Published: 07/10/2020
Suffolk Refugee Support
One of our members nominated his cousin Harriet who was that week taking part in 'The Ration Challenge' (https://www.rationchallenge.org.uk) which raises awareness and funds to help feed and support refugees living in this country and abroad. Harriet works in the Immigration Department at Fisher Jones Greenwood Solicitors so sees the hardship faced by Refugees first hand and has managed to raise just under £1800 by eating the same rations as a refugee for a week.
Wanting to keep our donations as local to us all as possible, The 500 Club Committee decided to make our donation to Suffolk Refugee Support (https://suffolkrefugee.org.uk) which is based in Ipswich. This charity supports Refugees, Asylum-seeking families and unaccompanied children that need to take refuge in our country. Harriet and I plan to visit the centre next week to make a presentation of your donation but I thought you would like to see an extract from an email from Martin Simmons expressing their gratitude.
"Thanks so much for your email. We were surprised and delighted to hear that we had been nominated by one of your members and chosen by your committee to receive such a generous donation! This will make a real difference to our ability to support highly vulnerable people through the current difficult circumstances and beyond."
Tree of Remembrance in the Magic Garden, Holywells Park
The Tree of Remembrance in Holywells Park, Ipswich was purchased in 2016 to offer local bereaved parents the opportunity to honour their baby in a simple, quiet way. Each leaf is engraved with the name, date of birth and a short message for a baby lost in pregnancy or the neonatal period. Following an article in The Ipswich Star Newspaper recently (https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/holywells-park-ipswich-memorial-tree-cctv-theft-1-6839660) which reports on theft and vandalism in the Magic Garden, The 500 Club Committee like you, I am sure, were shocked that this could happen and have already made a payment to replace the missing leaves.