Planning the pub quiz...

Raffle prizes, check
Charity Buckets, check
Change, check
Invites out, check
Chutneys made – …
Chutney ingredients bought, check
Who’s baking what list, check
Pick up baking – on the day
Raffle prizes, check
Charity buckets, check
Raffle prizes, check
Charity buckets, check
Raffle prizes, check
Charity buckets, check
Raffle prizes, check
Charity buckets, check
….ARGH
..Of course, write pub quiz questions… need to check

I cannot tell you how many times, I wrote, checked, rechecked and rewrote my checklist for the pub quiz. The date was closing in, it was Jan all I had was the venue, a list of people who said they would help and a whole list of things to get done. Having never organised anything like this before, what did I even need to add to the list? Then there were the sub lists, raffle prizes, which shops in which areas could I approach? Who did I need to phone, email or see in person? Who did I need to chase? What did I need to buy? What did I need? What did I not need?....Frankly I went a little list crazy, but somehow it came together and before I knew it I had a clear list of things I needed on the day and remaining tasks. All I needed to do; was do them.

Calling upon my beautiful friends I got myself some posters made by the lovely Paul Rudeforth and Christopher Green, picked up charity buckets from Rob Turner (Local Macmillan Representative), had a day of chutney making with Amy and Paul (I have never chopped so many onions in my life!) and went on a very successful raffle prize hunt with Tara Bhatia.

Along the way I learnt how to secure a raffle prize, how to make tasty chutneys and the basics on how to run a charity event, 3 things I didn't know before and hope to use them all again in the years to come. This being my first event, it was a steep learning curve with definite moments of panic, other moments of clarity and definitely some tears along the way – both happy and sad.