Have you booked your places yet for the Love And Light Party? Join us on the 31st October 4-6pm at The Chapel on Wharf Road GU12 5AY for disco, s’mores, crafts, games and family fun. We have hotdogs for tea, let us know if you need a veggie or gf option.
All are welcome. It’s free / by donation, just give what you can to help us cover the costs. There is no set fee for this community event.
BOOKING ESSENTIAL please so we can cater, and we need to have your children on the list if you would like a party bag. Phone / text / WhatsApp us on 07730 609446 to book.
Can we dress up? Yes of course! Wear something neon or white to glow up under the disco lights, come in costume if you like, but not too scary please as we do have little ones joining the party. Come and join us over at the Chapel to celebrate love and light!
Safety first – all children must be supervised by their accompanying adult at all times please. There will be sparklers at 5 pm weather permitting, make sure you wear gloves!
Would you like to support the Ash Villages Food Parcels Project this Christmas? We are appealing for Christmas essentials ( veggies, potatoes, chickens or trukeys, gravy granules), Christmas treats (biscuits, mince pies, puddings, custard, crisps, crackers, sweets, etc), winter warmers for the adults (hot water bottles, gloves, hats, socks, blankets etc), and new toys & games for the children (art materials, new toys, family games etc). Anything you are able to give will be gratefully received on or before Sunday 15th December.
We really appreciate your generosity, as it really does make a huge difference to the local people we support. If you like, why not make it into an advent calendar? Put one item per day in a box during Advent and bring the box once it is full? Contact the Project Manager or drop your donations off at The Chapel on Wednesdays 9am-2.30pm in term time when she is in. We do need all Christmas items by Sunday 15th December please to be in time for the parcels to go out.
We really appreciate funds donations too, as this enabls us to fill any gaps and buy things to finish off each parcel. Your funds will buy meat or veggies or whatever we are missing once all the donations have been counted on the 15th December. This is the donations link: https://givealittle.co/c/3ijYS6zC4gbOGqwer2tmdY
Whatever you decide to do this year, whether you donate some items, send funds, or give us your prayer support, we do thank you as it all makes a difference.
If you are a local business, scout group, team, group of friends, school, book club etc and would like to sponsor a specific item (e.g. 60 puddings or 60 tubs of chocolates, 60 tins of custard…. we would love to hear from you! We would be happy to put a sticker “merry christmas from xyz” if you would like to sponsor a specific item in each parcel.
Thank you for your support!
With lots of love and our best wishes from the Ash Villages Food Parcels Team.
Do you need to make a referral? If you are an agency and wish to add a household to our parcels list this Christmas please contact the Project Team on 07730 609446. We take referrals from local churches, citizens advice, local schools, social services, Homestart, health visitors, and similar agencies. We cover Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green and Tongham. The cut-off for Christmas Referrals is Sunday 15th December.
From the magical world of Harry Potter to the Guys and Dolls of Broadway, Vivace Chorus and the award-winning Friary Brass Band are treating you to a West End Extravaganza! Featuring songs from some of the West End’s longest-running and best-loved shows, including Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, this is a playlist of everything you love about top-quality musical theatre. Toe-tapping, funny, tear-jerking, exhilarating – it’s a show that’s guaranteed to delight and excite! See vivacechorus.org for more information, tickets from £20.
Ash Villages Food Parcels Project& Ash Vale Community Fridge
Did you know we have our own local foodbank based at the Chapel? The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project is here to help anyone who is struggling in Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green and Tongham. What originally started during Covid as a crisis project has become part of the furniture locally, and we will be here for as long as we are needed. Volunteers pack parcels twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, and occasionally emergency ones too.
We rely on grants & generous donations for our store cupboard items, and all our parcels are prepared and delivered by a wonderful team of local volunteers. We also receive food donations from Co-op in Ash & Ash Vale, Tesco and Bookers that add fresh items to the menu each week that would otherwise have gone to waste. Could you spare some time to collect donations from the supermarkets, or clean the fridges, or pack and deliver some parcels, or help us with fundraising? Please speak to us we would love to hear from you! Project team number: 07730 609446.
Know someone who is struggling? Citizens Advice can help with all sorts of things like benefits reviews, food bank referrals, advice and emergency loans. They can also refer new clients to us for a parcel. Citizens Advice: 08082787888 Website: https://casws.org.uk/ If you know someone who needs a food parcel we can also do a church referral from St Mary’s to the project. Text or phone the project team 07730 609446.
Your Harvest donations are amazing! They have been taken to the Chapel for sorting, and will be sent out in the food parcels in the next 2 weeks. We support over 100 families in the local area, and usually provide 15-25 parcels each week depending who needs us. The numbers are growing as the population locally grows, and winter is always busier due to people struggling to heat the home and feed the family on low incomes. At Christmas last year we delivered over 50 parcels with Christmas food, winter warmer items (eg gloves and hot water bottles) and toys for the children. In the last couple of years, we have also added “baby bank” items to the project list, including nappies and wipes for struggling families. Your donations are much needed and hugely appreciated. Thank you for your support!
With our best wishes to all our clients, the lovely volunteer team, and to all of you in our local community. Have a wonderful Harvest season 2024.
Wishing you every blessing,
Alex, Neil and Carla
Alex Sanderson BEM (Project Manager) 07730 609446
Revd Neil Lambert (St Mary’s Church Ash Vale)
Cllr Carla Morson (Ash Villages Support Circle)
This is a joint project between the Ash Villages Support Circle (Carla Morson) and St Mary’s Church Ash Vale (Revd Neil Lambert) Charity Number 1152717 and we are kindly hosted at The Chapel Project on Wharf Rd GU12 5AY. foodparcels@ash-vale.org.uk Web: https://ash-vale.org.uk/foodparcels-2/You can also find us on the App called “Bank the Food”
Photos: Parcels in progress, Food bank ‘wednesday team’ celebrating a recent grant from Co-op, some of your amazing Harvest donations 2024 at St Mary’s.
Introducing… Ash Vale Community Fridge This separate, very simple project opened in June 2023. The fridge is located in the community shed in the Chapel car park on Wharf Rd GU12 5AY. It’s open 24/7 for you to drop off food you don’t need, or take food home that you can use. It’s pot luck, no guarantees, but it’s free, and it is open to everyone. What a great way to reduce food waste! One big ask – please do make a note in the red folder in the shed when you drop off or pick up food, so we can keep track of how much we save from being wasted and report back to our funders. In June—Dec 2023 we saved over 1000kg from landfill! We are grateful to Co-Op and Hubbub for making this project possible. This is a separate project from the food parcels and you do not need a referral to use the Community Fridge, just help yourself! Enjoy.
The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project team would like to say a big THANK YOU to the lovely 1st Ash Vale Beavers ‘Monday Group’ who visited us at The Chapel this week. We really appreciate all your wonderful donations, which filled up the donation boxes as you arrived. What a lot of goodies for the food parcels!
All these things will go out in the Food Parcels next week, and make a big difference to local families who are in need of a bit of help at this time.
It was lots of fun telling you all about the Food Bank and you are all very good at Kims Game! You remembered lots of the things we had in the food parcel box. You were great at the 4 corners game and sleeping lions too!
Thank you for the beautiful Harvest pictures you made to help remind everyone to celebrate harvest and support the food parcels project. We will be sure to display them as part of the Harvest decorations at St Mary’s.
The church is celebrating Harvest Festival on Sunday 6th Otober this year, all welcome at the 10:30 service, and we will have refreshments afterwards. Those of you who like to get creative are welcome to come and help decorate the church (St Mary’s on Vale Road) on the Saturday morning too, it’s lots of fun! See you there.
Please join us to Celebrate HARVEST festival this Sunday 6th October 2024 at 10:30am. All welcome whether you are a lifelong Christian or just exploring. Let’s celebrate the good things God gives us and be thankful.
We will have refreshments after the service too – all welcome for a cuppa and a chat.
Remember to have a look at the beautiful harvest decorations by our flowers team and local groups too. If you’d like to help, do pop in on Saturday morning from 10 and get creative! No experience needed, we would also welcome any donations of greenery, veggies and flowers for the display.
Would you like to support our harvest appeal? Please support your local foodbank this harvest! Donations can be brought to St Mary’s for the harvest festival service this Sunday 6th Oct at 10:30am, or leave your gifts in our foyer whenever we are open. #AshVillagesFoodArcelsProject
Please support your local foodbank this harvest! We help people in crisis in Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green and Tongham. Donations can be brought to St Mary’s for the harvest festival service this Sunday 6th Oct at 10:30am, or leave your gifts in our foyer whenever we are open. (Or contact us to arrange another time) THANK YOU!
If you prefer to donate funds please follow the link below for more detail. Event better, how about making a regular monthly gift to support this local lifeline?
The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project is a joint project by St Mary’s Church, Ash Vale (Registered Charity 1152717) and the Ash Villages Support Circle, and we are hosted at The Chapel in Ash Vale. #AshVillagesFoodArcelsProject Project contact number is 07730 609446. Web: https://ash-vale.org.uk/foodparcels-2/
The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project team would like to say a big THANK YOU to the lovely 1st Ash Vale Beavers! We are super grateful for all your wonderful donations, which filled up the donation boxes at St Mary’s on Tuesday.
All these things that you donated will go out in the Food Bank parcels next week, and make a big difference to local families in need of a bit of help at this time.
It was great fun visiting you too, and we discovered that you are all very good at Kims Game! You remembered lots of the things we had in the food parcel box. I wonder if your friends in the Monday group will enjoy this game too?
Thank you too for the beautiful Harvest pictures. We will be sure to display them as part of the Harvest decorations at St Mary’s. The church is celebrating Harvest Festival on Sunday 6th Otober this year, all welcome at the 10:30 service, and we will have refreshments afterwards. Those of you who like to get creative are welcome to come and help decorate the church on the Saturday morning too, it’s lots of fun! See you there.
Join us for some delicious cakes and fabulous fundraising at the St Mary’s Community Cafe this Friday 27th September 2024 10am-1pm. There will be cakes, treats, jam, raffle, plants and a bring and buy stall. Sue has been baking some wonderful treats and we have a yummy minestrone for lunch courtesy of Carolina. See you there, we look forward to catching up!
We are celebrating our wonderful volunteers and our friends at the Co-op today. Did you know? Our local community fridge and foodbank both benefit from donations from the Co-ops in Ash and Ash Vale. Here are just a few of the wonderful people involved. Thank you all!
