Magazine for February 2011
Children’s Society
On Christmas Eve as usual we held our Christingle Service. There were over 500 people there, more than ever, and it was good to be able to use the new space at the front of church. Ellie was going to reprise her role as a giant Christingle, but was unable to come. However Gemma and her husband wonderfully stepped into the breach: she arrived as a huge present, wrapped and beribboned, which everybody loved; he as a giant sprout whom nobody loved! For the Children’s Society’s work with unloved children £650 was donated, plus a cheque for £500. Thank you so much to all who contributed to this in any way.
You will have heard on the news recently about such children being groomed and exploited. The Children’s Society is in fact working in Coventry with such children. I have seen some of the awful case notes. Here is part of what my colleague from the diocese e-mailed to me:
“Funding was only put in place initially for this project for three years and this will run out in September 2011. The project depends on funding from outside agencies and its generous grant from Comic Relief will stop in September 2011. Other government grants, available in the past, have largely been withdrawn due to spending cuts. This leaves Reunite very vulnerable as The Children’s Society cannot run the project without help from other agencies. This is causing great concern; there are nearly 800 referrals a year from the Police and Social Services and The Children’s Society work with young runaways is recognised as being extremely important and effective.”
It is difficult to know at this stage what we, as volunteers, can do to help this situation; meanwhile please hold this project and its long term future in your prayers.
Ruth Smith