Sevenoaks Churches Group for Social Concern report

The following report has been sent out by the Sevenoaks Churches Group for Social Concern. As well as celebrating the good work that is going on in Sevenoaks, it also contains some requests for more help. Could you volunteer with one of their projects?

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SCGSC Compassion Report

Befrienders . . . Sevenoaks Child Contact Centre . . . Family Mentoring Team

. . . West Kent Debt Advice

With huge thanks and gratitude to all the volunteers in these four initiatives, without whose time and energy, none of this would be possible.

We were pleased to welcome two new members to the SCGSC Executive Committee at the beginning of this year.  Stan King (VEC Pastor), who also represents Churches Together on Sevenoaks District Council Social Needs Group; and Avril Hunter, here representing Sevenoaks District Council.  Avril brings her considerable skills and knowledge, not only as a councillor, but also as a warden at St. Mary, Kippington.

There is no doubt that the environment in which we operate continues to become more challenging. There has never been a greater need of volunteers and for the church to be actively supporting and campaigning for those in need in our community.

We are pleased to say that the existing projects continue to work effectively throughout the area:- 

·         Befrienders have now celebrated their 10^th anniversary!  Congratulations to all those involved and so many thanks for the wonderful service you provide. They now receive referrals from KCC as well as the Emerald Team of support workers and have a total of 19 volunteers, with14 active currently befriending 18 people.

·         Sevenoaks Child Contact Centre currently has 7 families using the centre, involving a total of 15 children, ages from 1 – 8 years old.  They need two more volunteers! 

·         Family Mentoring are now receiving referrals from a number of agencies and have 5 mentors helping 4 families, with a new family about to start.  Please, more mentors needed!

·         Debt Advice continues to be busy with two or three sessions a week in Sevenoaks alone. WKDA has a current case load of 400, with 267 new cases this year.

We are so grateful to all the churches for the various forms of support given that enable these projects to continue their vital work.  Please pray and think if volunteering for one of these projects might be an opportunity for you.

Needless to say, financial support remains vitally important.  For all the projects there is a need to meet all the usual running costs, insurance, postage, telephone etc., and these costs are ongoing.  The accounts summary for the year ending 30^th June 2016 is:

Balance B/F  £2300.46

Income          £1920.83 (Thanks, in part, to a one-off donation through Tony Cornfield)

Expenditure   £1347.03

Balance C/F   £2874.26

The Executive Committee:

Graham Roper            Chair (St Mary Kippington)

Rosemary Wakefield   Treasurer (St John’s Hill URC)

Sharon Lester             Executive (Hope Church)

Simon Dawes             Executive (St Nicholas)

Stan King                    Executive (VEC)

Avril Hunter                 Executive (SDC Rep and St Mary Kippington)