Children at the Sunshine School, which is our chosen charity for 2018
The Reedham Christmas Tree festival will take place on 8th and 9th December from 11am to 4pm. Festive refreshments will be available for visitors
If you are interested in decorating a tree, here are the facts:
- You need to contact Julia Connelly, Diana Gilder or Revd Lorna Allies to arrange to purchase your allocated spot in the church. You will be asked for your organisation or group name, the main contact name and phone number, and a donation of £25 for the tree (which will be provided)
- You are asked to provide your own stand or other support for the tree, but if this causes difficulty please let one of the organisers know
- You will be responsible for decorating your own tree. Battery powered lights may be used, but not mains powered ones.
- There will be voting for the best tree, so encourage your friends and family to come along and vote for you.
- The church will be available for decorating your tree from 3pm to7pm on Friday 7th December
- You are encouraged to bring promotional material for your organisation or group (no larger than A3, please)
- At the close of the exhibition at 4pm on Sunday 9th there will be carols and carols, accompanied by the Broadland Band. The winner of the best decorated tree will be announced.
There is no admission charge to the festival, but donations are requested. These will be shared between the church and the chosen charity for 2018 - Sunshine Educare in South Africa. (www.sunshineschool.co.za)
Sunshine Educare is located in the Wolwerivier informal settlement just outside Cape Town, South Africa.
The Xhosa name of “Umta Welanga” (When in a dark, cloudy sky, a ray of sunshine breaks through) best describes this amazing facility which is an oasis of light in a place of darkness. It offers hope in a place that has none and a future in a place where no-one lives, everyone merely survives.
The school originally started off in an undersized shack with 70 huddled in one dark, shared room. And has since grown to accommodate over 100 children from 5 week old babies to 6 year olds in 4 classes with 3 classrooms and plenty of outdoor play space.
The school also serves as a “community centre” and is used as a meeting place for community meetings, or meetings with external parties such as social workers and it acts as a community church at weekends. It has become a symbol of hope and possibilities. The preschool grows a supply of vegetables offering a purpose for the unemployed members of the community and providing fresh vegetables to their families as well as our children.
With the nearest healthcare facility 15km away and limited access to public transport in the community, 2017 saw the opening of the Aksel Memorial Clinic, a free clinic based at the creche offering first aid and follow up treatments to the community as well as a doctor’s clinic once a week.
One of the parishioners in our benefice is an active supporter and goes out to help as often as she can - and this summer, she took her family out with her! We hope you will come and enjoy our Christmas tree festival and read more about Sunshine Educare. They need all the help and support we can give them.