St John the Baptist Parish Church

There are more than 136,000 potential victims of modern slavery in the United Kingdom today. This shocking information was told to members of the Mothers' Union at the Diocesan Meeting this month by Ursula Kopp from Mary Sumner House, the head office of The Mothers' Union worldwide.

Some of the signs of modern slavery are signs of physical or psychological abuse and untreated injuries, people who appear malnourished, unkempt, withdrawn and neglected. Also individuals who seem to be under the control of others, wear the same clothes everyday and have no safety equipment even if their work needs it. They are often collected and dropped off on a regular basis, usually in a crowded mini bus, rarely allowed to travel alone and have no ID documents.

We were told that if we saw any indication of possible malpractice, we should not approach anyone directly but contact the Modern Slavery helpline on 08000 121 700 for advice or ring 101 to report non-emergency suspicious activity, or 999 in an mergency.

For further information please look on the internet for the Clewer Initiative, www.theclewerinitiative.org.

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 5th November at 7.30pm when Revd Peter Bestley will be talking about Coping with Depression and Mental Illness. 

We have a change of speaker for the following meeting on Wednesday 13th November at 2pm as Tom Way will not be coming but we will have Jim Porter from Sebastian’s Action Trust instead. Jim will be telling us about the wonderful respite care offered to terminally ill children and their families at their centre situated here in the heart of Crowthorne.

The Prayer Meeting will be on Monday 18 November at 10.00 and Corporate Communion on Wednesday 20 November also at 10.00.

We will be running the cake stall at the Advent Fair on Sunday 1 December and would be delighted to receive cakes on the day. We can also arrange to collect any beforehand.

Penny Rickards

Sebastian’s Action Trust is a remarkable charity whose mission is to “support families of seriously-ill children from diagnosis, through treatment and beyond by listening and responding to their unmet needs.  All families of seriously-ill children should be able to have quality time together to relax, recharge and rebuild, never having to face life alone”.  They are based in Upper Broadmoor Road and also have a purpose built holiday home in Hampshire.  You can find out more at: www.sebastiansactiontrust.org

Editor

 

MU Shoebox Appeal

The ladies of the Mothers Union Committee are again co-ordinating gifts of filled shoeboxes for the Family and Elderly Shoebox Appeal.  The shoeboxes will be distributed by “Link to Hope” through Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria and Ukraine. They go to families and  elderly people that literally struggle to survive on a day to day basis. 

You can fill up your own shoebox, share a box with a friend or just let us have anything you have from the list and we will make up boxes from your donations. 

We would also like to thank Mary Clarke for knitting many bobble hats which will be included in our boxes. 

There are leaflets in the foyer, please take one and ask a committee member if you need more information. Thank you.