We've been working hard over the year as a church, to care for God's good creation and share this with our community. We couldn't do any of this on our own, and we've been blown away by how people have gotten involved. Over our five Benefice churches, here's what we achieved in 2024:numerous car loads of items to the Bassetlaw Food Bank, including 123 items of children's clothing 'rescued' from a lane where they would potentially never degrade because of what they are made of, and spoiling our beautiful countrysideweekly drop offs for recycling of used medication blister packsused eyeglasses, pen and stamps recycled, instead of going to landfill30,900!! aluminium cans being recycled raising £412 for Tearfund's WASH initiative, helping support the creation of safe washing and drinking facilities for vulnerable communities147 plastic sweet tubs, as part of the TUBS2PUBS scheme, being recycled instead of going to landfill ( this scheme has recycled 230, 000 plastic sweet tubs over the last five years)A toilet in All Saints Mattersey twinned with one in a rural community in Tanzania ( raised from collecting small change during our regular quiz nights)700 bras collected as part of Bawtry against Breast Cancer month, either recycled, repurposed or reused via the Foodbank. 44 Christmas shoe boxes delivered as part of the Samaritans Purse schemeWe want to do more this year, so look out for more news from St Helena's.
Why not join in with one of these initiatives, either on your own, at work or with your local church? https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2024-05/sustainability-calendar-pdf-version.pdfSt Helena's will be getting involved with many of them over the year so keep watching this space and our Benefice Eco page on Facebook.
What would it be like to have no toilet, no clean running water or safe place to wash? This is the experience of millions of people around the globe, as Tearfund explains:"We believe that breaking free from poverty is extremely difficult for communities if they are unable to access clean water, use safe sanitation services and practise healthy hygiene habits.WASH approaches include:building and rehabilitating facilities such as water points and community-based toilet blocks supporting the management and maintenance of water supply services, such as a handpump mechanics association and technical response groups using social and behaviour change approaches to promote healthy WASH behavioursThese approaches carefully consider sustainability and aim to minimise our impact on the environment. We prioritise the inclusion of diverse voices in WASH planning and provide contextual solutions that are both climate resilient and conflict- and gender-sensitive. Central to Tearfund’s WASH work is how the church can help facilitate these approaches.The WASH resources explore how these approaches are adapted and implemented across the humanitarian-to-development spectrum".Help us to love our global neighbours by leaving us your clean, crushed aluminium cans at St Helena's church, or any churches in our Benefice, and all the money raised will be sent to Tearfund in support of this essential work in bringing equity to those without safe hygiene facilities. So far, we have raised £340!!!THANK YOU!
