NOVEMBER 2015
Urgent appeal for volunteer families FRIENDS of Chernobyl’s Children (West Leics) are appealing for volunteer host families who could offer a secure, loving home for a child living with the after effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster for one month next summer. The charity is also urgently seeking hosts for two English speaking interpreters who will be accompanying the children on their trip. All host families need to live within 30 mins commuting distance of the charity’s day centre in Markfield and should ideally have their own transport. Hosts will be required to drop off their child/interpreter in Markfield between 8.30am and 9.00am each weekday morning and pick them up again at approx. 4.30pm each weekday afternoon. The children will be expected to spend evenings and weekends with their host families. All host family members aged 18 and over will be required to have an enhanced DBS check and provide details of two referees. There are no age restrictions but hosts need to be fit, able to manage a vulnerable young child and willing to provide them with a loving and stable home for 4 weeks. Group Coordinator John Buckby explained “We have a long waiting list of children who would really benefit from a month of respite from the conditions they endure in their homeland, but we are desperately short of volunteer host families. Although the children will not be arriving until 30th July 2016, there are lots of formalities that have to be completed in Belarus before the children are able to travel and time is against us. We need to sign up potential hosts by early December if we are to stand any chance of offering a place next summer to just some of the really needy children on our waiting list. Hosting can be a hugely rewarding experience and I would love to hear from anyone who is interested in working in partnership with the charity to provide a lifechanging recuperative holiday for a child from Belarus. My fingers are firmly crossed that local families will come forward in time.” For more information about the charity’s Family Hosting Programme, visit www. focc-westleics.org.uk or contact John Buckby on 01455 285799 e-mail john. evolution@btinternet.com.
Help socialise our kittens APPEAL FROM REDGATE FARM ANIMAL SANCTUARY
COULD YOU spare an occasional hour for Redgate to help socialise our kittens? At the moment we have about 14 cats and kittens at Redgate Farm Animal Sanctuary near Markfield, and we would like to ask your kind Herald readers if they might be able to help us with the following requests. Firstly, ‘socialisation’ through company. We’d love to see you
Continued on page 2
LET’S CELEBRATE! ON DECEMBER 5TH, 6th & 7th Markfield Methodist Church is holding a festival celebrating Christmas traditions both religious & secular. There will be twenty trees/displays, one of which is a knitted Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. This has to be seen! Opening times are: Saturday, 10.00 – 4.00, Sunday, 12.00 – 4.00 and Monday, 9.30 – 12.00. Admission is free and refreshments will be served throughout with soup & roll on offer on Saturday from 12.00 to 1.30. Also on Saturday there will be a cake stall, chocolate tombola, raffle and “Guess Teddy’s Birthday”.
Come & Sing Carols! HERE’S another opportunity to get into the festive spirit. Join us at the festival on Saturday 5th between 2.30 and 3.30 and choose your favourite carol to sing in an informal café setting. We look forward to seeing you sometime over the weekend.
Stanton Christmas Fayre Saturday 29th November 2 - 4 p.m CHRISTMAS FAYRE. Various stalls, Craft, Bric a Brac, Raffle, Tombola, Books and Cakes. Tea and coffee will be available. Come and Join us for this Fund Raising Social Event.
NEXT ISSUE OUT: Saturday 5th December - Adverts & Articles Needed By 21st November