Calling All Consumers of Tea and Cake, Total Warriors and Fashionistas!

We've been working on our events plan this week and we have so many exciting things to get involved in. It's a busy year and it all kicks off with our Transporter Bridge Bungee Jump and Abseil this Sunday and we can't wait! (We'll be posting pictures/ videos next week.)

But if you haven't got involved this time then there are still plenty of events coming up.

After much anticipation Rags and Muffins is coming to Durham! We've been busy collecting clothes and we're selling them all off for anything from £2 to £15. Come and check it out, but we recommend arriving early to grab the best bargains!

 Afternoon Tea at Crathorne Hall. We are hosting a beautiful Afternoon Tea at Crathorne Hall. There will also be a flower arranging demonstration and stalls selling gifts and homemade goodies, perfect for a Mother's Day or birthday present! This is a fantastic opportunity to make some new friends and to hear a bit more about A Way Out and the work we are involved in. We're hoping to have more of these events throughout the year that provide an opportunity to make new friends, learn about local projects and businesses and of course enjoy good food!

Total Warrior is back and sign up has begun! We already have seven people on board and ready to start training so we've nearly doubled last year's team! This is not for the faint-hearted but with five months to go you have plenty of time to get ready for the challenge.
To find out more about what you may be letting yourself in for have a look at the Total warrior website here. If you consider yourself a thrill-seeker then this is almost certainly the event for you!

If you are interested in any of these events or want to know about other opportunities to support A Way Out, then visit our website.

Love from A Way Out x

Total Warrior Photos!

As promised, here are the photos of Jessie, Sarah Jane, Chris and Dave who competed in Total Warrior a couple of weeks ago...

Chris, Dave, Sarah Jane and Jessie: feeling bright and energetic before the race got started...

The beginning of the 10k gruelling challenge

Getting towards the end now- I think arms must be very tired

Check out the landscape- it even looks quite good in the rain

Getting the electric shock treatment!

Still smiling at the end

A well deserved drink

For the low-down on Total Warrior and why these crazy people were taking part in it, have a look at our previous blog 'Running For Love. Could You Do This?' Well done to Dave, Chris, Jessie and Sarah Jane- what an amazing thing to do to make a difference to the lives of at risk women and youth in Teesside.

Love from A Way Out x

Running for love. Could you do this?

The route Jessie (our CEO) and SJ (our community fundraiser), will be running on Saturday, together with some very loyal supporters of A Way Out!

This Saturday, staff at A Way Out and other volunteers will be taking part in the Total Warrior Challenge in the beautiful but unforgiving Lake District terrain. They are competing in a 10km race which includes an 8ft wall, swamps, fire and tunnels to raise money for A Way Out. Some would say that this is an exciting and exhilarating way to spend a Saturday afternoon, others may say it's fairly foolish! Whatever your opinion though, it is an impressive feat and next week, we will be writing a blog letting you know how they got on!

(If you're impressed by this and feel it's worth sponsoring then here is the link to Jessie's sponsorship page.)

But if Total warrior isn't your cup of tea, then maybe a slightly calmer 10k run would be more down your street:

You can now register for the Middlebrough 10k event which is taking place on Sunday 4th September. You can run it, walk it or jog it and the route is all on flat roads (no surprise 8ft walls to get over I promise)! This is ideal for people of any level as you can go completely at your own pace, taking it as seriously as you like and there is also a 3k fun run which is great for families to take part in.

If you would like to raise money for A Way Out by taking part in the Middlesbrough run then it is really easy! All you have to do is register yourself online at http://www.middlesbrough10krun.com/ccm/portal/ and then drop us a line to let us know you've entered. We can then send you a sponsor form and a t-shirt to run in. And there is no minimum amount to raise, every penny is so important!

This promises to be a really fun event and who knows, maybe you'll fancy trying the Total Warrior Challenge next year?!

Love from A Way Out x

Rags and Muffins and some...

You may have already heard about all the new fundraising events we've been running this year. From golfing days to gig nights and tea parties to Total Warrior, there's something for everyone.

Some of the bargains up for grabs at Rags and Muffins

Sarah Jane (Community Fundraiser) and I (Jenny- Assistant Fundraiser) started work a few months ago at A Way Out and we've been working hard to put on some of the most exciting events in the area. Our first big event was Rags and Muffins, a jumble sale with a twist, held in the Dickens Inn in Middlesbrough. There were clothes rails crammed full of designer items at bargain prices, a champagne reception, scrumptious cupcakes and a catwalk show.

The day was a huge success, so much so that we promptly booked ourselves another date at the Dickens Inn to do the whole thing all over again. October 8th- keep the date free!

3 Foot Ninja entertaining

We followed up Rags and Muffins with a gig night, the first of many, at Doctor Browns in Middlesbrough. 3 Foot Ninja, fresh from INTRO festival were headlining and didn't disappoint with their energetic line up. The Graft supported with front man Pete Haley, our own multi-talented youth worker at A Way Out.

These events are lots of fun to organise and to attend but they're about more than just having a good time. Events raise vital awareness and funds for A Way Out which is so important to ensure the charity has a healthy future. Only last week we were able to rescue a girl from sexual exploitation and she now has a job, a home, friends and hope for the future; but that wouldn't be possible without events like this and the support of our friends.

Rummaging for bargains at Rags and Muffins

Delicious cupcakes provided by Truly Scrumptious cake designers

We'd love you come along to Rags and Muffins and gig nights to show your support- thank you so much if you've already done so! But we'd also love to see people engaging with what we're trying to do in Teesside whether that's by volunteering, joining our mailing list, following our blog, tweeting @awayoutcharity, joining our Facebook community, or simply telling your friends about us.

If you want to show support financially then our CEO, Jessie Joe is competing in Total Warrior in just one months time! This is a gruelling 10k test of stamina and mental determination set in the unforgiving Lake District terrain. Her aim is to raise £2000 for A Way Out and if you could contribute just a small amount towards that target then it could make all the difference. For every £1 we receive, we can fill a food parcel on a Monday afternoon with basic items that will feed someone for a week who may not otherwise get the balanced diet they need. You can give here and next month we'll show you the photos of Jessie's day out!

Well done for making it to the end!

Love from A Way Out x