A morning with the Rutland Food Bank and surprise visit by The High Sheriff
Into early Autumn, on a bright morning, and after some welcome rain the day before, Church members and some friends held a Coffee and Cakes Morning in aid of working funds for the Rutland Food Bank. From 10:00am until midday, the doors of the Church Hall on Friday 7th September were open for free coffee. The lovely cakes contributions were on offer at a modest price per slice. Richard was a great salesman and additionally sold whole cakes when requested as a take-home option. Liz poured the coffees, and Patsy was in charge of the Raffle tickets, with back up from general workers Janet and Janet, front of house and behind the scenes. We were joined by movers and shakers from the Food Bank who came to talk informally among the coffee drinkers. It was definitely the ‘place to be’ in Oakham that Friday morning. The sales, raffle and ‘donations to basket’ raised nearly £400. With Gift Aid where appropriate, together with any final donations (thank you), the total will be presented as a cheque to the Food Bank administration at our Tide Lunch (All Saints Day) on 1st November at the Rutland Water Harbour Restaurant at Whitwell. The Food Bank cannot function without a building from which to operate, generating basic costs, and this is where our cash donation is aimed. So thank you to everybody for your valued work and contributions of all kinds. The ‘icing on the cakes’, so to speak, to our greatest pleasure and delight, was a visit by Mrs M S Jarron, Rutland’s High Sheriff, who formally attended our event as an extension of her visit to the working Food Bank Store in Oakham that morning. All Saints makes a small annual contribution to the Rutland Food Bank within the accounts but in addition the Harvest Festival this year will receive storeable food contributions as part of the services on 7th October. JH – 19/09/18.