It is just about a year ago that I Adele, Charlie and I collected a large donation for the next auction (scheduled at that time for the end of June and when lockdown came moved to the beginning of September). Well 2020 was a year of disappointment and tragedies and compared with what people all over the world have had to suffer the cancellation of a charity auction doesn’t even figure as a minor event.
Nevertheless I still have two rooms full of lovely antiques and collectables and a lot more promised when it becomes possible to receive them. We have a date – 4 September 2021– and plans A-Z to cater for every eventuality. I am hoping and praying that we can have the traditional enjoyable Mirfield style Auction but we may have to employ a few tricks learned during the emergency.
Our past auctions have been very successful and over the years we have raised a lot of money. Like everyone else this past year we have lost a lot of revenue so a really good result would be welcome.
You can help. How? I think that most of you know. You have heard me say it several times before. We need your prayers. Pray for the auctioneer (George Gribben) and the rest of the team that we will remain cheerful and healthy and that we will see what we are doing as a work for God and his world. We need more donations in order to get a really great result. We need publicity – tell anyone who you think will be interested. If you know of dealers tell them about it (they are great buyers). I need people who would be willing to collect and deliver and we will need helpers on the day.
The auctions in the past fulfilled their object of raising money but their benefit was much wider. They bound a lot of us together in friendship and co-operation, they brought a lot of new people to Mirfield and they were a lot of fun!
Fr John CR