Our Lady and St Thomas of Canterbury, Wymondham.

Moving

The Wymondham Community Outreach Project has moved to a new location at Wymondham Abbey. The Foodbank has been at our church since the beginning of the pandemic. From the beginning, Arnie McConnell, the project’s coordinator and all the volunteers have provided and continue to provide a valuable and much needed service to the vulnerable in our community. I personally have seen the extraordinary commitment and dedication Arnie has to this most worthwhile project. I have witnessed at first hand, his compassion understanding, empathy, efficiency and always, his willingness to go that extra mile. He helps, encourages motivates empowers and ensures all are welcome. I and the parish are grateful to him and his team of volunteers for the way they live the Gospel and for the work they do and the way they do it. On behalf of the parish, I thank Arnie and the volunteers in the Foodbank for their generosity of spirit, kindness and care for others. May God bless you and all those you serve, and we wish you all the very best in your new location.

Fr. Denis.

December 2022
“Social problems must be addressed by community networks and not simply by the sum of individual good deeds.” Pope Francis Laudato Si

Help with gas and electricity

During the last few sessions, we have arranged energy vouchers for five households. Those who ask for help invariably use a pre-payment meter which charge the customer at a higher tariff than non-meter contracts. Very often the people turn to us are without gas or electricity or are down to their last few pence and are unable to top up. The most recent request for help was from a working mother who was caring for her clinically vulnerable son. The Outreach Project can provide immediate help for those who are unable to heat or light their homes.

Foodbank

The number of people who visit our foodbank continues to rise. We are serving approximately 70 households in Wymondham and the surrounding villages each week. Volunteers have been made aware of a growing anxiety amongst our visitors as low-income families and individuals struggle to make ends meet. Be in no doubt: without our foodbank, local children and vulnerable adults will be forced to go without meals. It is the poorest who suffer most in the current cost of living crisis.

Community welfare

Our commitment to the marginalised in our community includes welfare support. In the last few sessions, we have supported a Norfolk Police resettlement initiative and we have worked with South Norfolk Council to provide support for individuals and families over and above food, energy vouchers and clothing.

Toys for Christmas

We are currently distributing toys to approximately 60 children living in conditions of hardship this Christmas.

Support

We were delighted to be selected by Kevin Hurn, Mayor of Wymondham, to be one of his two charity groups that he will be raising funds for.

Residents of Wood Avens Way are kindly raising money for the Outreach Project in their ‘Light up our Houses’ event during the Christmas period.

Thanks goes to those parishioners who have made donations to help households in need within our community.

If you feel you can help to serve the vulnerable with compassion and empathy, please contact me at community@wymondhamrcchurch.org.uk

Demand for our Outreach services continue to grow. As inflation increases, it has a disproportionally negative effect on low-income households. The vulnerable may also experience unacceptable delays in accessing state entitlements.

One person diagnosed with a serious illness writes:

“I don’t know what I’d have done without this wonderful support. Still waiting to hear from the Department for Work and Pensions (application for a disability allowance). So had no Income since August.”

A mother writes:

“The support the Outreach Project gives us is tremendously important! If it wasn’t for their support we would really struggle to put food on the table as well as pay for gas and electricity and the other basic requirements a family needs. We have to visit the foodbank regularly in order to survive as our household incomes are very low and we are constantly struggling.

I have no idea what we would do if the wonderful people volunteering and donating weren’t here to support us.”

Another simply states:

“I’d be lost without the help and support.”

Arnie McConnell
Wymondham Community Outreach Project