Times Change

Over 10 years ago, Brigette and I, together with our 2 other cooking teams —Jill and John, Michael and Chris — started the Fellowship Lunch, held monthly in my home. It worked well, with each team cooking a delicious meal every third month. People enjoyed the hospitality. When Brigette started a new job organising pastoral care in another church, the commitment became bimonthly for the remaining teams. Their loyalty has been amazing, especially as they are also often involved in cooking and serving food at other church events.

Time moved on, and I was finding it harder to host the lunches, so we sadly decided to stop doing them at the end of the year.

I have supported The Children’s Society for over 50 years, starting in St. Paul’s, Sale where I accosted people leaving the morning service, asking them to take a House Box. I then hastily passed them on to my 14-year-old son Andy, who was writing their names and addresses down, while I went on relentlessly inviting the next person. I only know how long ago that was because Andy is now approaching a significant birthday.

When we moved to Shoreham and joined the Good Shepherd Church, it just happened that a new Children’s Society fundraiser was needed. Fortunately, 15 years later, when I was finding the boxes of money too heavy to take to the bank on my own, Michael and Chris appeared. But times change and House Boxes are being phased out due to internet banking and card payments. However, the Children’s Society has also changed with the times, plugging the gaps in social care and education provision, supporting child carers, troubled teenagers and children with special needs.

Our financial support is still very much needed.

New Friends

 Moving forward, I wanted to find a way of providing hospitality for a social group differently. I decided to start a new afternoon group, meeting from 2 to 4pm on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month at 3, Kings Walk. 

Michael and Chris will be supporting this venture, which will be called FRIENDS.

Chat and games, plus tea and cakes, will be on offer as well as a warm welcome.  Our first dates were the 7th and 21st February.

 We will also become Friends of the Children’s Society as we will ask for a small donation for this charity. (Suggested minimum: £2 per afternoon): If you would like to come to meet or make friends, please let me know.

Lifts may be possible.

PS: I would love to hear from anyone who could help in any way; for example by baking a cake, serving refreshments, or giving a lift.

Joy Daintree