Saturday, 31 December 2011
January Charity - St Dunstan's
Although we try to be quite specific that we support a local charity there are some whose work is so specific that it has to be centralised. This is the case with this month’s charity, as St Dunstan’s work is to provide an independent future for blind ex-Service men and women. The local link is that one of our members was very moved when she heard an account of how a Gloucestershire ex-serviceman had been helped by them.
Sir Arthur Pearson, a newspaper proprietor who owned the Evening Standard and founded the Daily Express, established St Dunstan’s in 1915. Pearson, who lost his own sight through glaucoma, was shocked at society’s attitude to blindness. He decided to help those who had lost their vision in the recent First World War by giving them the care and rehabilitation they needed to lead constructive, self-sufficient lives.
Nearly a century later, St Dunstan’s still cares for those blinded in action, but also supports blind and visually impaired ex-Service men and women who have lost their sight through accident, illness, or old age. They also help those who have served in the Emergency Services.
St Dunstan’s gives invaluable physical and emotional support to blind and visually impaired ex-Service men and women. With the help of their unique expertise, comprehensive range of services, and experience, they enable them to lead independent fulfilling lives. Rehabilitation is designed to help regain confidence and self-sufficiency by teaching new skills and fostering optimism.
Support from St Dunstans is available as long as it is needed, to help them and their families adjust to the loss of sight; and this support lasts a lifetime. Sometimes help is needed to resolve housing issues and assist with the difficulties of benefit claims. Social activities and access to sporting facilities add to the sense of belonging to the St Dunstan’s family.
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Christmas Collection - County Community Projects
We are fortunate in having the opportunity of showing our real commitment to love in action through our close relationship with County Community Projects. As you can see from their ‘Thank You’ letter below, our involvement is really valued. They mention the opportunities to give food and we will put some of the money we raise towards the Food Share scheme as well as aiming to make a generous donation of food.
In the past I have had some professional involvement with the CCP Education Centre and can assure you that they do valuable and challenging work. It makes sense to let them explain what they do so I have taken this from their website,
“The aim with all our learners is to involve them in positive activities which are tailored to meet their individual needs and address the issues which have led to their exclusion from school. We give each child what is often their first positive learning experience, and help to build their motivation to take part and succeed. This raises their self-esteem, which in turn raises performance and aspirations.
Using subjects such as art, sport, exercise, cooking and conservation, we help young people understand that education can be fun and rewarding. We undertake work with them on anger management, communication, group working and rights and responsibilities. We prepare them for a return to full time school education or a progression to higher education.
The Education Centre has recently move to a purpose-converted building in High Street, Cheltenham. It offers a selection of learning environments, a well equipped woodwork room, IT and Multimedia learning facilities, a full kitchen and a leisure area with a TV, video and a selection of board and video games.”
To further improve their environment we hope to collect enough money to be able to buy some garden furniture.
A big focus this Christmas is also going to be on stocking up the Food Share scheme and the Hamper Scamper with tinned and packaged food.
Dear All at Highbury Church
CCP would like to thank you for your donations to the CCP FoodShare - the emergency food distribution service for Gloucestershire people and families in times of crisis, which relies on donations from members of the public, churches, schools and businesses, and distributes over 500 emergency food parcels every year.
More information at www.ccprojects.org.uk
Saturday, 12 November 2011
November - The Langley House Trust
The Langley House Trust is a national Christian charity. At its centre are Christians who, recognising Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, desire to express the love of God to ex-offenders and those at risk of offending, with the aims of helping individuals lead crime free lives and protecting the public. It runs 40 sites throughout England providing support for around 300 people.
In Cheltenham the Trust runs The Knole, a registered care home which provides accommodation for sixteen men aged 30 years and over. Their aim is to enable and equip former offenders to address their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs within a caring Christian environment. Each person is assisted to progress towards more personal independence, learning life and social skills in order to live a fulfilling and crime – free life.
Staff provide cover twenty-four hours per day. They are committed to offering support for the full range of people’s needs within an atmosphere of support and security. Each resident is allocated a Key Worker and during the initial assessment period an Individual Personal Support Plan will be worked out. The Support Plan is reviewed so staff can work towards helping residents move on into independent or semi-supported accommodation. The Knole has its own property for this purpose.
Langley House Trust doesn’t work with a ‘popular’ client group. Many have never had a stable relationship in their lives, and have never known any other way of behaving or relating. Isn’t this the very group that Jesus wants us to love – the unloved and those who may never respond to our love?
In Cheltenham the Trust runs The Knole, a registered care home which provides accommodation for sixteen men aged 30 years and over. Their aim is to enable and equip former offenders to address their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs within a caring Christian environment. Each person is assisted to progress towards more personal independence, learning life and social skills in order to live a fulfilling and crime – free life.
Staff provide cover twenty-four hours per day. They are committed to offering support for the full range of people’s needs within an atmosphere of support and security. Each resident is allocated a Key Worker and during the initial assessment period an Individual Personal Support Plan will be worked out. The Support Plan is reviewed so staff can work towards helping residents move on into independent or semi-supported accommodation. The Knole has its own property for this purpose.
Langley House Trust doesn’t work with a ‘popular’ client group. Many have never had a stable relationship in their lives, and have never known any other way of behaving or relating. Isn’t this the very group that Jesus wants us to love – the unloved and those who may never respond to our love?
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
October - Listening Post
Listening Post is a professional voluntary counselling service, Christian in foundation, founded nearly twenty years ago to meet the needs of adults in the local Gloucestershire community. Our mission is to relieve emotional distress in Christians and non-Christians alike and we do this primarily by means of offering professional counselling by qualified counsellors. We are unique in that we do not charge our clients any set fee, but rather ask them to make a donation to us based on what they feel they can afford. In this way we make counselling available to many who cannot be accommodated within the NHS and who cannot not begin to afford private counselling. Many of our clients have told us that without Listening Post they do not know where they would have turned.
We also provide trainings in listening skills, and offer a longer training which serves as a foundation course for people wishing to go on to train as professional counsellors. We also offer placements to counselling students to enable them to gain the practice hours necessary to qualification.
If you fall ill in modern Britain, you will, for the most part, receive medical care. If you are bereaved, for the most part, your family and community will respectfully support you. If you lose employment or you go bankrupt, distressing though this is, there are social support systems in place to give you food and shelter. But who addresses the vast isolation felt by so many as their lives privately crumble in the wake of broken relationships, either from the present or the past? In a culture that so often offers nothing but consumerism as a sop to grief or loneliness, what can be done to hold ordinary human beings in the midst of heartbreak?
Under these circumstances, the hour of compassionate and attentive listening provided by a counsellor can be life-transformative and is very often life saving. A single donation of £15 will cover the cost of one session, but any contributions are most gratefully received – particularly in this year where we anticipate facing a deficit that threatens the survival of the charity.”
Contact:
01242 2413
lpostcounselling@tesco.net
www.listeningpost.org.uk
We also provide trainings in listening skills, and offer a longer training which serves as a foundation course for people wishing to go on to train as professional counsellors. We also offer placements to counselling students to enable them to gain the practice hours necessary to qualification.
If you fall ill in modern Britain, you will, for the most part, receive medical care. If you are bereaved, for the most part, your family and community will respectfully support you. If you lose employment or you go bankrupt, distressing though this is, there are social support systems in place to give you food and shelter. But who addresses the vast isolation felt by so many as their lives privately crumble in the wake of broken relationships, either from the present or the past? In a culture that so often offers nothing but consumerism as a sop to grief or loneliness, what can be done to hold ordinary human beings in the midst of heartbreak?
Under these circumstances, the hour of compassionate and attentive listening provided by a counsellor can be life-transformative and is very often life saving. A single donation of £15 will cover the cost of one session, but any contributions are most gratefully received – particularly in this year where we anticipate facing a deficit that threatens the survival of the charity.”
Contact:
01242 2413
lpostcounselling@tesco.net
www.listeningpost.org.uk
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
September - Send a Cow
‘Send a Cow’ works hand in hand with poor families teaching them the skills they need to build new lives free from poverty and hunger. By providing training, livestock, seeds and support, we restore hope and create stronger communities for the future. In turn, these families then pass on young livestock, seeds or training to others. And so on. And so on.
This ‘Pass it On’ principle not only builds stronger communities, it allows us to help even more people to develop skills, confidence and self respect.
People are happier and healthier, children are educated, wealth is created and communities are more harmonious.
‘Send a Cow’ doesn’t offer a quick fix solution to poverty and rural development. In for the long haul, we typically work with groups of farmers for five years to effect substantial and sustainable change.
We also acknowledge from the outset that issues such as gender equality, health and family harmony are just as vital to the success of development programmes in Africa as simple livestock provision.
So in addition to ongoing training in animal wellbeing, sustainable organic farming practices and natural resource management, our work also provides courses in subjects such as gender equality, conflict resolution, health and hygiene and HIV/Aids awareness. This balance of practical farming skills with social life skills is a potent mix and produces remarkable results.
Providing practical assistance that will last for generations to come, we support families through every step of their journey out of poverty.
‘Pass it on’ ceremonies bring whole communities together to see first-born calves, sheep, donkeys, seedlings, or even training, passed on in these emotional events.
It’s a truly inspiring event, when very poor beneficiaries become donors.
Our work gets astonishing results because we don’t just provide isolated pockets of help; our experts give advice across the board, from agricultural training to environmental sustainability, from livestock care to social development.
Working carefully with each farmer, we identify a package of support that meets their needs perfectly and which can be adapted to meet the needs of different people, whether that’s young orphans heading up the home, disabled people or elderly widows.
Importantly, we support and share a family’s journey out of poverty for as long as it takes – typically three to five years. By that time, knowledge, skills, materials, hope and dignity have been passed on and on between even more families so that whole communities are transformed.
This year we will help almost 16,000 families along on their journey out of poverty. Each of those will go on to lend a hand to an average of ten further families, restoring real hope to communities in rural Africa.
Our Vision: A world without poverty and malnutrition.
Our Mission: To enable poor rural families in Africa to attain food and livelihood security, by developing strong community groups and sustainable agricultural systems which integrate crops and livestock.
“Now my family eats three times a day, and we are able to save in case of any future shocks. I am planning to support my kids until they complete school and also to train more farmers.”
Alemu Buka Birra, Ethiopia
This article has been taken from
the ‘Send A Cow’ website:
www.sendacow.org.uk
Mary Michael
This ‘Pass it On’ principle not only builds stronger communities, it allows us to help even more people to develop skills, confidence and self respect.
People are happier and healthier, children are educated, wealth is created and communities are more harmonious.
‘Send a Cow’ doesn’t offer a quick fix solution to poverty and rural development. In for the long haul, we typically work with groups of farmers for five years to effect substantial and sustainable change.
We also acknowledge from the outset that issues such as gender equality, health and family harmony are just as vital to the success of development programmes in Africa as simple livestock provision.
So in addition to ongoing training in animal wellbeing, sustainable organic farming practices and natural resource management, our work also provides courses in subjects such as gender equality, conflict resolution, health and hygiene and HIV/Aids awareness. This balance of practical farming skills with social life skills is a potent mix and produces remarkable results.
Providing practical assistance that will last for generations to come, we support families through every step of their journey out of poverty.
‘Pass it on’ ceremonies bring whole communities together to see first-born calves, sheep, donkeys, seedlings, or even training, passed on in these emotional events.
It’s a truly inspiring event, when very poor beneficiaries become donors.
Our work gets astonishing results because we don’t just provide isolated pockets of help; our experts give advice across the board, from agricultural training to environmental sustainability, from livestock care to social development.
Working carefully with each farmer, we identify a package of support that meets their needs perfectly and which can be adapted to meet the needs of different people, whether that’s young orphans heading up the home, disabled people or elderly widows.
Importantly, we support and share a family’s journey out of poverty for as long as it takes – typically three to five years. By that time, knowledge, skills, materials, hope and dignity have been passed on and on between even more families so that whole communities are transformed.
This year we will help almost 16,000 families along on their journey out of poverty. Each of those will go on to lend a hand to an average of ten further families, restoring real hope to communities in rural Africa.
Our Vision: A world without poverty and malnutrition.
Our Mission: To enable poor rural families in Africa to attain food and livelihood security, by developing strong community groups and sustainable agricultural systems which integrate crops and livestock.
“Now my family eats three times a day, and we are able to save in case of any future shocks. I am planning to support my kids until they complete school and also to train more farmers.”
Alemu Buka Birra, Ethiopia
This article has been taken from
the ‘Send A Cow’ website:
www.sendacow.org.uk
Mary Michael
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
August - Christian Aid Emergency Appeal for East Africa
Christian Aid is responding to the East Africa food crisis and has launched an emergency appeal to help people affected across the region.
£130,000 has been released for partners to respond as the situation intensifies in Kenya and Ethiopia.
Please give now to help us reach those most in need.
UNOCHA reports that the situation is the worst food security crisis in the world today and some parts of the region are experiencing the driest conditions in 60 years.
After two poor rainy seasons in 2011, drought in countries affected has left 10 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Even animals which are normally resistant to drought such as camels, donkeys and goats are suffering. Due to the lack of water, some schools and hospitals have been forced to close and people are travelling for miles to collect water to drink.
Christian Aid partners are responding
Our partners in Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya are closely monitoring the situation.
This appeal will fund urgently needed life-saving measures, such as:
• emergency tanks and distribution of water for villages experiencing the worst of the drought conditions
• construction of additional water points • food for families who currently are not reached by the World Food Programme response • extra nutrition for malnourished children and pregnant women • animal feed to protect livestock that are so crucial to survival
• helping communities become more resilient to future crises.
Activities will be carried out by partners across the region. Our partners Christian Community Services Mount Kenya East, Northern Aid and Ukamba Christian Community Services are responding in north eastern and eastern Kenya. In Ethiopia, our partners Action for Development and Agri-Service Ethiopia are currently working with local communities in the south to help them to withstand the effects of crises such as drought.
To Gift Aid your contribution please use a Christian Aid envelope.
£130,000 has been released for partners to respond as the situation intensifies in Kenya and Ethiopia.
Please give now to help us reach those most in need.
UNOCHA reports that the situation is the worst food security crisis in the world today and some parts of the region are experiencing the driest conditions in 60 years.
After two poor rainy seasons in 2011, drought in countries affected has left 10 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Even animals which are normally resistant to drought such as camels, donkeys and goats are suffering. Due to the lack of water, some schools and hospitals have been forced to close and people are travelling for miles to collect water to drink.
Christian Aid partners are responding
Our partners in Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya are closely monitoring the situation.
This appeal will fund urgently needed life-saving measures, such as:
• emergency tanks and distribution of water for villages experiencing the worst of the drought conditions
• construction of additional water points • food for families who currently are not reached by the World Food Programme response • extra nutrition for malnourished children and pregnant women • animal feed to protect livestock that are so crucial to survival
• helping communities become more resilient to future crises.
Activities will be carried out by partners across the region. Our partners Christian Community Services Mount Kenya East, Northern Aid and Ukamba Christian Community Services are responding in north eastern and eastern Kenya. In Ethiopia, our partners Action for Development and Agri-Service Ethiopia are currently working with local communities in the south to help them to withstand the effects of crises such as drought.
To Gift Aid your contribution please use a Christian Aid envelope.
July - Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice
We had planned to support this charity later in the year but have brought it forward as we wanted to use the opportunity to express our thanks for the care given to Christine Wallis and her family during her time at Leckhampton Court. The charity has given us this description of the range of service they offer, not surprisingly it cannot convey how valued they are by people they have touched.
“Sue Ryder — Leckhampton Court Hospice provides compassionate care and support to people from across Gloucestershire living with serious illnesses and conditions. The hospice offers support for patients, their carers and families. Our specialist palliative care includes assessment and management of complex symptoms as well as compassionate and dignified end of life care.
“We have a 16-bed inpatient unit that provides specialist palliative care for people with life limiting illness and our day hospice provides complementary therapy, art and music therapy, rehabilitation and psychological support. We have also recently started to offer blood transfusions and drug infusions within our day patient unit.
“Our Hospice at Home Service is a flexible and responsive service aiming to compliment existing health and social care services and support patients to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.
“All care is provided free of charge. Every year we need to raise over £1 million in voluntary contributions to provide this care and we therefore rely on support from the community to continue providing services at the hospice for the people of Gloucestershire.
“Your kind support and recognition of our vital work is invaluable.”
Sue Ryder –
Leckhampton Court Hospice.
Sue Ryder is a charity registered in
England and Wales (1052076)
and in Scotland (SCO39578)
Mary Michael
“Sue Ryder — Leckhampton Court Hospice provides compassionate care and support to people from across Gloucestershire living with serious illnesses and conditions. The hospice offers support for patients, their carers and families. Our specialist palliative care includes assessment and management of complex symptoms as well as compassionate and dignified end of life care.
“We have a 16-bed inpatient unit that provides specialist palliative care for people with life limiting illness and our day hospice provides complementary therapy, art and music therapy, rehabilitation and psychological support. We have also recently started to offer blood transfusions and drug infusions within our day patient unit.
“Our Hospice at Home Service is a flexible and responsive service aiming to compliment existing health and social care services and support patients to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.
“All care is provided free of charge. Every year we need to raise over £1 million in voluntary contributions to provide this care and we therefore rely on support from the community to continue providing services at the hospice for the people of Gloucestershire.
“Your kind support and recognition of our vital work is invaluable.”
Sue Ryder –
Leckhampton Court Hospice.
Sue Ryder is a charity registered in
England and Wales (1052076)
and in Scotland (SCO39578)
Mary Michael
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