Social Concerns Group, Petersfield
This group provides a forum for people from our churches concerned about and involved with the community in which we live. It has been meeting regularly since the late 1980's when its first task was to produce an information booklet for the use of the PACT Welcoming Scheme.
Hilary Bonney
hilarybonney@btinternet.com
Since then it has promoted a number of initiatives including (for a period) a Contact Centre where divorced and separated parents could meet their children; Causeway Prospects, a worship activity for people with learning difficulties; and the popular Christmas Day Lunch for those who would otherwise be alone. Currently we are looking at the support given to older people in our church fellowships and, later, in the community as a whole.
The group encourages a sharing of information and resources, as well as providing feed-back to our congregations so it is helpful to include as many of the churches in PACT as possible.
Notes on Pact Social Concerns Group held at 25 Castle Garden on Mon 20th May 2013 at 10am
Present: Hilary Bonney (Chair), Sue Bone, Pippa Collingwood, Judith Peake, Christine Tully.
Apologies: Brian Edwards, Linda Read
Hilary opened the meeting with prayer.
Matters Arising from meeting of 11th March
1. Food Bank
Since the last meeting a donation of £23 had been received, together with the regular donation into the PACT food bank account. The sale near to date items raised £5.00. Brian had purchased £70 worth of gift vouchers, issued £110 worth and had £160 remaining. He had received £700 from the PACT food bank account and used £360.45 to purchase the needed items as listed in our last meeting, (meats, beverages, puddings) together with household items such as washing powder, washing up liquid, shampoo, toilet paper. There was £367.24 cash in hand and over £1,000 in the PACT account.
The following items were purchased: 12 Jars coffee, 3 sachets coffee, 12 tins meatballs, 36 tins ravioli, 12 tins beef stew, 48 tins spaghetti, 12 jars Bolognese sauce, 24 jars pasta sauce, 30 bags sugar, 48 tins potatoes, 6 pkts nappies,166 pkts toilet rolls, 17 boxes washing powder, 22 sachets drinking chocolate powder, 80 heavy duty plastic bags, 48 tins rice pudding, 24 tins sponge pudding, 6 bottles shampoo, 12 washing up liquid, 6 shower gel. 6 long life milk cartons, milk & bread for one client.
NOT NEEDED until further notice. Tins of beans, tins of soup, packets of pasta.
FOOD ISSUES. Since the last meeting there had been 42 issues of food helping 57 adults and 43 children.
These issues were initiated by:
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There had been 450 issues since Sept. 2010 helping 655 adults and 488 children.
2. Loneliness and isolation, especially in rural communities. Hilary had learned from Rev Judith Bee that Buriton was well catered for. ‘Buriton Neighbour Care’ has been operating for three years and matches volunteers with people needing help with various practical jobs and transport to appointments. We did not have much to report on other areas, but Pippa had noted that in her rural road almost all the residents were above retirement age!
3. Chaplaincy. Pippa had begun work in the Farmer’s market but not yet in Swan surgery. She already knew the manager of the market and many of the stall holders.
4. Christmas Lunch The cheque from Waitrose was eventually received! Hilary had tried to contact Katie so that arrangements for this year could begin. Post Script Katie later replied to Hilary’s email and informed her that she was very ready to organise the Christimas lunch and would call a meeting in September.
The most urgent need was to ascertain the position with regard to the need for CRB checks for those transporting guests.
Any Other Business Petersfield Voluntary Care Group (driving). This is supported by Mary Mitchell, the co-ordinator of the GNSS (Good Neighbour Support Service) There was a need for more drivers. We needed to flag up the importance of Winton House in meeting many social needs and urge more people to volunteer.
Library closure We needed to be aware that some older people may find the steps in the mobile library difficult to cope with and be available to help them. Rev Hughes was investigating the possibility of offering a Wi Fi service at St Peters.
From the local press We could follow Hilary’s example in noting and keeping relevant items in local publications. Articles on Voluntary Driving, Age Concern outings, Buriton’s Neighbour Care, and the restart of Street watch had all been in recent editions of the Petersfield Post.
The May edition of PTC NEWS (Petersfield Town Council) featured TLC - Tending, Listening, Comforting. This charity supports and befriends adults and carers. Volunteers are given full training and they give up to three hours a week to provide emotional and practical support, giving ‘time out’ for carers who are looking after people with Cancer, Alzheimers, Dementia, Parkinson’s, MS, Stroke and other life limiting conditions.
To volunteer or to give the name of someone who may need help contact jenny@hospiceservices.org.uk.
The meeting was closed with prayer
Date of next meeting This was changed to Monday 1st July 2013 in the Salvation Army Hall.
- Read the Social Concerns Group Annual Reports
- Read about the work of Social Concerns in the PACT Churches in 2009
- Read the notes from the meeting in January 2012
- Read the notes from the meeting in March 2012
- Read the notes from the meeting in May 2012
- Read the notes from the meeting in July 2012
- Read the notes from the meeting in September 2012
- Read the notes from the meeting in October 2012
- Read the notes from the meeting in January 2013
- Read the notes from the meeting in March 2013