: £26127
We chose to support the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance this year as it is an organisation which is of benefit to the Retford area. All monies raised help to keep the Air Ambulance helicopter serviced and flying. Obviously we hope that it will be little used and that no one will ever need it!!
We used the colours from the Air Ambulance logo and the helicopter for this event and had red, yellow and green balloons rising from boxes as the table centres. 
These were actually small tissue boxes which had been painted with red acrylic on the outside and then decorated with the Air Ambulance logo.
The balloons were weighted inside and then artistically arranged (well we thought so anyway...) with coloured tissue paper and lots of coloured curling ribbon.
We had spent ages wondering what to do for table centres for this event and this came as a bit of a last minute inspiration - but it did mean that Julie had to buy LOTS of boxes of tissues - she is probably still trying to use up her boxless stock!
Aunt Margaret (mum's sister) was there once again to help with the setting up of the room - she is our chief balloon holder, sorter outer, jack of all trades and advisor!
Here I am wearing a Justin Bieber tattoo on my arm - it was put there by a grand daughter (4 years old and is going to marry JB) and scrubbed off before the event in the evening! Aunt M was later spotted wearing a different JB tattoo on her arm - along with a rather funky rose...
The table in the entrance area was decorated with balloons and a display of materials advertising the work of the Air Ambulance.
We also sold some Air Ambulance merchandise...
... and had a 'Guess the name of the Teddy' (it was Paddy!) and a friend in Manchester made a cake with the Air Ambulance logo for auction.
Once again we had a great raffle. Ian and Julie write off to lots of organisations a few weeks beforehand and we always get a good response.
And of course we have all our local donations from yourselves and your work places - thank you!
Ian and Julie always thank everyone for their support and let them know how much we have raised with their help - it's polite for one thing - and then we feel that we can ask again!!Our entertainment for the evening was provided by a great four piece band called Heroes - who had some quirky costume changes, crowd pleasing anthemic tunes and lovely coloured lighting!
Everyone enjoyed them and there was a lot of enthusiastic dancing. Go Annie!... ... and Anne!
Our Disco Queens were in fully-sashed attendance - giving it their usual enthusiastic welly!!...
... they are just dancing machines...
Our disco was dj-ed by Ian this year as Ben was unable to make it - thanks Beechy! 
It was a great night and we had lots of fun.
Beechy and Jules presented the cheque to a representative from the Air Ambulance. There was no write-up in the local newspapers this time as Julie didn't like the picture - but here it is anyway...
We had a wonderful evening - hope that you did too!
