It’s Official

    Ok, so 8th August was always going to be a ‘crunch’ day for us at Paffa HQ, (our Kitchen table), and tensions the night before were running high. Our button badges had not arrived and so it was back to a Blue Peter style effort making paper versions of our logo and sticking them onto the collar of our mascot ‘Delta Dog’ (more about him later) as fast as someone could make the collars that is!

    The next day we were off to Sully where, not only were we to be officially opened by our Chief Constable, but we were host to half the British Army and Royal Air Force who were kindly attending to support us, and whom we had promised we would feed. I for one had never been ‘officially opened’ before and hoped it would not be too painful. Wanting to create a good impression was the main thing, and hoping that, weather permitting, the whole day would be enjoyable for everyone, not least of all for our respective parents who had also invested time and effort assisting us until the early hours of the night before. For the first time we had our own tent, loaned and erected by HM Forces. At previous events we had muscled our way into the Yellow Ribbon Foundation tent which had allowed us to get on the job training. This time they had their tent next door though so were on hand if needed!

    I arrived at 8.30am with a car full of parents and official Paffa clutter. Margaret had already been there an hour with the rest of the advance party (Laura) and more official Paffa Clutter. The Forces Guys and Gals were, in true British style, already half way through devouring the mountain of Official Paffa bacon sandwiches whist putting up the inflatable assault course and setting up the machine gun post. Following YRF guidelines, I broke out the flasks of tea and coffee prepared first thing by the Official Paffa tea/coffee flask person, (Margaret) and made sure the troops were watered.

    With our tent up and official clutter displayed came a glorious moment, YRF putting up a present from them, our very own Official PAFFA sign on our tent. Now that did look good!

    The rest of the day was perfect, apart from the weather. The visitors seemed genuinely interested in Paffa and somehow all our efforts over the past months seemed to be worthwhile.

    Sarah (CC) paid us the honour of her saying complimentary and encouraging words of introduction to those gathered round before allowing Margaret to read my very own ‘Ode to Kids at War’. This in itself was an evocative and emotional few moments as every word was our personal reason for Paffa coming into existence. However, the task completed, Sarah then made us ‘Officially Open’; Paffa was born!