Fund raising for the Development Fund began ten years ago. We held our first meeting on 24^th January 2000 (I know, because I was there!). Next month brings us to the end of a decade of raising money in all sorts of ways. If I was to list them all, and all the folk who have been involved with them, I would need a special edition of the magazine to do it. Looking back over the years, 2005-2006 was the best year (the fund raising year runs from May to April). This was followed by a rather lean year but this current one has been our best year so far, raising over £20,000 with still time to go. Being "away from home" has not been too much of a problem. Events at St Pius, the Winter Pansy Sale, the Murder Mystery and the Christmas Fair were very successful and folk commented on the good atmosphere. We are indebted to our friends at the URC who have made us extremely welcome and enabled us to run sales and presentation events.

A new development this year has been the beginning of the 2012 Challenge and some groups and individuals have been beavering away raising money in all sorts of ways. The Stewards have raised £671, the Women’s Fellowship £553, the Brownies £150, the Ladies After Eight £536, the "Teapot Fund" £389 and Ann Topping £150.. These figures are likely to be somewhat out of date when you read this and also there will be other groups and individuals busily raising money.

By the time the summer issue of the Church magazine is published we shall be back in Church and continuing to raise money. We shall certainly not be able to relax our efforts and simply sit back and enjoy our success so far but we should have a clearer idea of what we still have to achieve. Going back to my Ben Nevis analogy, the summit cairn is now in sight and getting nearer every day!.