She did it!

On Sunday Danielle Palmour finished the Leeds Half Marathon in 1 hour 54 minutes. (See post of 24th April). And through her sponsorship raised the grand sum of over £600 for The Friargate Project. Sponsorship is still possible via her page at just giving.com. So it's possible the final total might be even higher.

Thanks to Danielle (who by the way is also a member of the project fundraising team) and congratulations!

Greetings to other Quaker Meetings

As part of our fundraising activities, we are sending a copy of our appeal leaflet to every Quaker meting in the Yearly Meeting. The mailing consists of an envelope, the leaflet and to save paper, a pre-addressed envelope re-use label.

Contacting every worshipping Quaker group in the country is a special event, and Friargate Friends are hoping to send personal greetings to Quakers in other meetings.

On every envelope there's a small box, ready for a personal message. Today, after meeting for worship, Friends began writing their own greetings to Friends around the country. There are over 500 letters, so it will take us a few weeks to complete. But Friargate Friends are keen to use the opportunity to contact meetings known to them, and to meetings near and far. There's also a good number of oohs and aahs as names of Friends on envelopes are recognised.

A mailing task has been transformed into an opportunity to send greetings from York to other Friends around the country.

Half marathon for the Friargate Project

Friargate Friend Danielle Palmour is taking advantage of the turn in the weather to train for the Leeds Half Marathon in May. And she has decided to donate any sponsorship funds on the day to The Friargate Project. A great idea!

To show support for Danielle on 12th May go to her page on the just giving website. Just put in her name, or go direct to

http://www.justgiving.com/Danielle-Jeanine-Palmour1

Go Danielle!

Sun shines on Archaeology Volunteers

Another Monday afternoon's work in the garden for the volunteers, but this time with a difference, as they were not battling the elements. So work continued with removing the wall, cleaning the bricks and sorting them.

Chris Edwards has taken some photos of evidence of the event (below).

In the coming weeks progress on the project will continue, including an extra afternoon next Sunday (21st April).

Removing the Wall: The archaeology group continues

The wall in the garden has now been measured, drawn and photographed. Volunteers have now begun carefully dismantling the wall. Each brick is cleaned before being examined and sorted. It is hoped some of them can be incorporated into the new building work.

Brenda Tyler continues to capture the progress of the work. Here's her latest painting, on show in the meeting house:

A spud starter

The first donations have already started arriving from Friends in York Area Meeting who received a copy of the appeal leaflet with this month's Quakevine newsletter.

Meanwhile Friends at Friargate held their first fundraising event on Sunday after Meeting, by providing a baked potato lunch with lots of trimmings.

Janet Rowntree, aided by Inga and Simon Brereton (see photo) as well as Deborah "no photos of me please", daughter of our warden, organised.
A large number of Friends stayed on, though some needed to dash off to New Earswick for Area Meeting, and enjoyed being encouraged to queue jump.

Martin demonstrates the art of eating without a knife...

... and some folk couldn't do without a mug of builder's tea.

On our marks

Things are coming together for the start of our project fundraising. The latest edition of Quakevine (York Area Meeting newsletter) monthly has news about the the first fundraising activities.

Things are happening online, too. Our new website has just launched, with a special Friargate Project page. (Same address as before: yorkquakers.org.uk)

And from today our secure online donations page with justgiving.com is open for business, too.
(To donate there, go to Friargate Quaker Meeting, or Friargate Quaker Meeting House.)