Colonies Yard Sale 2014 – the results!

With good weather forecast for the day of our yard sale this year, our 29 registered sellers set up with confidence in their gardens and there wasn’t a tarpaulin or gazebo in sight! How lovely it was to wander round our little cobbled streets, whilst browsing, chatting, enjoying the traditional Scottish music played by the Caleerie Buskers, refuelling on cups of tea and delicious home-baked cakes and keeping warm with Souper Soup from Caro and Co!

There seemed to be more visitors than ever this year with children everywhere so the decision made via our poll to hold the sale on the eve of Victoria Day (when Stockbridge schools are closed) possibly worked to our advantage and there was certainly a very relaxed atmosphere, with no school the next day! The increase in footfall didn’t quite lead to a higher income but community spirit was very much in evidence! Our Colonies streets and gardens looked at their best bursting with blossom and fresh foliage, inspiring purchases of garden plants!

Our Colonies cake stall was sorely missed this year so we hope that a kind resident steps in to co-ordinate it in 2015 but it did mean that everyone else’s home baking sold out! A newcomer to the sale was Zoe with her badge-making kit which kept children very busy and happy, enabling them to design their own souvenir of our event. Bunny cuddles – a bargain at 20p – were another very popular entertainment option for children and will be fondly remembered.

The final total turnover was £2557.25 of which £486.95 was donated by sellers to the Stockbridge Colonies Residents’ Association and £516.25 to various charities chosen by individual vendors. Our star performer this year was Jenny in Balmoral Place, with a result of £212 from her sales of hand-thrown pottery, bric-a-brac, garden plants, books…in aid of charity Kindred. Well done, Jenny!

Thank you to everyone who helped with marketing, created clever ideas, sold, bought, browsed, baked and supported the event in any way to make it such a highlight of the Colonies year.