Update

Whoops, I seem to have neglected this Blog! Sorry - it's been hectic over the past few weeks with one thing and another.

Just a quick update for anyone searching for progress of the CFuture Calendar:

As of today nearly 1500 Calendars have gone with proceeds just over £8000 - fantastic!

I do think that the Calendar could do with an extra "push" to get it to £10,000 this year though. I've tried to get national publicity for it, but nothing is happening. It's a shame really as so much work went into it and there are so many high profile people with CF featured. I had hoped it would grab the media's attention so that the last CF Calendar could be the best. It still WILL be the best as it has now passed last year's final proceeds figure of £7,000, but it could have done so much better with big publicity. Still, I've not given up yet - plenty more e-mailing to do!

Keep spreading the word please - hopefully we can reach that £10,000 this year - fingers crossed!

CFuture has arrived!!

Finally, after months of waiting, the CFuture Calendar has arrived!! Occupying a corner of my lounge once more for the next few months!!



Now the selling begins in earnest and the seeking of publicity for the Calendar.

Here's hoping that £10,000 will be within sight this year - with orders standing at nearly £4000 already, I hope that that target will be achieved - and more!!

I'll update from time to time on any publicity gained and totals over the next few weeks.

To buy, log on to www.thebarnesboys.org.uk

The CFuture Calendar 2009

Design is about 99.9% complete. Sadly, the lovely Toria lost her fight last night and we are moving her to the Dedication Page. Toria was a beautiful young woman - 23 year's old and mother to Edward, 10 months old. This Calendar is dedicated to her and to all the other young people who were taken from their family and friends by this dreadful disease.

Let's make the CFuture Calendar one to remember. Target = £10,000. Total orders in so far total nearly £1,000. Once the Calendar goes to print I'll be pushing as much as I can wherever I can until around about February 2009!!! Happy Selling!!!

Slideshow .......

Is slipping down the page again so moving it to the top:

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Story So Far!!

The Calendar is starting to come together nicely now. Have good communication with the new Designer and she has come up with a nice layout and all is going well so far. She has re-designed the Dedication Page, but sticking to the same layout theme, as "Badger" had not presented that to the printer. I'm on the edge of my seat, like everyone else(!) waiting for the pages to come through. I can't wait until the day comes to take delivery of 2500 Calendars! Am 100% sure that this year we will actually sell out in a short space of time - woooooooooo!!!

Logging picture of the new dedication page:

The Latest on the Calendar

The original designer of the Calendar, "Badger", has become too poorly to continue with the design of the CFuture 2009 Calendar so design stopped for a while.
The design is now in the capable hands of Laura who works for the National Drinks Distributors. I am a little apprehensive about starting over again with a new designer, especially as I have worked with "Badger" for 4 year's, but am sure that working together we can put together a really nice Calendar this year. I'm a creature of habit myself so working with someone new is going to be interesting and hopefully we can put together some new idea's.

This has been a long road, but we'll have a Calendar for 2009 very soon. In the meantime, I've shut down all my on-line sites while design is going on as I know that everyone is keen to know how the Calendar is doing and I can't keep telling the same story - for my sanity, I'm going "underground" until the Calendar is finished.

Keep watching this space - when it's done - everyone will know about it!!!

Dedication Page

The Dedication page draft is almost complete - just a few alterations and then I'll add the JPeg picture to this page - hopefully tomorrow. This is the second most important page to me to get right, first being the cover, hence the need to make sure it is just right before displaying the final version. Hopefully the pages of the calendar will follow on for checking and as soon as I receive them and they've been approved I'll also add those to this page.

I've been busy setting up a My Space to promote the calendar, so if anyone has a My Space, please add me: www.myspace.com/cfcalendar2009

It's coming along - getting to the exciting stage now!!

Quick Update

Nothing exciting to report on the Calendar progress yet, but hopefully there will be more news within the next couple of weeks.

A PDF file for the cover and back cover were sent to the printer today and am now waitint for the calendar pages to arrive for me to check for picture content, names, spellings etc. Once they are all approved I will add the pages to this Blog when the JPeg formats have been sent.

Had the Press Association on the phone yesterday keen to run a story, but we are not ready for publicity yet - I can't send out Calendars because we don't have any. Nice to know they are interested though so will get in touch with them again once we have a Calendar.

Once the Calendar has been approved and sent to print, the Order Form will be put together - when that happens I'll start plugging the Calendar again in order to drag in pre-orders.

Keep watching this space!!!

Brief Update

Just a quick update for folks looking to see how things are progressing with the Calendar. So far we have 247 pictures with 258 people with Cystic Fibrosis included on doubled up pictures. Still getting the odd picture sent to me and we can still include those right up until we go to print. Designer contacted me last night to say we are looking at 18 and 15 per page to equal them out and 15 on the Dedication Page. Hoping to start receiving some drafts to check over soon - I have to make sure all pictures are accounted for - all names and spellings are correct and advertising wording is as has been sent. It's not a quick process, but a thorough one. Last year I got one name wrong and spelt one wrong unintentionally! This year I'm looking for 100% perfection on the last Calendar - it's got to be 100% perfect in order to gain as much publicity as possible in order to achieve the target figure of £10,000 and more.

Already had the Community Newswire telling me they will run a feature once the Calendar is ready and that reaches out to national newspapers and magazines. It is a free on-line Media area for Charitable concerns.

More to follow within the next couple of weeks - keep checking in!

Alex Stobbs - Cover Image

Facebook

There is a Group on Facebook for the Calendar where I send out updates from time to time on the progress if anyone would like to join it:

Facebook Calendar Group

Cover Draft

This is the possible cover we will be using for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust Fundraising Calendar for 2009 - CFuture. Just needs a little bit of tweaking, but we are nearly there!



I hope no-one minds me singling out Alex for the cover picture - he inspired me to push to make this the best - to raise as much awareness, to generate as much publicity and to raise as much money as I possibly can for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust to give people like him the chance of a life - a talent, a gift, which should not be denied - for him, for my son's and for all those babies, children and adults suffering from Cystic Fibrosis and the day to day routines and upheavals it throws at them every single day of their lives.

Inside will be designed over the next few weeks and once I have received all the months, as well as the Dedication Page, I'll add them to this page.
Links to the Order Form will also be put on here and hopefully my son's website Webmaster will update their Home Page soon with a "teaser" cover.

It's all coming together nicely!!

243 pictures - 254 people with Cystic Fibrosis included (on doubled up pictures). This will be by far the best one I've ever put together.

One Day to Deadline .....

.... 225 pictures to date!!

First draft cover received this morning from the Designer. Needs a bit of thought before I go public with it though as I'm touting for opinions from one or two sources first. Apparently the cover is the trickiest bit according to the Designer as this is the first year the layout has changed so he has to change all his settings - the inside is pretty "straightforward". Once we have passed the deadline and can gauge just how many pictures we have for the Calendar pages and the Dedication page, the Calendar pages will be divided by 12 and voila - that amount per page!!

Full statistic's for inclusion to follow over the weekend once I've matched my list to the Designer's to make sure we haven't left anyone out!!

Another Quick Update!

203 Pictures to date!!! Overwhelmed this year with the input - it's going to be a fantastic Calendar - one to bow out on.

6 days to deadline ......

Full statistic's for inclusion to follow once design is underway.

Quick Update!

177 Pictures to date - shockingly overwhelmed at the response this year!!

Deadline just 11 days away.....

Design underway.....

More to follow!!!

Another Update

As of today we have 148 pictures and they are coming in all the time now so we are way over target! Because we have so many pictures this year we have changed the layout and style for the first time to accommodate as many pictures as possible. The new layout will be A3 fold down to A4 landscape stapled in the middle with no card backing - that should make the Calendar a lot easier to pack and we will be having a larger calendar area this year.

Design is about to begin but any new pictures we receive from now will be added to the design as it goes along right up until photo deadline of 31st July.

There will be a separate Dedication Page again this year, but we have arranged with the printer to make that page the back cover and it will be perforated to allow parents of young and impressionable children to remove it if they so wish.

If all goes well design should be completed middle of August and we can go to print then - printer has given us a turnaround of 2 weeks to print so fingers crossed for a finished Calendar first week in September.

It's getting to the exciting stage now and I can't wait to see the final version - it's going to be a good one!

In the meantime, I'm writing to as many large stores as I can to see if anyone will stock the Calendars for us this year - we need a major outlet in order to achieve maximum amount of publicity, awareness and sales.

Keep watching for more updates - when there's anything exciting to report I'll report it!

Target Achieved!!!

Unbelievably, the target I initially set of 120 pictures - 10 per page - has been met with just over 4 weeks to go until the deadline! I'm amazed at the response this year, but I have worked my socks off trying to reach out to as many people as I possibly can in the CF Community this year. I am on a mission to get to that £10,000 in proceeds and it is within reach now with pictures still coming in all the time.

We are re-thinking the layout now as we wouldn't want to turn a single person away if we can help it. The more included the more awareness = more publicity = more monies to be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

We may have to scrap the A4 portrait idea for the first time and move on to a bigger format in order to get all the pictures in to give everyone chance to be part of this well established and well liked fundraising venture.

Watch this space for more news - I'm working on a better layout!

Thank you for all the lovely pictures sent so far - the CF Community are all truly beautiful.

FOUR MORE TO GO!

Only 4 more pictures to go to initial target of 120 - 10 per page. Already smashed last year's target - there was 9 per page last year, but I think the "theme" restricted a few from sending pictures under the "CFun" title last year. As the deadline is still another 4 weeks away I'm sure we will have to seriously re-think this year's layout and after an e-mail to the Designer he has advised we can go to 12 per page next - next target 144!

I've become a bit obsessed this week with nagging for pictures, but they have certainly come in fast! I'll stop nagging once I get to 120! Any over 120 is a massive bonus as far as I am concerned.

Rang for another quote for the printing of the Calendars today with the original printer of the first 2 year's to see if they can better Colorsteams, but I really don't think they will. Snap Plc is very handy for me collecting calendars as soon as a batch are ready, but Colorsteam are cheaper.

The cover of the Calendar will be ready before the inside this year so we can start advertising it under the "Coming Soon" banner - a little teaser for folks waiting to get their eager hands on it!! I have a few idea's to make it bigger this year and hopefully the best yet.

Each year it has to have "something" to make it that bit extra and I think I've added that and am sure many can guess what that "something" is now! The reason it always has to be better is because each year I'm afraid that it will be my last - I can't keep doing it forever and know that Badger* is not 100% well and he also won't beable to keep doing it. I would find it difficult to start all over with anyone else because he has such good idea's, is easy to work with and anything I suggest goes! Good team work = excellent results!!!

* Badger, for anyone who does not know, is an adult male with Cystic Fibrosis.
He is 54 year's old and he prefer's to remain anonymous.

Busy Busy!!

The past few days have really been busy with pictures coming in. We are at 95 pictures now and counting. Target is going to exceed 120 because I know a lot of pictures are outstanding which have been promised between now and the end of July. I have been in touch with the designer to see what he thinks the MAXIMUM we could use without the pages looking cluttered. If we can push to 12 per page that would give us a bit more scope. I know a few pictures could possibly be doubled up - I would replace Dan and Joe's for 1 picture for a start.

Keep watching and keep sending.

The Story So Far !!!

So far we have 75 pictures for the 2009 CFuture Calendar - target still stands at 120 - same as the 2007 Calendar with 10 per page (2008's had 9 per page). My target of 120 is basically so that the calendar pages look good - all photo's the same size and no-one singled out with any bigger picture than the other.

Looking at possibly including some CF Fundraising Ventures/Events on the calendar again this year, but that depends on space and timescale.

I think I have secured a bit of the "wow" factor I was searching for this year for the Calendar - watch this space! I may or may not keep that a secret until the Calendar is completed, but am not much good with secrets!!

Keep spreading the word and keep sending in the pictures - together we will make a difference and the 2009 Calendar is guaranteed to be the best yet!!

CF Events So Far ......

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Update

Fetching the slideshow to the top of the page for now and will try and keep it here.

Pleased to say that "Badger" has agreed to design the 2009 CFuture Calendar for us - 4th year of our team work and am looking forward to working with him again. He has some good idea's. This year target for pictures is 120 - just 2 more pictures off half way at the moment, but they are coming in every day now so hopefully that target will be achievable.

Keep them coming - that £10,000 target will be our's this year!!!

The slideshow can be found on You Tube aswell.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Signing Off the 2008 Calendar!

The 2008 Calendar is drawing to a close sales wise now - selling the odd one or two a week now, but I still have just over 200 left for raising awareness over the next few months.

Proceeds to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust for the 2008 calendar stand at just over £7500 at the moment and it might struggle to £8000 by the time we've finished.

Thank you all for the input and help with the 2008 calendar - it's now time to start on the 2009! Montage is up and running and we're under starters orders to begin again - please send pictures to me before the end of July 2008 if you want to be included again and spread the word - hoping to get more people with Cystic Fibrosis involved this time to finally achieve that magic figure of £10,000 which is elluding me!

New Montage

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I've finally worked out how to add my own music to montage's and slideshows so here is an updated version of the calendar montage.

I think it would make a really good awareness "tool" for anyone having a CF Event like a Ball or having to do a talk on CF, so if anyone wants a copy of the DVD version, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Update on monies raised for the calendar should be on here by the end of February - I'm busy collecting all monies in now, but looking at over £7000 in proceeds this year, if not more.

My Regional Fundraising Manager is collecting 750 calendars on Monday to distribute to other RFM's around the country, which will leave me with about 200 to sell. These calendars will either be sold or used to raise awareness, so it's nice to know I won't be left with a cupboard full and they won't go to waste.

Hopefully we can sign off the 2008 calendar soon and be satisfied that it was a good idea, it did raise a lot of money and much awareness and altogether the Calendars over the past 3 year's have raised over £20,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Time to move on to my next project .....!!!

CALENDAR SALE NOW ON!!!

In order to try and shift the 1000+ remaining calendars, I've reduced the price to
£3.00 (+ P&P). You can buy them still through the boys website: www.thebarnesboys.org.uk via post or on ebay by searching for "Cystic Fibrosis" or request an Invoice.

Please help me to achieve that much wanted target of £10,000 - looking doubtful at the moment, but maybe with some help we can get there.

Happy New Year to one and all.