Category: Our work – updates

Fairtrade Fortnight

The fortnight runs from 26th February to 11th March. Buy goods from the Traidcraft stall as well as fairly traded goods from charity shops and supermarkets.

ClothesBank outreach

The ClothesBank has been going for over a year and has helped around 150 people.

We continue to receive funds from the RagBag collections, and just before Christmas, a generous donation of over £180 from a Frocks and Fizz evening held by the Gate Fellowship, proceeds of which were for “our partner charity, Dundee Clothing Project”.

So we had enough funds to purchase toiletries, gloves, hats and warm leggings. These and about 20 new reversible fleece / waterproof coats that were donated by Allison Stiven, were taken to the Salvation Army premises on Christmas Day, where a splendid Christmas Lunch was being hosted for all those in need.

We still have funds available and plenty of clothing in stock and it has been suggested that we make up packs to be given out at Ninewells Hospital, for those who may arrive via emergency services, without any suitable clothing or toiletries, so we will be doing this in the next week or so.

All donations of clothing, shoes, boots and handbags still very welcome.

Dundee Food Bank

A letter of thanks has been received for Marketgait’s donations and support during the past year. The FoodBank remains committed to “providing emergency food relief to individuals, couples and families experiencing hardship throughout the city of Dundee and its surrounding area”.

In 2016, over 8,500 people were assisted with non-perishable food provision and the FoodBank is currently feeding 150 persons per week. (Clients can access the Foodbank on 3 separate occasions over a 6-month period.)

Clothes Bank in the Evening Telegraph

The Methodist Clothes Bank will be open on Thursday 28th December, as part of the Dundee Drop In programme offering help to those in need over the festive period.
Due to a misunderstanding, the reporter assumed that the Rev Sue Jansen, not Sue Marshall-Jennings, was running this project. Rev Sue is Methodist chaplain in St Andrews, and supports the work of the Clothes Bank, as well as being a Methodist presence in St Andrews.

All We Can: Appeal for Rohingya refugees

All We Can and the Methodist Church in Britain are calling for support for an urgent appeal for refugees displaced by the recent violence in Burma. Since late August, more than half a million people have fled from violence in Rakhine State to Bangladesh for safety.

All We Can has initially responded with essential food supplies for families, but much more help is needed.

Church Council résumé

On Wednesday the following decisions were taken:

  • reappointments of Church Treasurer (D Easson), Council Secretary (M Goudie), Pastoral Secretary (J Easson), the Independent Examiner (“auditor”) (F Thomas) and the appointment of the in-coming Finance & Property Convener (K Pearson);
  • in connection with the church development, opening of a property scheme in the Connexional property system, also appointment of Andrew Black Design as architect; an initial sum of £5k to be identified within the church accounts as a redevelopment fund;
  • as there will be no Communion Offering in November (Service in Salem URC), the sum of £50 will be forwarded to the Earl Haig Fund with no need for a (subsequent) retiring offering. This is the amount of the Communion Offering in November 2016 allocated to Tayforth Veterans, but returned to us because of difficulties within the organisation. The Council agreed that, given the work of Tayforth Veterans and the Earl Haig Fund both aim to offer support to former Service personnel, this amount could be treated as the 2017 Communion Offering for the Earl Haig Fund. Please contact the Church Treasurer with any comments or queries, and / or any further donations.
  • Public Worship will take place in Marketgait on Christmas Day at 10.30am.
  • Next meeting – Wednesday 7th February 2018, at 7pm.

Updates were received from the ClothesBank and the Link Club; discussion was held about Scottish Churches Housing Action, ‘MHA extra Christmas card’ (details to come), the return to be made to OSCR, process for decision-making by email, and Data Protection requirements.