Big thanks to all friends of The Genesis Appeal who came to our bonfire party on 7 November (see below) or were unable to be there but donated anyway. 

Thanks very much too, to everyone who donated practically, especially Andrew superman Smith for providing and delivering all that bonfire wood, the firework display and a fantastic son et lumiere show, yet again!  Anne Hutchison deserves a medal for working SO fast and proficiently in `the kitchen`, both pre and post-party,  for warding off hypothermia by providing all those duvets for overnight guests,   hard working Craig (aged 12),   and a mighty morning-after breakfast in the sun on the terrace:  thanks to the sheep below for the extended entertainment then, with their hilarious yet deliberately tongue in cheek variety show.   And  to David Johnston!..Thanks for providing the open bar,  and most especially for your constant sharing of warm friendship to us all and the magical venue that is Balintore.  (Please might anyone wishing to help with a lovely Christmas present for Mr. David Eddon, whose lawn got parked on   :-(  but who nontheless remains ever-understanding, tolerant, and a great, good-humoured neighbour,  please contact helenproud@googlemail.com)? 

Catherine McIntyre very kindly said an immediate yes to my cheeky request that she might take some pictures at the party, even though she`s been extremely busy with the setting up of a new gallery, so please check these pages anon and click on `fundraisers` at www.genesisuk.org, to see her own unique and kind donation.  (You can see some more of Catherine`s lovely photography and art on:  http://members.madasafish.com/~cmci )      On Sunday afternoon, some of us abandoned efforts to move out of the sun and into party clean up mode,  to attend the launch of the Hamilton Kerr Photographic Studio and Gallery at 2 High Street, Kirriemuir, DD8 4EY.   Thank you very much Kyle and Louise, Catherine, and John,  for not minding our wellies and scruff on your big day!  Hopefully, nobody noticed we choochters;  too engrossed in looking at your amazing first exhibition!!  

Also, Michael Smith braved a bribe of chili and baked potato, in exchange for some exciting aerial photo`s of the party. (Please see same spaces as above in due course)..  Michael has made some fantastic panoramas of the party, the castle and the very frosty night and is considering making some Christmas cards with these and donating a percentage of any sales to The Genesis Appeal.   Please support Michael`s new venture too!  You can see his brilliant new ideas for taking aerial photography (from the ground) at:  www.flying-scots-cam.com and contact him on 01575 572324 or 0792 3388631.   

  Finally, apologies to everyone who experienced some frequent and protracted `temporary technical difficulties` with justgiving.com.  This page will remain open for more time, in order to allow anyone frustrated by previous attempts to donate electronically, and with that,  further help The Genesis Appeal by using Gift Aid.  Next year we might try something different instead.. Date for your diary (?):  6 November, 2010.  :-)

Hoping  to see you again then.!  Love from Helen X  __________________________________________________________________________________________

Two years ago I went to a bonfire party at derelict Balintore Castle, held by the brave new owner and restorer, now my good friend David Johnston.  I partied through the night, knowing I'd be having a lovely deep sleep under anaesthetic the following day, for preventative mastectomies.  The idea was to show that the enormous privilege of safeguarding my good health (from assumed high risk of hereditary breast cancer) was definitely something to celebrate.  Also, I like parkin. (Someone's idea to dress a guy in my no-longer-to-fit bras was distastefully more Ann Summers than Guy Fawkes though)?  :-)  One year later, we held an anniversary fundraising bonfire party and raised over £1,200 for The Genesis Appeal. We had a lot of fun and nobody was burned, fell down any hole in the unlit, derelict building, or was poisoned either by the unusual kitchen facilities or my cooking. Regrettably, we still don't meet health and safety requirements to open the event to the unwary public, so it will still be just foolhardy friends again this year. But please, watch this space!

So if you're coming along this year, please dig deeply and let's try to smash last year's total! If you can't come, for the rest of this breast cancer awareness month, please might you ask friends to look at www.genesisuk.org, then, when they're newly inspired, ask them to another fundraising bonfire for The Genesis Appeal? Or please might you consider sponsoring our own efforts here? The thinking is that from a different country, we want to do our best to help more widely spread awareness, both of Europe's first dedicated breast cancer PREVENTION facility based in Manchester, and of their world-leading medical research team's empowering findings:  it's now clinically proven that with some simple lifestyle choices, we can all vastly improve our own families chances of  freedom from breast cancer in the future. Now THAT'S got to be worth celebrating ... exciting times ahead!

Thank you very much for your sponsorship.

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