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Greetings!
Welcome to the first People against Poverty newsletter. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the name - we rebranded the charity Robin Hood Ministries on 4th July, and the charity now enables all the different communities we are working with to get the recognition that they deserve. We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has given us encouraging feedback about the new identity. If you are unfamiliar with our new brand then please do visit our new website www.peopleagainstpoverty.com where we are sure you will find something that will resonate with you. People against Poverty really does make a difference to those living in poverty in its projects based in Romania, Nepal and Haiti. However, we cannot do anything without you, so whether it be by donation, sponsoring a child, volunteering or even giving us your used printer cartridges - it all helps in relieving poverty in the young and old and giving them hope for their futures. This first newsletter will be quite lengthy as we try to explain what each community does but we hope that you will enjoy reading it all |
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Mario's story
Mario is a 3 years old child, born into a very poor family in an area called Wind Street.
Mario with nurse Petronella checking his colostomy bag
Wind street is a marginalized and rejected small community of Iasi where 28 very poor families live very difficult lives with no water, toilets, heating etc. We first started helping the community 5 years ago when 25 of the most neediest children came to be fed once a week in the Feed a Child programme which is run at the Way of Joy. We decided jointly as partners to give this community more efficient help which would help the families of these young 25 chlidren, so we extended the child sponsorship scheme also to that area. There are now more then 40 children living there but the project has started with food distribution, educational activities at Way of Joy Centre and Dobrovat House and now Mario is included in the sponsorship scheme.
Mario was born with bowel malformation. His extremely poor mother and father do not have jobs and they don't have medical insurance to be able to send Mario to hospital for much needed treatment. We started to help Mario at Way of Joy Medical Centre and very shortly afterwards was able to contact a Doctor who finally agreed to help him with the surgery. However there was a very big problem. Mario was not able to have the surgery because he was undernourished and would probably not survive the operation. His family could not provide him with good food because they had no money. It was then decided that we would include Mario in the sponsorship scheme progect. After 10 months of helping him Mario now has a new chance in his young life. He receives food, medicines and care . He is now able to play with the other children coming out of the dark and cold room where he stayed all day long.
We have recently been informed that Mario will probably be operated on very soon, probably in October.
The message to you from Valentine, our project partner is "We are very grateful to the People Against Powerty for all your efforts and sacrifice that you make in order to help us to changes lives together .
Mario's colostomy bags cost £40 per week. If you would like to help towards the cost of providing these bags please contact us or donate here.
Romania Sponsored children experience a holiday in the countryside ![group]](http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs009/1102455565866/img/167.jpg?a=1107323679996)
Of the £22.00 received from sponsors, a small amount is put aside for an annual holiday away at camp. For 170 children this was a dream and one that they could ever imagine experiencing. For the second year running, our Ambassadors, Andrew Knight, Connie and Nathan Lucas went to Romania to help in the Camp based at Dobrovat. Although Dobrovat House is incomplete, they were able to use the facilities that have been achieved to date. Here Andrew Knight reports: "I worked on 7 day camps over the course of the trip, and also joined Raul's new teens to 30's Bible study group, the Way of Joy Church, local International Church and Valentine's new church in the Metalurgiei area. It was a truly inspirational, exhausting yet humbling time. It was amazing to see how the kids had grown up in the last year, especially those from sponsored families. Many remembered me and Connie. The kids and ourselves had a smashing time, with days filled with sports, games, creative craftwork, explorations of the countryside and forest, great food and Bible stories and plays.
For the little ones who don't know what's beyond the next street, let alone the city limits, it was a very exciting voyage of discovery for their first camp.
If this is something that you would be interested in doing next summer, please contact us |
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Helping Haiti
The land which we helped Gertrude purchase in 2010 is work in progress. The chicken coup which will hold many chickens and give eggs for the children and possible other food sources is well on its way to being completed. The Septic Tank which has been flooding the back of the property now has a donor (Catholic Relief Services) that is going to repair it for them. This is fantastic news for Gertrude and the children.
The children and staff are still too scared to go to the upper levels of the orphanage as they fear another earthquake and hence sleep on the ground floor in one room. Dormitories are the next step to enable these children to live in peace in their home without the fear of future earthquakes damaging and bringing down the walls around them. There is still a bathroom and shower house with ramps that they would like to build, a new front gate is needed, barbed wire for the walls, a covered sitting patio for the children during the day, and a playground . We currently have no funds available to dedicate to these projects but if this is something that you would like to get involved in, then please do contact us or make a donation here.
Children sleeping on the floors as too afraid to sleep on upper level of the orphanage
Developing this land will be a HUGE blessing to the children. Right now they are so cramped. Every day is filled with challenges in Haiti. Challenges you and I seldom, if ever, have to face. Things take time in Haiti, and we appreciate your support that you currently give by sponsoring the individual children. Your support matters. Probably in more ways than you could ever imagine!
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Child sponsorship in Nepal
We are proud of the fact that 100% of the child sponsorship donations go to benefit the child sponsorship scheme. As a result these children are certain of receiving regular food parcels each month which benefits the family, that have the funds available to help them with school books, pens and pencils, they can visit the Medical Centre at the Way of Joy if they fall ill and know that they will get help with medication and have the facilities to buy a new pair of shoes for the summer or winter months or a new outfit to wear. But moreover they have hope for their future due to the generosity of our many child sponsors.
We would like to say a big thank you to all of you who have given birthday cards and/or money for a gift to your sponsored child. This helps to give them a deep sense of being loved and to know that they are precious.
See photograph of a birthday party for a child in Nepal, paid for by his sponsor, which gave him a memorable birthday surprise.
We currently have many children in all three projects based in Romania, Nepal and Haiti waiting to be sponsored. Please visit our website for further details
Testimony from a child sponsor:
I throughly recommend supporting a child through People against Poverty, because you can be guaranteed that every penny is going towards changing childrens lives and lets face it, its only us that can make this happen
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| What you are doing to support our work |
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We would like to thank all our wonderful supporters who do give so generously or support the charity in many ways - some of them more daring than others ... read on
Imagine standing at the edge of an open doorway in an aircraft flying at 10,000 feet - the noise of the engines and the wind ringing in your ears with only the outline of distant fields below. Now imagine leaning forward out of that doorway and letting go - falling forward into the clouds, diving down through the air as you start free falling at over 120mph! Well nine brave supporters did just that for us recently, with four others to jump soon. A huge thank you to you all for raising funds for this charity. One of our 'jumpers', Sally Carr, comments"It was amazing." Our staff member, Michelle, was petrified although she completed the jump, she reports "...it was the scariest thing I have and will ever do in my life.. I feel a great sense of achievement and I am very proud of myself for actually getting out there and doing something to help raise funds for those who need it most".
If you would like to do a skydive to support our projects, then by raising a minimum sponsorship amount you can receive your skydive for FREE! Contact us for further details
Iceland Trek for Denise
After a lot of preparation, training, fundraising and getting all the kit together, Ambassador Denise Williams completed a trek in Iceland to raise funds. She had an amazing experience and said she found that Iceland is a very beautiful country. Although very hard work and tiring, she would recommend it to everyone!
If you would like to do a trek to raise funds for People against Poverty or something equally adventurous then please contact us. Give us a call on 01225 712048 or email us.
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Opportunities for you to support our Ambassadors current fundraising initiatives and have fun yourself along the way | |
Have your photograph taken by Bath's most talented photographer ...
Celia Mannings Photography
Visiting Romania with People against Poverty made a huge impact on Celia Mannings, who is now one of our committed supporters through the Business against Poverty community.
To raise funds she is holding a Charity Portrait Day on 31st August at the Francis Hotel in Bath. This is part of her entry into the Business against Poverty 'Entrepreneur Awards'. Please call her on 07876 085 369 to book your photograph, be it for web, profile pic, of your child, or purely as a pamper session! It's £60 a portrait, less than half price, and ALL proceeds go directly to People against Poverty.
You can view the amazing photographs that Celia took in Romania by clicking here.
Quiz & Curry evening
Following the great success of our Quiz & Curry evenings we are delighted that Ambassador Sonia Nicholls is organising another of our now infamous evenings at Melksham Tandoori on Monday 19th September.
If you do not want to miss out on this fun event and possibly even beating the current 3 times winner The Bath Chronicle, then please book your space(s) or table here or contact us on 01225 712048 to reserve your place. Places are limited so please do book asap.
Recycling your old printer cartridges/toners/drums
Help raise funds by recycling your used ink cartridges
People against Poverty have enlisted the assistance of Wise Fundraising Ltd to generate funds for the benefit of our projects by supplying and recycling inkjet cartridges and toners. Our charity will receive funding from each new sale and from the value of returned empty cartridges or toners.
If you already have toners, cartridges, drums then Wise Fundraising will collect these on your behalf. Call us on 01225 712048 to arrange collection or for some recycling envelopes, we will be happy to assist you. Your unwanted mobile phones as well as foreign coins can be recycled too.
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| Business against Poverty
Business Against Poverty is a community of businesses who through their engagement with our projects support the reduction of international poverty and who have a desire to change the lives of others through their chosen charity People Against Poverty.
Numbers are beginning to increase as the new branding starts to establish itself. Businesses can chose their level of membership to suit their business and we have recently welcomed 3 new companies as Headline Partners: ITSolutions, Mailboxes Etc and Office Evolution
This community of business people care about the issues of poverty and ethical standards and are taking action. The accreditation kitemark differentiates them from their competitors; it says something significant about them and their business.
So what are we up to this autumn?
Take advantage of our training day to give the people in your business the skills and confidence to drive business forwards, at a fraction of the commercial rate for this level of training.
Sky Rocket your Business Effectiveness!
Tuesday 11 October, 9am to 5pm
What if you could transform the way you do business by developing more effective relationships with your colleagues, customers and suppliers?
Business against Poverty is pleased to announce a special one day, business-focussed personal development workshop, led by Insights Discovery South West Mentor Group. Delegates will have unprecedented access to some of the region's leading trainers, facilitators and coaches, and will benefit from specialist expertise in leadership, management, sales, public speaking/ presenting and business coaching.
The event takes place at The Wilsher Group's training academy, Waterhouse, an beautifully-restored 18th Century manor house in the Limpley Stoke valley just on the outskirts of Bath.
BaP members £190
Non-members £200 if booked & paid before 31 August 2011, £235 if booked 1 September onwards
For further details and to book email here
Business against Poverty Black & White Ball
Saturday 12 November
It's back following on last year's success. The Business against Poverty Ball will once again take place at Bailbrook House Hotel. Kicking off with a sparkling reception, dinner will be followed by a rendition of pieces by Zimbabwean cricketer turned singer, Henry Olonga, whose voice led him to win Five's The All Star Talent Show.
Fantastic auction prizes are up for grabs, along with a raffle then we'll round off the evening until late with dancing to live band, Whytehouse, playing everything from the swinging 60's to the naughty noughties!
Tickets: £50 each
Table of 10: £400 before 31 August 2011, £450 thereafter
To book email or call 01225 712048 |
| Music against Poverty
Music has the power to reach and influence millions of people around the globe.
The 6th August launched Jamboree, the first Music against Poverty festival which took place in Royal Victoria Park, Bath. It was an afternoon packed with contemporary music; food; interesting stalls, including the very popular cake stall! We had some great feedback from people saying they had a fantastic day. Sue Day commented "One of the most relaxed brilliant days out I've had. Fantastic festival well done." Tamsin McMaster adds "It was a lovely, lovely day. Well done to Kirsty (Director of Music against Poverty) and Megan who organised it, you did a great job. Looking forward to next year!"
If you have ideas, gigs or anything that you would like to do to get involved with Music against Poverty then please email here
Arts against Poverty
Doris Stahl wanted to challenge herself at the same time as doing something to help those living in appalling conditions. Her challenge to herself was to create 101 completely handmade journals. Inspired by her friends at People against Poverty, she realised that it could be so much more fun to involve others and create 1001 journals. How? By inspiring 1001 artists, crafters, painters, metalworkers, knitters........ anybody who loves to express their creativity to create one journal each. These journals will be sold to raise money for the charity, but before they are sold, a selection of the most creative ones will be exhibited in London and there is also a good prospect that they will be included in a book that Doris also wants to publish about this project. To read Doris' blog click here .
So, are you, or do you know anyone who is creative and would like to give in this way? Please let us know. This is a fantastic opportunity to give your time and benefit many families in need.
 
No.2 in the limited edition 1001 Journals Education against Poverty Working with local schools, Jon Williams Director of Education against Poverty, leads groups of young adults to the project in Romania where over a 5 day period build one of our Sanctuary Homes for yet another family living in extreme poverty. No.7 has just been completed. Click here to see a video clip of No.6 built by Stonar School. We are now encouraging businesses to get involved in our Sanctuary Home project whereby they too can build a home for a family as a team building trip. For more details contact us here Want to know where your support actually goes to? Why jot join us on our winter Awareness trip to Romania and see first-hand the projects in action. Perhaps you have a sponsored child that you would like to meet. You may be considering becoming an Ambassador for People against Poverty. Then this trip is for you. Thursday, November 24, 2011 - Tuesday, November 29, 2011 
This 5 day trip could transform your life. The trip currently costs £420 inclusive of flights, all transportation in UK and Romania and accomodation. Only two places left available. Contact the office on 01225 712048 if you would like more information or email here |
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Thank you for your time, support and donations - we really cannot do it all without you.
We would be most grateful if you think you may have contacts that may be interested in receiving our newsletter then please do forward it on. It's only with your support that we can spread the word and help those in most need in our projects in Romania, Nepal and Haiti. |
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Sincerely,
Valerie Huxley
People Against Poverty |
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