HELEN'S BOOK

Before my SIL, Helen, passed away in March 2007 - not long after her 40th birthday - an operatic friend of hers came up with the idea of a recipe book to be printed and sold as a fundraising effort for Treetops Hospice in Derbyshire. As Helen not only loved cooking (as well as singing) and had received much help from Treetops and their staff she was very enthusiastic about the idea and saw it as a way of giving back a little of what she had received.

As big trees grow from little acorns, so this small seed of an idea grew and, when we visited MIL and FIL at the New Year, we held the final result in our hands:

Inside Helen's Book are not only tributes to Helen but 33 assorted recipes under the headings of: overtures; curtain up and finales. Each one was collected from her operatic friends and colleagues, as well as there being a contribution from both Senor Jose Carreras and Miss Jo Brand. There's a little about each contributor below each recipe. The best thing is that, thanks to some very generous donations/help with the printing 100% of the cost of the book is profit for Treetops. :0)

There are some very tasty recipes in there (many of which I currently can't try - oh, well) though I do fancy the sound of the butternut squash soup........ but without the crusty bread. LOL

MIL and FIL are delighted with the book, have endorsed it and, due to the publicity it's been receiving, they even have people they know phoning them up to ask if they can order a copy! Helen would be so happy at how this is going and at how much will eventually be raised by it.

It's good to know that something so positive can come out of what was such a devastating loss. :0)