We know that the last 17 months have placed an added burden on families and those who live on their own and this was especially felt last Christmas. Hinckley Area Foodbank(HAFB) has partnered with several other organisations in the Borough over the last few years to supply the 'food' element of the annual 'Christmas appeal'. During covid the nature of this food element change from giving food parcels to giving vouchers. These vouchers are restricted in their use in that they can only be used to purchase food (ie no alcohol, cigarettes, fuel or gifts). To this end, Hinckley Area Foodbank sets aside a portion of its budget each year to support this. Last year, despite increasing the budget allowance for this by over 30%, the need would have been well short as we saw nearly a 200% rise in demand. But God was good, He already foresaw this and in the summer of last year this a generous sponsor stepped forward to match the budget allocation so that all requests were met.Conscience of continuing and increasing difficulties Chris Wright, fundraiser for HAFB, organised a 12 mile sponsored walk, beginning and ending at Bradgate Park on Saturday 1st July. A dozen or so sponsored walkers, including me, plus a dog set off from the Newton Linford car park and headed up to Old John. From there we descended and walked through Lingdale Golf Club before facing the stiffest climb up Broombriggs Hill . Then it was down again before rising to the peak of Beacon Hill. Lunch was taken at the base of the country park. On recommencing our walk we took in the nearby windmill before encountering a traction engine in Swithland village. A well earned ice at the Bradgate Park Visitor Centre near the end of the walk capped off a lovely day. The weather was kind to us throughout and the walk was well led by Chris who allowed for photo opportunities and catch-up or catch your breath stops. Many different pairings and conversations added to the enjoyment of the day. I was sponsored for over £225 and nearly £2000 was raised by the event. My heartfelt thanks go out to all who sponsored us. You may never meet the families you will bless this Christmas but many of them will say how grateful they are to be able to celebrate at that special time of year thanks to you. Jim Matthews
We are entering an exciting time with regards to our third 'Hope in the Summer' project as we make the last preparations for hamper distribution to 39 families identified as in need of support this summer. Thanks go to those in the churches, pre schools and the Family support worker attached to our federated schools for aiding this process.We are finalising details in order to make two deliveries to nominated families on July 4th and again on August 1st. With the support from Hinckley Area Food Bank, an ASDA Community grant and the Parish Council, we are now going to deliver 3 days’ worth of food plus fresh fruit in July and provide ALDI vouchers plus fruit for the delivery in August. Please continue to pray for:all of the arrangements to come together and that everything is in place at the right time;sufficient volunteers when we are packing and delivering hampers, especially in July;the families, that they will be blessed by what they receive and that they feel God's love and hope this summer;the Hinckley Area Food Bank - may God bless them for all that they do. Thank you.The Hope Team
Maundy Thursday John 13 v 5, 12-14 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.......12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. As a baby we will have had an adult wash our feet even if we don’t have the actual memory of the event. But since childhood, can you remember having you had your feet washed by someone else? Have you had your feet washed in public? This year the Maundy Thursday service included foot washing! Rev Jo gave us the opportunity to have our feet washed by her. No pressure; just the opportunity to allow her to do this. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. Could I cope with that and allow it to happen? Would it take more courage than I had, to agree to this? Could I bear for someone to touch my very ticklish feet? I was in danger of over-thinking this. My feet are no longer pretty - they are mis-shapen with age, worn, lumpy and bumpy. In Jesus time, when He washed the disciples feet, He would have been washing off dirt and grime from the tracks/paths they had walked on. Even though my feet were relatively clean, it was still very humbling to have someone else wash my feet. And so the Rector dressed in her priestly robes knelt and gently washed and dried our feet in turn as we sat before her. It was a very tender moment and one in which I felt surrounded by God’s love, humbled and honoured, precious and loved by God who sent His only Son to die on a cross for each one of us.
