This year’s Christmas Charities

By The Revd Rosemary Donovan

Spurgeons

Spurgeons is one of the UK’s largest Christian charities working with children, young people and families. From giving children in care in the UK a voice in their own future, to supporting AIDS orphans in Africa, Spurgeons exists to create opportunities for vulnerable children and young people to find hope and transformation now and fulfilment in their future.

Spurgeons vision is to see a world where all children and young people have hope for their future, the ability to make choices and are excited about the opportunities before them. They have numerous projects in the UK and internationally, each seeking to respond to the needs identified in a local community.

They work in partnership with many organisations, including local authorities, Surestart schemes and churches to deliver the services they offer. Above all they rely on the generosity of people who want to make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged young children and support the vital work they do. Please help us give vulnerable children like Daisy the very best start in life. Daisy has a rare neuromuscular disorder causing muscle weakness, affecting her heart and breathing. Her moving story is typical of so many Spurgeons encounter everyday.

Their Core Values are to be:

Caring — recognising that a central need of all people is to feel safe, valued and loved.
Inclusive — recognising each person as a unique individual, treating them with respect and celebrating diversity.
Holistic — showing concern for every aspect of people’s lives and seeking justice when people are treated unfairly.
Hopeful — believing that positive change is possible for all people, having a proactive approach and a can-do mentality.
Responsive — being flexible, creative and innovative and prepared to look for new solutions.
Professional — setting high standards, seeking quality, learning from mistakes in an open and honest way.

St Anne’s will be having special collections for Spurgeons on Sunday 21 December at the Crib service and Candlelit carol service. Please give generously.

Anawim

I have written and spoken about my connection with this group before and feel it would be good to continue supporting them.

The project is based locally aimed at women working in the sex industry and their children in the Birmingham area. In particular Anawim has an outreach worker based in Handsworth who works varied hours by going out two or three times a week around the areas the women work offering:

Hot drinks, sweets and biscuits
A friendly presence
Signpost the women into sexual health services
Housing providers
Services available at the Handsworth base are:
Clean change of clothing and bathing facilities with toiletries
Facilities to make a meal and linking in with other agencies

Further support offered:

Befriending and mentoring as well as emotional support
Filling in forms and attending official appointments
Help with settling into properties
Letters and visits to women open prison.

KINMOS

The Cracking Carols and Christmas Cheer event on Thursday 18 December is also hoping to raise funds for another local charity KINMOS based in Kings Heath that seeks to support those with mental health issues through befriending, providing food and hospitality. Another worthy cause!

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