2015 CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX APPEAL

Many members of All Saints Church very kindly filled a Christmas Shoebox for  Smile International last year, sending a very practical message of Christian love to needy children abroad.  Smile have now decided to cease their shoebox programme and, instead, channel their resources into their feeding, educating, empowering and developing programmes.

This year, therefore,  I am collecting shoeboxes for LINK TO HOPE, a Christian charity based in Worthing.  As well as rebuilding lives in Eastern Europe by supporting Education and Social Care projects, LINK TO HOPE deliver filled shoeboxes either to needy families or to needy elderly people in Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Bulgaria. This is regardless of background, colour, creed or religion.  If you would like to help in this way, please take a leaflet at the back of church, which will give you full details of how to fill your box.  If you would like to help but feel you cannot fill a whole box, individual items would be much appreciated, and can be put in a shoebox which will be left at the back of church each week from now until the end of October.

ITEMS NEEDED FOR A FAMILY BOX include toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo/shower gel, flannels, safety razors, nail clippers/scissors, soap, brush/combs, sweets, chocolate,  crayons/felt tips, small toys such as yoyos, skipping ropes, bouncy balls, puzzles, balloons, teddies/dolls/soft toys with CE labels, pens and pencils, colouring books, hair accessories, plasters, screwdrivers, tape measures, socks/gloves/hats/scarves, solar powered calculators, craft kits etc. NB Handmade knitted toys are very welcome, but are not to be put inside the shoeboxes.  I will deliver these to the Area Organiser.

ITEMS NEEDED FOR AN ELDERLY PERSON'S BOX (suitable for both sexes please) include shampoo/shower gel (max 300ml), tissues, nail clippers/scissors, handkerchiefs, small mirrors,  soap, flannels, brush/combs, pens and paper, wind up torch, candle and holder, craft sewing kits, wind chimes, lavender bags, playing cards, dominoes, sweets, scarves/gloves/hats, reading glasses, small games etc.

Customers regulations mean there are certain items which cannot be included in the shoeboxes.  So please NO money, NO tinned food, NO perfume, NO coffee, tea or alcohol, NO out of date items and NO books or literature.

Each shoebox also needs £2 to help with transportation costs.  Boxes need to be filled and given to me by Sunday 1st November at the very latest, so that I am able to deliver them by 4th November to the Area Organiser to ensure that they reach those in need by Christmas.

Thank you very much for your generosity.

Jo Springthorpe.
 jo.springthorpe@hotmail.com

Message from Canon Steve Coneys

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http://xtraallsaintswhitstable.blogspot.co.uk/


--------------------------------------------------------------------Dear friends 

Ladesfield

We met with the Senior Manager at Ladesfield today in order to agree the churches’ response.  We are now in touch with you as you have previously offered your help.  We have an opportunity, for a limited time of 6 months, to make a real difference.

What we offer needs to be realistic, sustainable by us, and useful.  Our task is to support the actual needs of the children and to support the staff, in particular:

·       basic help with English language

·       very basic help with writing and reading

·       social skills, such as living in this country, and understanding its law and culture

·       life skills, cooking, budgeting, shopping, etc.

These need to be offered at a time convenient to the staff, and at Ladesfield itself. 

We also want to offer an afternoon activity (cooking, a meal, games etc.), at one of our churches.

At this stage we are looking to offer such support at the following times:

- Tuesday 10 am – 12 pm at Ladesfield

- Thursday 10 am – 12 pm at Ladesfield

- Wednesday 7 pm – 9 pm at Ladesfield

- Wednesday afternoon activity, 3 pm – 6 pm

If you can commit to one of these slots on a weekly basis we should like to hear from you now.  Please reply to Fabian Wuyts: fabian.wuyts@gmail.com

All volunteers will work in the presence of a Ladesfield staff member, having signed an attendance register.  You will also need a current DBS: this is a simple process and we will arrange it if you do not already have one.  We will offer you continuing support.

This work needs clear co-ordination, which Fabian will do in the immediate short term.  If you feel you have the skills and time to play the role of Co-ordinator (or know someone else) for the rest of the 6 months Ladesfield will be in operation, please let us know.

(In the meantime, there is an immediate need at Ladesfield for posters, easy reading English books, colouring books and materials, board games and cards.  These can be delivered to Seasalter Christian Centre on any weekday morning or to the URC in Middle Wall on a Tuesday morning.  A request will also be sent round church and other networks.)

However, the real need now is for the help described above.  It is all simple, person centred caring, in small teams.

We look forward to hearing from you.  And thank you.

Steve Coneys, Helen Letley, Julia Seath, Fabian Wuyts

Rev. Canon Steve Coneys
Whitstable Team Ministry
The Vicarage, 11 Kimberley Grove
Seasalter CT5 4AY
01227 276795

www.stalphegeseasalter.org