All Hallows students donated £1,600 to buy toys to be donated to families across our Diocese through Caritas. A Big thank you also to Sainsbury’s supermarket who made a donation of £100!

Members of the Mini Vinnies Group from St Anthony’s RC School, Woodhouse Park, visited the Hope Project Food Bank based at Caritas’ St. Aidan’s Centre, Wythenshawe. The school brought another amazing donation of food and the children were able to learn about the food bank and how it operates. The children did an amazing job with helping to mark up the cans and prepare food parcels.

Thanks you from Caritas and Catholic Social Action Wythenshawe to St Anthony’s and all the schools who have supported the food bank – as the children learnt, without this support the food bank would not have been able to continue during the pandemic! One of the children described what the food bank did during this time as “a miracle!”

The Wythenshawe MP Mike Kane visiting the Hope Project Foodbank to donate items to make up Christmas parcels and to explore some of the issues impacting local communities. Many thanks to Mike, Sarah and Emma for your continued support.

Many thanks for the wonderful books which arrived today. This is part of a project to encourage reading for children and develop literacy skills.

40,000 children in Manchester don’t own a single book and Caritas is proud to work with Read Manchester to change this.

The books shown will be distributed to children of families involved in the SENsitive Group, refugees & asylum seeker involved in The Well Project and also given out in surprise Christmas parcels for families who have been referred into the Hope Project Foodbank.

The SENsitive Group (which is a support group for families who have children with special needs) linking up with Siena Castellon, a young person who was one of three finalist chosen for International Children’s Peace Prize.

18 year old Siena was chosen for her efforts in campaigning for children who have autism. Since 13 years of age Siena, who has autism, has spoken out, set up a website to support children with autism and written a book!

The book, ‘The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide: How to grow up Awesome and Autistic,’ is aimed at teenage girls who have autism.

The SENsitive members were inspired by Siena’s powerful story and her achievements.

The Hope Project Foodbank continues to work collaboratively with schools in addressing food poverty across Wythenshawe.

Over the last few weeks we have received some amazing donations from school harvest festivals.

Many thanks to – Northenden Community Primary – St Wilfred’s C of E Primary, Northenden – St Aidan’s RC Primary, Northern Moor – St Anthony’s RC Primary, Woodhouse Park – Sacred Heart RC Primary, Baguley, St Elizabeth’s RC Primary, Peel Hall – St Peter’s RC School, Newall Green. Wow! What a wonderful contribution during these challenging times.

Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury were recently successful in being awarded funding from The Albert Gubay Foundation to use as a crisis fund to help those who are falling into poverty due to the current pandemic.

The Caritas/Gubay Covid Crisis Fund provides one-off grants to support families or individuals living within the Diocese of Shrewsbury where a relatively small amount of funding can make a big difference, funds can only be provided to those who are in exceptional circumstances and are facing a crisis as a result of Covid-19. Awards have been given to support those needing food, clothing household appliances, beds and utility bills.

Practically, the crisis fund has already helped a very high number of people in the diocese who have been considered the most vulnerable in our community. Caritas has added value to the fund by taking a holistic approach providing emotional as well as practical support to those who need it by giving them the opportunity to work with our Family Support Workers and appropriate agencies who can support them longer term.

The National Lottery gave a grant to Caritas Shrewsbury to establish a Crisis Fund and make small emergency one-off grants available for individuals and families in need where a relatively small amount of funding could make a big difference. It was clear many were facing immediate financial crises and for them, the grant was a lifesaver.

Our Crisis Fund was advertised through; collaborate agencies, schools, parishes, our own website, and by clients through word of mouth. Staff worked tirelessly to help the most vulnerable address practical and emotional needs – a difficult task as many other agencies were closed and foodbanks short of supplies.

The issues faced by our clients have ben varied but all leading to poverty and financial chaos if not addressed. By making a crisis grant and a package of support available, we were able to help clients manage and avoid financial and health related breakdown.

The grants have maintained, changed or even improved lives of some of the most vulnerable in our community with many families managing to stay above the poverty line.

There lies real added value and impact for Caritas and the National Lottery Grant, so a BIG

THANK YOU from Caritas to National Lottery!

#communitiescan

Click here to see the full letter to the National Lottery!