Saturday 11th April 2020

Dear All,

Hope you are enjoying the wonderful spring weather and are managing to stand outside, at least for a short while. Taking exercise whilst socially distancing is proving a bit tricky when everyone chooses to do it at the same time.  😊 Nonetheless, please stay safe.

Happy Easter to all who are celebrating. Though people cannot go to church, hopefully, most people celebrating will be able to see services on their phones or TVs. For people who usually have Easter egg hunts, this year the Easter Bunny will have to hide the eggs in the house.

Thank you to everyone who sent items for the activity packs, and thank you to people who sent board games and jig-saws. Please keep sending things – at the moment they are going to the Initial Accommodation; however, we are hoping to pass some to asylum seekers in dispersed accommodation.

If you are able to drop things off,the Clothing Store is at 86, Kirkgate, WF1 1TR. We are open on Mondays and Fridays 1pm – 3pm, and the main food bank is on Wednesdays 10am – 12pm. People can call in – social distancing will apply. (Please don’t leave things if no one is there. Thanks)

Currently, many people are stuck indoors, everyone is in lock-down, and many of us have no choices and little connection to the outside world , so a lot of activities and games are needed. In order to let people stay in touch, any donations of working radios would be really appreciated.

Information:

As the lock-down continues more people are needing information on benefits, employment and housing. Please ring Wakefield Council on 0345 506 506,

or follow these links:

Wakefield Council
Wakefield Council List of Services

Similarly, if you go to https://www.migrantinfohub.co.uk/ and choose Wakefield, Migration Yorkshire is updating information regularly, and has the information in different languages.

If you are Eritrean or know people who are Eritrean and are struggling with Universal Credit or other issues Tesfalem and some Eritrean peers have created a Facebook help page.  Please click on this link.

Food.

The Real Junk Food Project Kindness Shop, is offering food parcels. Some can be bought on your phone other are free. You can ring 01924 365 064 or Google The Real Junk Food Project Kindness Sharehouse, go to ‘Learn More’ for the information.

They are also looking for volunteer drivers if anyone is interested. 

Things to do:

Writing Competition: ***there is still time to apply ***

Wakefield District City of Sanctuary is running a Writing Competition.

The theme is ‘One World’, people can enter poetry of prose and the deadline is 17th April 2020. The first prize is £100. All the information is on this webpage.

Now is the time to read the instructions and be creative.

Candles on Sunday

In the spirit of unity, solidarity and peace it has been suggested that on each Sunday evening at 7pm people place a lighted candle in their front garden, on their front wall or in a front window. If possible, and abiding by social distancing, people could stand in their gardens in a show of unity and peace for 5 minutes.

To share a moment in the week may help us all value our neighbours and friends and appreciate that we are all facing this pandemic together.

To quote a famous saying – 

 ‘it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness’

Thursdays at 8pm – Thank your front-line services.

Each Thursday at 8pm people are going outside or leaning out of their windows, to make a joyful noise to thank all the front-line services.

Join in if you can – it is really lovely to hear the gratitude from everyone.

Lastly:

If you have some news to share or would like to contact someone please ring or text 07800 605397 or email [email protected] or email me. (Linda).

Please enjoy the Bank Holiday safely and keep up the social distancing.  

Take care and stay safe well, all good wishes for now, Linda