For those of you not on Facebook (and yes, I know there are at least two of you!), here is the final stage of the Winter Coat saga.
I must say it has been a wonderful act to be part of - and so beautiful to see how quickly the word spread in so many directions, as people got behind the need that I only actually voiced one week ago.
In summary - I heard about the need for 3000 winter coats on Saturday, Facebook and blogged it that night, mentioned it at church on the Sunday, and from that day coats started coming in. On Monday 5 local schools were told about the need, and by the end of the week we had a lot of bags of donations from them. We also had bags of coats from various other quarters, and it all resulted in me driving down to Kids Company on Friday with a car absolutely packed full of coats for all ages.
It was a privilege to be the person able to take the coats down, and so see the delight on the faces of the staff as I showed them the car. With lots of help, we got all the coats indoors, and the staff started telling me more about the work that they do.
Kids Company in Bristol work with disadvantaged children, young people and young families in a number of ways. They provide social support, practical help, family input, parenting support and mentoring, as well as a range of alternative education services for children age 7 - 16 who have been excluded from school and pupil referral units. They are soon to be starting providing alternative education for children age 5 upwards as well, as they have already seen a need for this - yes, children age 5 and 6 already excluded from school.
Its so sad to think that families and individuals just down the road from us are in so much need, and live such dysfunctional and disengaged lives, but that is the reality, and its great to think that we have been able to do even just a tiny bit to help them.
So thank you to everyone who helped with this impromptu appeal - may you be blessed as you have blessed others.
PS - there are many other ways that Kids Company can be helped - contact me if you want to know more.
I must say it has been a wonderful act to be part of - and so beautiful to see how quickly the word spread in so many directions, as people got behind the need that I only actually voiced one week ago.
In summary - I heard about the need for 3000 winter coats on Saturday, Facebook and blogged it that night, mentioned it at church on the Sunday, and from that day coats started coming in. On Monday 5 local schools were told about the need, and by the end of the week we had a lot of bags of donations from them. We also had bags of coats from various other quarters, and it all resulted in me driving down to Kids Company on Friday with a car absolutely packed full of coats for all ages.
It was a privilege to be the person able to take the coats down, and so see the delight on the faces of the staff as I showed them the car. With lots of help, we got all the coats indoors, and the staff started telling me more about the work that they do.
Kids Company in Bristol work with disadvantaged children, young people and young families in a number of ways. They provide social support, practical help, family input, parenting support and mentoring, as well as a range of alternative education services for children age 7 - 16 who have been excluded from school and pupil referral units. They are soon to be starting providing alternative education for children age 5 upwards as well, as they have already seen a need for this - yes, children age 5 and 6 already excluded from school.
Its so sad to think that families and individuals just down the road from us are in so much need, and live such dysfunctional and disengaged lives, but that is the reality, and its great to think that we have been able to do even just a tiny bit to help them.
So thank you to everyone who helped with this impromptu appeal - may you be blessed as you have blessed others.
PS - there are many other ways that Kids Company can be helped - contact me if you want to know more.
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