Each year we try to support a mix of international, national and local charities. Some we support via a special service, for example the Remembrance Sunday collection goes to the Royal British Legion, while others might be a special appeal, such as the Disaster Emergency Committee.
Ivan Tumusiime, who was born 29th April 2003 and lives in Uganda, is the child we have sponsored through Compassion UK.
Ivan lives under the care of his mother. His home duties include washing clothes, carrying water and helping out in the kitchen. There are 4 children in the family.
For fun, Ivan likes playing house, playing hide and seek and playing ball games. He attends Sunday School and Church regularly. He also attends school.
Please remember Ivan in your prayers and pray that he is well and happy. Your love and support will help him to receive the assistance he needs to grow and develop.
If you would like to write to Ivan, please contact Jane Hughes who has special paper. I'm sure he would love to hear from some of us!
We support the Children's Society through:
Anyone interested in giving regularly to the Society can have a Children's Society box at home and collect money in it. In August/September each year the boxes are collected, the money banked and the boxes returned to the holders. Any foreign coins are separated out and given to the Red Cross who collect them nationally.
We currently have 36 box holders at St Mary's Church. Despite the continuing difficult economic conditions and the calls from other charities, our box holders donated £765 in 2011. We would like to thank all the donors on the Society's behalf.
The collections at the Christingle Services held on Christmas Eve are for the Children's Society. Waitrose in Yateley supply the oranges, sweets, and dried fruit to make 175 Christingles, so our thanks go to Mr Mason and his staff.
The donations received by the Children's Society enable it to make a real and practical improvement in the lives of children.
Our house was dirty, there was no food and dad was drunk. The Children's Society helped. I mean really helped. Life is so different now.
Other children say I'm different. They call me names. They think that because I can't walk properly I don’t understand. The Children's Society helps me feel better about myself. They talk to me about what I want to do. They helped me find work in a pet shop. I love it! I feel so happy about the future.
The Children's Society has helped us so much with food, clothing, getting support and if I just need to talk to somebody ... whatever we need. I've started to think that maybe things will work out.