Category: Notices

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Christmas Appeal – Ash Villages Food Parcels Project 2023

Christmas Appeal: The Ash Villages Food Parcels project will be packing and delivering food parcels for (we estimate) 40-50 families in Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green and Tongham in the week before Christmas, and we like to send gifts for the children and Christmassy treats along with the emergency essentials if we can. Can you help? Anything our wonderful community can donate will be amazing, and add some lovely Christmas cheer to the parcels. We will share out whatever is received from the community between the families on our list on the day.

Need some inspiration? How about donating Christmas puddings, custard, mince pies, treats, crackers, nibbles, stuffing mix, gravy granules, cranberry sauce, sweets, nice toiletries, warm socks, gloves, tangerines, chocolate coins, children’s toys, board games, juice, squash, hot chocolate, pretty napkins… what ever you would you be pleased to receive if you were in need yourself. (We can’t take alcohol sorry!)

Dropping off donations: All items need to reach us at St Mary’s church (GU12 5JE) or at The Chapel (GU12 5AY) by Thursday 14th December please. Contact us if you need to book a time 07730 609446 or you can pop in to donate whenever we are open.

If you prefer to donate cash to help us buy each family the ingredients for a roast dinner, our link is here: https://givealittle.co/c/3ijYS6zC4gbOGqwer2tmdY

Thank you for your support and have a wonderful Christmas!

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Chapel Apple Trees

Did you know? We have a wonderful horticulturalist at The Chapel, and she has inspired us to add some fruit trees to grow food for our community in future years. 

Here are 2 apple trees she planted on Monday. Imagine the toddler group picking their own fruit snack, and the food parcels team sharing out the harvest! Please pray for good roots, strong growth and lots of tasty apples! (And if anyone can spare a bag of manure to boost this community project we would love to receive it!)

We have been busy planting edibles elsewhere in the garden too. #PicnicAndPlay planted nasturtiums – lovely in salad! #Chapelkids have been busy, planting something every week all through the summer term. This week we will be harvesting Sunflower seeds for next year. #ChapelCafe planted herbs like mint, rosemary and thyme. Volunteers have planted fruit bushes too. 

We would like to say a big THANK YOU to the Co-op Community Fund who have been instrumental in supporting the community garden and all the food projects at The Chapel. #ItsWhatWeDo

What do you think we should plant next? Drop us a line in the comments and we will pass on your suggestions to our Project Manager (Facebook: @AshValeChapel) 

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Help with your hearing aids

Did you hear Jackie on Radio Surrey this morning (Sunday 29 Oct) at 7:12? If you’re interested in help with your hearing aids you can get in touch here:

Hear here – the hearing aid clinic. 07774 742143 – it is a dedicated number for the St Mary’s hear here clinic and hall hire.

Hear here clinic email is HearHere.AshVale@ash-vale.org.uk

The clinics run once a month on Fridays. Contact Jackie for more details.

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Knights to the Rescue!

We are delighted to be able to say a great big thank you to the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem (aka The Knights of Malta), who have donated a brand new microwave to The Chapel Project.

After our annnual PAT testing earlier this year, the Chapel microwave had to be retired from service. It had served us well, but needed to be replaced. We were just wondering how to fund a replacement when a friend got in touch to ask whether the Knights could be of any help to our community projects. Imagine our delight when they immediately offered to replace our broken appliance!

The brand new shiny microwave will be a huge blessing to lots of different groups at The Chapel Project. We host Chapel Cafe (& warm welcome hub) on Mondays 9:30-12:30 and Chapel Kids (baby & toddler group) on Wednesdays 11am-2pm, which includes lunch for everyone. Our Musicians and Artists in Residence will be regularly using it and all the one-off workshops and events (for example Picnic and Play in summer and the Light Party in the winter term) will also benefit from its use.

A huge Chapel THANK YOU to everyone at The Sovereign Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem. We really appreciate your wonderful support.

The members of the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem dedicate their time and resources for the benefit of others, irrespective of their race, religion or origin. They fundraise throughout the year, and focus on donating tangible items to assist good causes and organisations in need. More information on the order can be found at: http://shosj.org.uk/ Anyone interested in volunteering to support locally can reach out to Steve Gotting at stevegotting@gmail.com.

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Love and Light Party 31 Oct – text to book today!

It’s October! The annual Love and Light Party will be on 31st October as always. It’s on a Tuesday this year, after school at 4-6pm at The Chapel on Wharf Road GU12 5AY. If you would like to join us you are very welcome! Text or phone or WhatsApp to book your places please asap so we can be sure to cater! 07730 609446

What’s happening? Join us from 4pm onwards for snacks, crafts and games, Martin will start the disco at 4:30pm, and we will have sparklers at 5pm if the weather permits. Hotdogs and s’mores for tea, and a party bag to take home if you book in advance. Book today! 07730 609446.

What does it cost? We don’t exclude anyone based on their finances. We do ask for donations please – give what you can, to help cover the costs of the event. Some people can afford more than others, and every penny counts. Thank you! https://givealittle.co/campaigns/0e5ae7c4-ccad-4f64-806f-0bdda20b8876

Can we dress up? Yes of course! Nothing too scary please, as there will be little ones about. We have some UV lights for the disco so wear something neon if you want to glow up! You do you – come as you are or dress up as whatever you like.

Volunteers are always needed please for setting up / serving drinks and food / prepping party bags / helping out / welcoming / clearing down. Text or phone us if you can help, or speak to Alex when you see her. Thank you!

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Ashes Good Neighbours launched!

It was a delight to attend the Ashes Good Neighbours launch event this week. The team deserve huge congratulations for getting this new project pff the ground, and have been tireless in thier efforts to recruit volunteers, and in setting set up the necessary frameworks such as safeguarding, documantation and procedures to ensure everything is built on firm foundations. The Ashes Good Neighbour Scheme has now launched, and the phone line will be live from Monday 23rd October 2023.

What’s it all about? Ashes Good Neighbours’s objective is to enable volunteers to help older and vulnerable people get out and about to their appointments. The scheme will be offering residents of Ash, Ash Vale, and Ash Green, transport to appointments such as doctors, hospital, and dentist; visit to the library or a club; help with shopping; or simply a friendly chat over a cup of tea.

Interested in volunteering? Volunteering is flexible to suit your lifestyle with no regular commitment required. All volunteers who will have face-to-face contact with clients have undertaken a DBS check. It is not too late to volunteer; the scheme will always be open to new people joining. If you would like to know more, please email office.ashesgn@gmail.com or phone 07935 515221.

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Book your tickets for the Party this Saturday 21st October!

Just a gentle reminder to please book your tickets ASAP for the Celebration of Youth Party on Saturday 21st October 2023. The team will be purchasing the food soon, so we will need to know numbers. Please contact the Parish Office ASAP if you would like a ticket. Email parishoffice@ash-vale.org.uk of you can of course contact Karen P direct.

The raffle is looking very nice – we have had some lovely prizes donated by friends and neighbours, and Sally from the Co-Op community Pioneers has donated 2 bottles of wine Thank you Sally! Please bring some cash for the Raffle so we can raise lots of funds for the childrens society on the night.

The evening includes some wonderful dancing, a live Jazz band, food, fun and a disco. We can’t wait to welcome you! Doors open at 6:15 for a 6:30pm start. Food and soft drinks provided within the price of your ticket. (BYOB if you would like something stronger!)

You can pay for your tickets online here, or notify Karen and pay cash on the door:

https://givealittle.co/campaigns/53448765-c914-4858-b91b-3bbe011fb7c3

This link takes you to our dedicated “give a little” page for the event. If you can’t make it, why not chip in a donation to help top up the total? All proceeds after costs will be going to The Childrens Society. Thank you for your support!

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Harvest Thanks to everyone at St Mary’s!

The local Food Parcels team would like to say a big Harvest Festival *THANK YOU* to everyone at St Mary’s church, and everyone who dropped off their wonderful food donations for the harvest collection there.  This amazing generosity is what helps the project to keep going and enables us to keep helping families in need.  These donations are a big blessing.  

Thanks to Revd Neil Lambert, these lovely tins and packets, toiletries and treats have now been packed, collected and transported, and are now safely on the shelves at the #AshVillagesFoodParcelsProject and will go out in the food parcels in the next week or two. Thank you all so much for your support! It really matters, and every tin makes a difference. 

We wish you a blessed and happy Autumn!

#AshVillagesFoodParcelsProject 

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Thank you Puttenham Infant School!

The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project would like to say an enormous THANK YOU to all the pupils, staff and families at Puttenham Infant School. Your wonderful Harvest donations are a huge blessing and will be a great help to local families in the coming weeks. Look at these shelves in the photo – what a lot of lovely food you have donated!

The team were very busy on Wednesday putting everything away, ready for the next set of parcels which will be going out on Friday morning. By this time next week your tins and packets, pasta and sauces, beans and spaghetti hoops, and all the goodies you sent will be on their way to our neighbours in need in our local villages. Thank you so much, what an amazing way to celebrate Harvest Festiveal.

We wish you a super term full of blessings, and thank you again for all your generous gifts.

From all of us at The Chapel and Ash Villages Food Parcels Project

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Thank you Frimley Green! 

We would like to say a very big thank you to everyone at Frimley Green Methodist Church this week. We were delighted to receive a wonderful delivery of amazing Harvest Festival donations for the Ash Villages Food Parcels Project today. What a great way to show love for our neighbours and celebrate our blessings. This week’s parcels will be extra special with beautiful fresh fruit and veg, bread and store cupboard items. 

THANK YOU! 

With our very best wishes from everyone at The Chapel and the Ash Villages Food Parcels Project.