Local Charities
Walk for Cancer Research
Diana Heimann is walking from Coleshill to Oxford to support research into pancreatic cancer. You can read about her walk and sponsor her at: http://justgiving.com/Diana-Heimann
- Details
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 April 2012 10:38
- Hits: 66
Charity Ride - London to Paris
I am undertaking a challenge by completing a London to Paris cycle ride to help raise funds for Type 1 Insulin Dependant Diabetes – a cause very relevant to myself and thousands of others. Being diagnosed with Type 1 for 34 years now, I have witnessed and experienced many improving changes in the care and treatment of this condition. Please help me and inspire me on this marathon of a personal challenge by sponsoring me at www.justgiving.com/Jeremy-Hinch
Jeremy Hinch
- Details
- Last Updated on Monday, 19 March 2012 14:44
- Hits: 124
All Saints' Charity News
Update - Winter 2011
Onc
e again we are planning to support the St Lawrence Home of Hope in Zambia where we are providing money for the destitute boys to go to school so that they can get some education to help them as they grow up. As mentioned in the last newsletter, on 10th March we are arranging an evening in the Village Hall with our usual delicious meal and an Auction of Promises. Those of you who were with us seven years ago will remember the keen bidding - encouraged by our auctioneer - Nigel Briggs, who I am delighted to say will be joining us again - for the attractive promises that you had made. If anyone has any ideas for what they might offer - anything from holiday accommodation on a tropical island to dog walking in Coleshill - do let a member of the committee know. More details nearer the time.
Patsy Wright Warren
- Details
- Last Updated on Thursday, 29 December 2011 09:52
- Hits: 315
Harvest Festival Supper
Thank you to everyone who came to the supper and helped us to raise a fantastic £945.
We hope that you had a very enjoyable evening meeting up with friends and welcoming newcomers to the village.
We have decided to distribute the funds as follows :
- Helen and Douglas House £500
- Samaritans in Amersham £120
- Church Flower Fund £100
- School Fund, Carol Service Tea, Jubilee Celebrations, Village Hall (to buy serving spoons and bread baskets) £50 to each
- Balance to church funds
Also a very BIG thank you to everyone who helped in numerous ways. We could not have managed without you!
Please help us again next year when we will try not to run out of wine (maybe Tim could help!) and will review the seating arrangements.
Barbara, Carol, Gail, Gillian and Judi
- Details
- Last Updated on Thursday, 29 December 2011 09:56
- Hits: 278
School Aid
School Aid are a local charity based nearby in Hedgerley who have asked us to include their information on our website. They are particularly in need of volunteers, transport of items to ports, and books and supplies.
A good education helps the escape from poverty and gives children hope for a better future
Each day millions of children in Africa are unable to attend school, often due to a simple lack of basic school equipment. Schools in deprived areas struggle to provide educational tools such as books, stationery and even chairs for their teachers and students, despite the best efforts of their communities. Without a good education, the escape from poverty is impossible.
School Aid's mission is to support the advancement of education in disadvantaged schools and communities in Africa by providing an environmentally friendly recycling service.
Our valued volunteers collect materials from local schools and other donors in the UK, and then sort and pack the boxes (based on the individual requirements of the schools in Africa that we are partnered with). Finally, we ship everything directly to the African schools in need.
School Aid's success is reliant upon people like you to provide us with financial support to enable our UK volunteers to collect, sort and load the shipments to Africa, as well as a constant flow of good quality text books (all levels), reading books, reference books, stationery, art and craft supplies, science and sports equipment, school uniforms, school shoes, sports kits, football boots, trainers, stackable tables and chairs, and other educational resources that are not readily available in many of the African countries that we support (e.g. Eritrea, Lesotho, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe), consequently transforming the lives of so many under-privileged children and school staff.
School Aid is always looking for volunteers, fund-raising ideas and initiatives, and ways of creating local and national awareness about our charity.
Every child deserves a good education and hope for a bright future, so please think of School Aid when you are having a clear out, and please help us to spread the word.
Whatever you do to get involved, the difference you'll make is nothing short of amazing.
To find out more visit our website
or contact School Aid now at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or on 01753 883853
- Details
- Last Updated on Friday, 10 June 2011 15:00
- Hits: 323
Mercy Ships
I have recently arrived back from my second visit working as an anaesthetist for Mercy Ships, a Christian charity, on this occasion to Sierra Leone. Africa Mercy is a hospital ship which sails along the coast of West Africa spending about 10 months in each country undertaking surgery on the ship and other medical care in land-based clinics and training local health care workers.
When the ship first arrives in port a team is sent out for a number of screening sessions all over the country with hundreds of hopeful patients turning up and waiting patiently to be seen. The ship has 6 operating theatres, 4 wards, an intensive care unit and all the support services and a nearby centre on shore provides dental services, ophthalmology and rehabilitation The surgery includes general, orthopaedics, eyes, head and neck surgery such as cleft lips and palates and facial tumours and surgery for the very unfortunate women who have undergone traumatic childbirth. There are many conditions we never see in this country including lots of children and even adults who would have had corrective surgery here at a very young age.
There are 450 crew members of all nationalities on board, the largest group being American, and all ages from gap year students to the retired, some doing short stints, others there for 2 years and some such as the brilliant facial surgeon have worked for over 20 years and raised their families on the ship. They are all unpaid volunteers but the ship also employs locals or "day workers" who are recruited via their churches, so providing much needed employment. There is a multinational school on board, educating up to 50 children of crew members.
After a hair-raising trip from the airport to Freetown, the capital, by small boat in pitch darkness in quite a rough sea I arrived late one Sunday evening ready to be plunged into work the next morning. Our group of anaesthetists was very friendly and helped each other out; we worked hard but it was exhilarating. The patients are all so grateful and uncomplaining and recover from their surgery very quickly, greeting you with wide smiles on the wards afterwards. The wards are noisy and chaotic with extra relatives sleeping on or under the beds, lots of singing, guitars and drums being played and often English premier club football on television!
Sierra Leone is the second poorest country in the world with an average life expectancy of 42 years and is still suffering from the aftermath of a bitterly fought ten year civil war. Walking through Freetown you are only too aware of the dense overcrowding and slum-like accommodation with children everywhere, rubbish piled up, crowds jostling in between the terrible traffic or stepping over mosquito-infested open drains and the horrendous noise from the hooting of horns and shouting of the stall-holders. In contrast there are also beautiful, quiet, totally unspoilt beaches such as the unimaginatively named "River Number Two" where the sand feels like velvet, the rolling Atlantic waves are crystal clear and the lobster caught and cooked in front of you tastes fantastic.
Out of working hours I joined some of the regular visits to homes for handicapped children and orphans and an old people's home where the youngest resident was a 37 year old who had been paralysed by 4 gunshot wounds to his back during the civil war. A visit to the women's prison involved stories, singing and making jewellery. Not my usual Saturday afternoon in Coleshill! Nor did the 3 hour Sunday morning service at a local church bear much resemblance to All Saints. It was extremely hot with loud singing, deafening music and a sermon from a visiting Liberian pastor which went on for over an hour. However the ladies were all beautifully dressed, the children very well behaved and we were made very welcome with refreshments afterwards.
There is a strong Christian ethos on the ship although you do not need to be religious to volunteer. I had no missionary zeal but went for the adventure and the hope that after having lived a very privileged and cushy life I could give a little back. It certainly makes you appreciate the NHS for all its faults. If anyone is interested in finding out more do visit www.mercyships.org.uk.
Jane McNeilly
- Details
- Last Updated on Friday, 15 July 2011 08:26
- Hits: 271
Home of Hope Charity Evening
Harmony and their friends provided Coleshill with a memorable fundraising evening on 11th March, with songs and monologues and audience participation. The food was delicious and the raffle prizes numerous.
Patsy and her team hope to have raised a substantial amount of money for St Lawrence Home of Hope Orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia. See their page on facebook
- Details
- Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 March 2011 10:21
- Hits: 335
All Saints' Charity
ALL SAINTS CHARITY – COLESHILL
The All Saints Harvest Charity was set up by the Church Committee in 1985 as an expression of Christian charity, especially towards very poor people in developing countries. The Committee felt that Harvestide, when we were giving thanks for the bounty of our harvest here, would be an appropriate time to remember and work for those who do not have this good fortune and who exist in poverty.
After considerable discussion it was decided that the money raised should go towards the Mobile Tuberculosis Unit at Raphael – the Ryder Cheshire Foundation’s home at Dehra Dun in Northern India. As Patsy Wright-Warren subsequently became Projects Officer for that Foundation and visited Raphael each year, she was able to observe how the money was being spent and to bring back reports. This was reviewed regularly and continued as the sole beneficiary until 1996, when the Church Committee decided it would chose an additional charity, from proposals put forward by villagers, which would receive 30% of the profits. That continued for five years until no further local charities were proposed.
Each year a fundraising event was held, arranged by a small Organising Committee. The profit made was matched from the funds of All Saints Church. In 1994, when the profits became more substantial, it was decided that there should be a ceiling of £1,000. In addition there have been many personal donations.
The Charity set itself a target of raising enough money to provide life saving treatment for the cure of tuberculosis for as many patients being treated by Raphael as there were men, women and children in Coleshill – approx 600. Over the 18 years, £37,623 was raised of which £33,539 went to Raphael. The cost of a successful course of treatment for TB was £50, so it can be claimed that the money raised cured 664 sufferers. The Raphael scheme has now been closed down and the service taken over by the government. During the five years, £4.084 went to other causes.
The Church Committee then looked for another charity with a local focus and decided to support the Rosanna Hospital in Kurdistan, founded by Marigold Curling. Fundraising for that started in 2004. Because events were no longer necessarily held at harvest time, it was decided to drop the word “Harvest” from the name and be known as the “All Saints Charity”. Since then events have raised £19,188 which has contributed towards the payment of senior salaries and buying much needed medical equipment.
Marigold has let us know that the Americans are now making funds available for such work in Kurdistan and our support is no longer needed.
We therefore have the opportunity to find another charity. The Church Committee said that it should be overseas, where the needs are so much greater, and that there should be a local contact so that we can get up to date information as to how the money will be spent.
Having considered several charities put forward, the committee has decided to support the St Lawrence Home of Help in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. It is an orphanage, which cares for about 20 boys who had been sleeping rough on the streets and were homeless. They are planning to build this up to give the boys proper shelter and education and hope for the future. More information will be available as our planning progresses.
December 2010
ALL SAINTS CHARITY – FUNDRAISING EVENTS
| 1985 | (Coffee after morning service | £ 235 | ||
| 1986 | (with an increasing number | £ 330 | ||
| 1987 | (of extra events, | £ 590 | ||
| 1988 | (information giving and publicity | £ 680 | ||
| 1989 | (about the project | £1,090 | ||
| 1990 | Harvest breakfast | £1,252 | ||
| 1991 | Harvest breakfast | £1,301 | ||
| 1992 | Entertainment in Church | £1,414 | ||
| 1993 | Charity Gala | £2,651 | ||
| 1994 | Indian Evening | £3,033 | ||
| 1995 | Auction of Promises | £5,637 | ||
| 1996 | Flower and Garden Festival | £3,110 | * | |
| 1997 | Beethoven Evening | £2,590 | * | |
| 1998 | Scottish Evening | £2,175 | * | |
| Bakhshi Reception | £ 125 | * | ||
| 1999 | About Antiques | £3,450 | * | |
| Car Boot Sale | £ 500 | * | ||
| 2000 | Natural Gardens | £2,613 | * | |
| 2001 | Open Gardens | £ 900 | ||
| Murder Mystery | £1,922 | |||
| 2002 | Viennese Evening | £1,745 | ||
| Coffee morning | £ 269 | |||
| £35,750.00 | ||||
| 2004 | Murder Mystery | £3,052 | ||
| Treasure Hunt & Barbecue | £ 863 | |||
| 2005 | Auction of Promises | £7,117 | ||
| Cookery Demonstration | £ 471 | |||
| 2006 | Antiques Event - Trash or Treasure | £1,464 | ||
| The Tempest – Stageworks Theatre Company | £ 598 | |||
| Treasure Hunt & Barbecue | £ 299 | |||
| 2008 | Pantomime | £2,261 | ||
| Chess Valley Concert | £1,090 | |||
| 2009 | Craft and Gift Fair | £ 393 | ||
| 2010 | Magic Show | £1,550 | ||
| £19,188.00 |
| *1996 | £2,255 to Raphael | £ 855 to Friends of Rushymead Hospice | ||
| *1997 | £1,830 to Raphael | £ 760 to New Life Home, Nairobi | ||
| *1998 | £1,645 to Raphael | £ 750 to Coleshill Village School | ||
| *1999 | £2,630 to Raphael | £1,050 to Chiltern Eating Disorders | ||
| *2000 | £1,954 to Raphael | £ 659 to Chiltern Samaritans | ||
| £54,938 |
- Details
- Last Updated on Saturday, 12 March 2011 14:07
- Hits: 661
Macmillan Coffee Morning
We'd like to thank everyone who supported our Macmillan coffee morning on Sept 18th by helping, baking, donating or coming along on the day. We were trying hard to beat last year's sum of £1155.40, and thanks to you all we did!
The final sum comes to £1287.27, which is brilliant and so generous of you all.
Heather Auton & Karen Lowe
- Details
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 December 2010 10:42
- Hits: 204
Iain Rennie Hospice at home
Sharon Hall
- Details
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 December 2010 10:46
- Hits: 317