2020 The year that didn't stand still!

Looking back on the past year 2020 it would be easy to write it off as the year that stood still – but looking back at the detail it was not a wasted year –

The year of the Zoom meeting - Nobody had heard of it a year ago - suddenly we all became experts! 

(can you hear me, I can't see everyone, dodgy backgrounds,cats and kids weve seen them all this year - but we are all it gurus's now!)

When the first lockdown was imposed in March 2020, our members discussed how we as a club might best help our local community. It was decided that we could reach more people directly in need, by supporting the local Food Banks.

https://bromleyborough.foodbank.org.uk/

https://lewisham.foodbank.org.uk/

Up to the end of December we have made monthly donations to two sites in Lewisham and Bromley totalling £4500.

 During the year, we also supported local NHS workers by donations of hand and face creams and snacks etc valued at £1000,

We also joined with the Rotary Satellite club in Orpington and with other local clubs and supporters we have collectively sewn and donated more than 1000 masks for local hospital staff at Orpington, the PRU. Queen Elizabeth’s and Lewisham hospitals. This is in addition to 4000 wash bags

Zoom meetings became the norm.

Some of our members were in the shielding category but they still continued with their community service work by supporting local organizations via the end of a telephone or on a screen.

Amongst our members we have clocked up 100’s of hours of service in various roles from being being school governors, treasures, committee members, food bank drivers, Support workers, admin assistant’s, Mentors, telephone befrienders for many different organisations.

Our biggest fund raiser is our annual Xmas collection is when we normally collect between £10k to £11k for The Small Community Grants fund unfortunately this collection in the normal format had to be shelved for this year - We don’t carry a reserve for this fund as every penny collected is always distributed to good causes locally at the start of the year.

So, we decided to run a Silent auction in its place

Due to the generosity of the doners and the bidders we were able to raise over £2200 in early December

Which was donated £1000 to St Christopher’s Hospice, and £200 each to Bromley young Careers, Bromley and District Talking Newspaper Cruse, The Samaritans, Bromley and Croydon’s women’s aid and The Calmzone.net

At our meeting in November, it was suggested we might bring a ray of sunshine to one or two local families who appeared to have slipped below the radar of the welfare system, by providing help over the Christmas period.

We sought advice from two local Churches, and in the week before Christmas we personally delivered to the two families.

Family 1 received, a turkey and all the trimmings plus enough food to last 2/3 weeks, and also a tablet which was much needed by their 9year old daughter to assist with online home schooling.

Family 2, where the mother had been struck down and incapacitated by MS, we delivered suitable presents for the family and a selection of festive food and treats to see them through to the New Year.

We have received letters from both families expressing their gratitude and saying how much our care for them has meant. One of the recipients, rounded off saying. ” We did not know that such people existed, and we have not experienced such care and love since we came to this country 10 years ago.”

Mid December we were contacted to help with the vaccination program at various sites around the area