I WOULD like to thank every single person who has bought a balloon label in aid of the Hospital Appeal over the past year and to say how grateful we are to Somerfield and Waitrose for a pitch outside their stores and to Okehampton Rotary Club for allowing us to sell labels at the May Fair.
I must apologise again for the fact that the Great Balloon Race, part of the Unofficial Opening Ceremony, had to be postponed. However, I am delighted to say that we have now sold well over 1,000 balloon labels and that the ceremony and race will definitely go ahead on May 22 at noon!
Due to constraints placed upon us, the numbers of people attending the ceremony within the hospital grounds will be limited to those receiving an invitation. We are not able to invite everyone we would like and we are sorry for this as it will, inevitably, mean that some people who have worked very hard indeed and made generous donations to the appeal are going to feel left out and undervalued.
Please be assured that we do value each and every one very much and that we hope you will come along and join in the fun from the road beside the hospital. The view of the balloons taking off will, in any case, be better than that closer to the hospital building, and you will be able to hear the Okehampton School Band very well.
We have 100 children coming from all over the area to release the balloons in a glorious colourful cloud and we hope very much to see as many people as possible coming along to cheer them as they do so. We have much to celebrate as we see the results of all the hard work.
Jenny Reynolds
New Okehampton
aHospital Appeal