Just a note to tell everyone that our super, new wheelchair friendly path from the front of The Carreg to the bar entrance in the courtyard is now open! It has been made from aged paving slabs, matching the colour of the building and the ornamental gravel which was there previously. Please tell your friends about this as it really is a beautiful, fantastic statement we are making by building this. Anybody who is a wheelchair user can now enjoy the superb facilities of The Carreg as easily as anyone else. Social Inclusion is definately happening in Narberth, and we are leading the way!

Ian

I am finding it difficult to express my feeling about our event. How ever many times I say “Thank you” it just doesn’t seem enough, even sounding hollow. I am extremely conscious of the many people that were involved in making the event happen and I feel humble that all this happened from a small kernel of an idea I had last year. Thank you everyone, this is a truly brilliant thing that we have achieved.

I have compiled a list with websites showing of all the people who supplied us with gifts and auction items who made the whole evening such a success. The list is as follows:-

www.signspeed.com & www.wriggly-tin.com Paul and Glenda you are truly fantastic!

www.scarlets.co.uk Leighton and Gareth thanks for everything (Go Scarlets!) 

www.1sfs.co.uk Tim Hughes and all the guys at 1 stop financial services, you are legends!

www.tonybarber.com Tony, your contribution really hit the spot!

www.cardiffblues.com Lee at 1 Stop thoroughly appreciated the tickets you sent! Thank you!

www.thecarregrestaurant.co.uk & www.idreamofsurfing.co.uk This list is definately comprehensive!

www.thecabinetoffice.co.uk Diolch Carys!

www.firstimpressions-pembrokeshire.co.uk Larae, I need my image sorted and thank you!

www.welshfarmhousecompany.com Hannah, you are wonderful!

www.thegoldensheaf-gallery.co.uk Guys, it is a shame you couldn’t make it, but your handbag went well at the auction, thank you!

St Raphael, thank you! We will miss you! 

Thank you Christine at Haulfryn Gallery, Narberth you never let us down!

Thanks to Rob for the Animal and Skull Kandy Headphone goodies.

www.innocentdrinks.co.uk who are as good as their products!

www.teapigs.co.uk Thanks Nick and all the guys there!

www.andy-kirkpatrick.com Come and climb in Pembrokeshire, Andy, and we can thank you in person!

www.prp-training.co.uk Alun, diolch, it was a brilliant night!

www.webadept.co.uk Ta Angus!

www.gravells.com Thanks Dad!

www.photography-landscape.com I look forward to your Torch Theatre exhibition, Moyrah!

www.howies.co.uk The Do lectures really work guys! Thanks!

www.andrewreesbutchers.co.uk  Thanks for being there too, Andrew!

www.celticwines.com Roy, lots of your wine was drunk and thank you for your contribution!

Thanks too to Upton Farm frozen foods for your gift. www.radiopembrokeshire.com thanks for the free publicity and to www.carmarthenshireliving.co.uk too!

Thanks to Russell Weblin-Grimsley for his fantastic skill at auctioneering (Is that really a word?), Hannah Lowe and all the girls in Stringdipity and Ben and the guys in Cazuela Acustica for their musical interlude. 

My favourite florists in the world! Next Door florists, Narberth; your attention to detail with the table centres was second to none! Thank You! And, last but not least, every single person who is a member of The Carreg Crew and Wendy, my wife and my best friend; thank you for putting up with me, my ideas and for everything you do.

Finally I’d like to end this entry with something I read recently, which really brings home why we had this fundraiser and the courage of the people affected.

“I watched him fight his cancer without complaint and with great courage and spirit. When I asked him how things looked, he just said, “What are you going to do? I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” Danny, the sunny side up fatalist. He never gave up right to the end.”

Last, but not least. One to remember.

“I am but one man in a raging sea, but I’m still afloat. And we’re all still here”

Please pass on the positive word of what we believe at The Carreg.

Stay Golden.

This is prequal to the Big Thank You entry which will happen in a couple of days. Last Wednesday we held our first New Years, fundraising dinner. It was so well attended and so well supplied with auction items and gifts that we raised over £3,600, which far exceeded our expectations.

There will be a detailed list of everything which occurred on this blog in a few days time, as we put the finishing touches to it. In the mean time, a general big thank you to everyone!

God Bless

Ian

1.      Signed Scarlets Ball and Shirt (First from Parc Y Scarlets)-Courtesy of Scarlets

2.      Piece of rugby memorabilia “Rugby Legends” picture of 1970’s Welsh Squad Including Phil Bennett, JPR and John Davies and signed by same -Courtesy of 1Stop Financial Services.

3.      A signed, framed Joe Calzaghe poster personalised for the lucky winner- Courtesy of Tony Barber Financial Ltd.

4.      2 Tickets for Cardiff Blues V Calvisano 23/01/2008-Courtesy of Cardiff Blues.

5.      1 Bottle of Champagne valued at £250-Courtesy of The Carreg

6.      1 Harp Session. Courtesy of Carys Evans

7.      1 Colours Consultation. Courtesy of LaRae Wilkins, First Impressions.

8.      1 Barbour Coat-Welsh Farmhouse Company.

9.      Golden Sheaf Gallery Goodies.

10. St Raphael Goodies.

11. Toaster and childrens goodies- Courtesy of Stuart Dunlop and family.

12. IDOS Goodies.

13. Haulfryn Goodies

14. Animal Surfwear Goodies.

15. Selection from Innocent Smoothies.

16. Selection of teas and exclusive pot from Teapigs.

17. An Adirondack Chair-Courtesy of Pembrokeshire Landscaping.

18. 1 Days Landscaping-Courtesy of Pembrokeshire Landscaping.

19.  Signed copy of Andy Kirkpatrick’s fantastic book of life against the odds ‘Psychovertical’

20. Wrigglytin goodies-Courtesy of Wrigglytin/Signspeed

21. White Room Treatment-Courtesy of PRP Training.

22. Technology Pack-Courtesy of Web Adept. Purchase of Web Domain for 2 years and free hosting for a year.

23. Ray Gravell Memorial Plate-Courtesy of Gravells.

24. Evening Dinner at The Carreg-Courtesy of Gravells.

25. Photographic prints-Courtesy of Moyrah Gall Photography.

26. Coastal boat trip for 4 people. Enjoy a sporty trip around the North Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Coast- Courtesy of Tony Barber Financial Ltd.

27. Dinner by Jethro-The Carreg evening Chef will come to your house and prepare dinner for 4 people on a mutually convenient evening-Courtesy of The Carreg.

28. A White Room Voucher for Beauty Treatment -Courtesy of PRP Training.

29. A £50 Voucher supplied by the great people at Howies.

30.Another £50 Voucher from Howies!

31. A Voucher from Andrew Rees Butchers, High Street, Narberth.

32.A donation of half a dozen bottles of wine- Courtesy of Celtic Wines, Pembroke Dock.

Flowers supplied by Next Door Florist, Narberth. More Prizes coming in all the time!

I haven’t been very well. In fact I have felt absolutely rotten. With all the kerfuffle associated with being ill  we have postponed our New Year pink ribbon fundraising dinner to 21st January. Sally Thomas and I went over to Radio Pembrokeshire this morning to talk about the whys and wherefores of the whole thing.

By postponing our New Year Dinner we have had a whole new plethora of raffle prizes and auction items to make this sought after event the most exciting thing to hit Narberth High Street since The Carreg opened!

The evening will start with the lovely Hannah Lowe entertaining us with her violin then we will sit down to a delicious three course dinner. Then our favourite jazzers, Cazuela Acustica, will do their thing before we draw the raffle and move onto the exciting Auction. Tomorrow I will list all raffle prizes and auction items so  generously donated so far. As there are so many things STILL coming in (thank you all so very, very much) I think it is worth waiting 24 hours to list these.

Sally and I are on Radio Pembrokeshire (who have been absolutely brilliant) tomorrow breakfast time on 102.5fm chatting about pink ribbon.

And try not to catch ‘manflu’

Ian