Page 10 - Jigsaw December 2020

Charity fundraising......................................................................
Could you rise to the challenge? SVP needs volunteers...
A local volunteering charity, rising to the challenge of COVID-19 by helping people
in need during the pandemic is now highlighting the challenges being faced to the people of Thrapston and the surrounding areas.
The St Vincent de Paul Society – more commonly known as simply the SVP –
has been delivering grocery supplies to vulnerable people who are shielding and can’t get out to their local shops, as well as providing food to those who are struggling to afford to feed their families.
In addition, volunteers have been phoning or writing to lonely and isolated people, providing friendship and someone to talk to for those who can’t visit family and friends.
“Many local people have been really suffering during the coronavirus crisis,” commented Joe Gasan, a member of the local SVP group that covers the Thrapston and the surrounding areas. “Loneliness,
depression and food poverty have been on the rise, but our volunteers have been working really hard to help them.”
Now the SVP is reaching out to the local people to support the group’s efforts.
“New problems keep coming along,”
Joe said. “We have now officially gone into recession, many people are being made redundant, and government rules forbidding landlords from evicting tenants are coming to an end soon. And we are seeing an imminent second wave of COVID-19
as winter approaches. Unemployment, homelessness and food poverty are on the rise and we need help in giving assistance to those in need.”
There are three ways that local people can support the SVP:
• Volunteer with them and give a little bit of time to help out with ‘knock and drop’ food deliveries.
• Donate to them – you could either send a cheque made out to the SVP at the Presbytery St Paul the Apostle Church, Sackville Street, Thrapston, NN14 4FE or, if you prefer, make a donation online at www.svp.org.uk.
• Raise money by fundraising for the SVP – there are lots of wild and wacky ideas for fun ways to fundraise on the SVP website
“We hope the people of Thrapston will rise to the challenge of supporting our work at this particularly challenging time,” Joe added.
The SVP is an international volunteering charity. Founded in 1833 it now has 800,000 members in 153 countries worldwide. In England and Wales it has around 10,000 members who give their time to help those in need. It is named after St Vincent de Paul whose work to help the poor and hungry inspires SVP members to this day. St Vincent is now the patron saint of charities.
For further information please contact: Joe Gasan on 07860 372283.
THE SVP
CHALLENGE OF COVID-19
RISING
TO THE
Giving financial help
Keeping people connected
Delivering food parcels
Offering friendship
Please donate to support this vital work
www.svp.org.uk/rise
registered charity number 1053992 l a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales 3174679
Registered address: St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales), Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7JB
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