It’s not just foodbanks and care services; the Church is involved in, co-ordinating and running some incredible projects across the region. Here are just some of the things we’ve heard about in the diocese:
- Feeding the 5,000 ~ we are organising foodbanks and organisations to collaborate in feeding the vulnerable in the region (click here to read more and find out how you can help);
- Church support online – linking worshipping communities with content (register to add your online worshipping community)
- Kempsford with Whelford, Cirencester – among the usual offer of errands, local church has donated money to the school to help families known to them in need, not just for school meals;
- Cheltenham, Holy Trinity – Kings Table, offering hot meals on a Monday and Friday lunchtime and food parcels at those times too. Street Teams are giving out food to homeless people in the centre of Cheltenham. Money Matter advice team;
- Newnham-on-Severn, Forest South – forms available on facebook, post office and local shop to recruit volunteers, working alongside the school to still provide meals to those eligible, creating packs for families to make their time off school ‘fun’ and considering putting packs together for the bereaved to include helpful contacts, information and prayers;
- Matson, Gloucester City – : joining with local community groups, providing food, shopping, listening ear for those struggling, prayer cards, and looking to provide activity packs if necessary in the Matson area;
- Bledington, North Cotswolds – Vulnerable adults have been identified and delivery of shopping is being organised. The Community Shop is being well supported and they too are delivering shopping;
- Brimscombe, Stroud – Working in conjunction with Long Table Brimscombe to provide meals at home to those in need;
- Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury and Winchcombe – Coordinating volunteers within areas of Tewkesbury. Facebook: Tewkesbury Town Response;
- Wotton, Ewelme – We have had offer of help for practical things like dog walking and shopping from various not at risk parishioners that we can marry up need and gift. This is being co-ordinated through the parish office;
- Community Net doing amazing work in Tuffley, Robinswood, Podsmead and White City;
- Over 500 people now signed up to the Winchcombe Help Force;
- Morning/evening/night prayer being live-streamed and videoed in a great many places;
- Shurdington Community Mutual Support;
- Pew sheets being given out with daily readings;
- Whatsapp groups all over to enable communication streets by street;
- Short services of prayer being held over the phone;
- Schedules of a daily ‘coo-ee’ giving a regular friendly wave to those in worst cases of isolation;
- ‘Prayer Packs’ going out to the congregation in Upton St Leonard’s.
