October 2023 - LET THE CHILDREN LIVE
A charity of Last Resort whose aim is that the forgotten children of Colombia may have life; life in all its fullness.
Let The Children Live! is a charity that works in Colombia with children from the streets and shanty-towns of the city of Medellín. These children were once called ‘the disposable ones’ and although that name is no longer used they are still at high social risk from the violence that they experience in the streets and shanty-towns of cities such as Medellín. Most of the danger in the shanty-towns comes from the many gangs (or bandas) that control them. Let The Children Live! is at present working with 320 very vulnerable boys and girls in this city. For most of them it is their last hope.Their ages range from babies to teenagers and they are often unloved and unwanted; even beaten, robbed, raped and sometimes murdered. By the rest of the world they are either unknown or forgotten. The charity, which was founded by Fr Peter Walters, aims to safeguard the lives of these children from the poverty and violence of the streets and shanty-towns, and to make their lives worth living by giving them love, education and a future.
Let The Children Live! does not run its own projects directly but uses most of the funds it raises to support Fundación ¡Vivan Los Niños!, which is known as Funvini for short. Based in Medellín, Funvini was set up in 1994 to be the main partner of Let The Children Live! in Colombia and to enable it to finance new initiatives for the children there. It has been granted legal recognition as a charity by the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar. Funvini is currently helping some 400 children through its various programmes. Its Director is Father Peter Walters who spends two thirds of the year in Medellín.
November 2023 - COWPLAIN AGE CONCERN
Age Concern Borrow Centre origins started in 1976 with a fund raising drive to provide a day centre as a means of helping the maximum number of older people in the local community. Prior to this time Age Concern Cowplain was already running a Luncheon Club, coffee mornings & outings based in the Cowplain Women’s Institute Hall.
Mr Eddie Borrow, a local farmer, donated a quarter acre site on the corner of London Road with Padnell Avenue. Fund raising continued, with large donations from Waterlooville Lions Club, Mr Borrow, Help The Aged plus interest free loan from Havant Borough Council and many smaller contributions from voluntary fundraisers. Work started on the Borrow Centre in June 1981, at a cost of £38,000, five years after the scheme was initiated,and the centre was opened on 16 October 1981 by The Mayor of Havant.
The Centre flourished and proved extremely popular, so much so that 21 years later in November 2002 the committee approved a complete revamp of the Centre, including new extension and improved facilities to meet the growing needs of the community. Four years and three months of fund raising produced £312,000, and thus enabled building work to expand the Age Concern Borrow Centre to start in June 2006. The official opening of the expanded centre was on 22 February 2007, once again by the Mayor of Havant.
Age Concern Borrow Centre now offers much more to the local community, some of which the original fund raisers in 1981 never could have imagined, such as computing and internet access to the world.
The Centre aims to assist older people in their quest to remain as independent as possible by
• Relieving social isolation
• Encouraging older people to be involved as valued members of the Community
• Promoting well-being
• Helping older people to overcome disabilities
The Centre achieves these objectives by
• Providing a safe friendly environment to encourage social interaction
• Offering a wide variety of stimulating Community activities
• Offering information
• Working closely with other organisations, and acting as a facilitator to ensure that the needs of our local older people are met
• Supporting and training a dedicated team of volunteers.
With the exception of a part time Centre Manager, Age Concern Borrow Centre is a charity run entirely by volunteers.
December 2023 - THE CHILDREN’S SOCIETY
Every young person deserves a good childhood. That's why The Children’s Society fights for the hope and happiness of young people when it's threatened by abuse, exploitation and neglect. They see the hope and courage in young people every day, and it inspires them to support them through their most serious life challenges.
“Young people come to us when they have low self-esteem. When they’re living in families who can’t afford the next meal, the next size up in school uniform. Or when there's no one else to lean on.
“Refugee and migrant children land in this country alone and look to us for guidance to achieve the life they dreamed of. To have a settled home, a secure job and starting a family. They’re not asking for too much.
“We see teenagers in our services who want to quit using drugs or alcohol. Who are looking after mum, dad, or their siblings more than they bargained for. Or who have been taken advantage of and find themselves carrying drugs to far away towns, or having sex with strangers.
“Often, the hope inside them has taken a battering, it might only be hanging by a thread. But we know it's there. And we see a better future is within reach.”
The Children’s Society is a national charity working to transform the hopes and happiness of young people facing abuse, exploitation and neglect. They support them through their most serious life challenges and campaign tirelessly for the big social changes that will improve the lives of those who need hope most. They have been doing this for 140 years.
