Category: Our work – updates

Not all donations to the ClothesBank prove suitable for clients’ needs, so it is proposed to make such surplus goods available to others, for suitable (eg craft) use through the above Event
in Marketgait
on Saturday 2^nd March
from 10am to 3pm.

• Items will be sold as £1 or £2 bagfuls.
• Proceeds for ClothesBank funds

Please give support as you are able:

• Come, search and buy!
• Ask friends,neighbours, colleagues for any kind of fabrics they might be getting rid of – clothes, tablecloths, duvet covers, sheets, curtains, doilies, napkins, broken costume jewellery (– even unbroken costume jewellery!), buttons – all these are much sought after by crafters…

On her recent visit to the FoodBank, Liz topped up donations with more toothpaste (2 tubes already donated) and sets of toothbrushes, having read a newspaper article about families sharing a single brush; Foodbank staff confirmed that this is the case and they have to constantly supply these (ie ‘this is not a newspaper invention’ / ‘fake news’).

We were once again thanked for our continued support.

The need remains:

• In 2018, 9,500 people in Dundee and surrounding areas were helped with food provision.
• Currently 180 persons are served every week and can only access this service on three separate occasions over a six month period.

The redevelopment group meeting planned for 15^th January has been postponed until after the all-church meeting on 20^th January.  It is hoped that the congregation will make progress in considering the shape of its future, and how the building might contribute to that vision.

Recipients of the Armistice Day retiring offering have expressed gratitude for our support of their work, providing the following information:

Help for Heroes: “Thousands of Servicemen and women are living with injuries and illnesses – both physical and mental – each and every day.  Together with their loved ones they continue to need our help to cope with the challenges they face.  Your support means they won’t have to battle alone.  Long-term recovery is more than repairing damaged bodies and minds; it’s about rebuilding lives.  Our mission is to deliver an enduring network of support to help our Heroes with their challenges and to go to live active independent and fulfilling lives.  This is at the heart of everything we do.”

One beneficiary has said – “Thanks with all my heart for being there for me and others.  Please don’t go away. One way or another, we’re going to need you for the rest of our lives.”

Blesma –The Limbless Veterans: “(We are) dedicated to the support of all serving and ex-Service men and women who have lost limbs, or lost the use of limbs or eyes, empowering them to lead independent and fulfilling lives.  We support our Members, both young and old, for life.  Just as we are still caring for our Second World War veterans, we also care for our younger generation, from recent conflicts that have survived complex trauma injury and will need specialised support as they age.  Rehabilitation, advocacy, counselling, and care are the four principles of our Association.  We work tirelessly to provide practical, emotional and financial support to injured veterans and their families as they rebuild their lives.”

Following a request from All We Can to consider supporting their emergency work with others and particularly their local connections in Indonesia, there will be a retiring offering next Sunday, 13th January  to facilitate donations to them in support of the relief and rehabilitation work for victims of this disaster.  However, in the following couple of weeks, further donations can also be given to David Easson (Church Treasurer) for forwarding.

Thanks to some generous donations, we were able to provide Christmas gifts for 3 children who were referred by various agencies looking for support.  

M and T aged 7 and A aged 4 each received gifts of a warm coat, pyjamas, socks and a toy.

Thank you to those who donated towards these.S

‘Church Council has agreed that we will support children in need throughout the city who have been referred by Social Work or other agencies and will buy gifts for a named 7 year old boy.  Any donations of gifts – or money to buy them – to Sue M-J as soon as possible please.’

‘The ClothesBank continues to provide clothing for those in need across the city and we are now also supplying ‘Hospital Bags’ to Ninewells.  These include pyjamas, slippers and essential toiletries for people or their carers who arrive at the hospital in an emergency and do not have time to pack a bag with essentials in it.  The bags for children also include a book and – thanks to a generous donation of £300 from Blackadders – will also include a teddy.  Dundee City Council staff have been fundraising especially for the Hospital Bags and we received a donation of over £170 this week.  Huge thanks to all who support the ClothesBank in so many different ways.’ SMJ