Thank you for making NWN Over 80's Parcel campaign a huge success

So many people in the community enjoy both helping with the delivery of the food parcels and also receiving them.
The parcels are not means tested, as money is no bar to loneliness, and there are so many elderly people whose family have moved away who spend the festive season by themselves.
It is also suprising to realise there are so many people who struggle to get out to shop and very much appreciate some of the food being brought to the door.
The Parcel Fund has now been going for so many years each Christmas, but without all the superb help of so many
organisations, schools and kind people in West Berkshire it would not be possible.
Fundraising activities started in September. We have had quiz nights, collections, school pupils bag packing at Sainbury’s and many donations from businesses and individuals.
Fundraising has not yet finished and the Waitrose stores in Newbury and Thatcham have the Parcel Fund as their chosen Christmas charity.
It is not only the fundraising that is so important but the support from people such as the 80 Cubs who turned up a couple of weeks ago to pack the food parcels, a very time consuming task.
The support continues on ‘D-Day’, delivery weekend, when many more people turn up to help in many different ways.
As you can imagine, the list is far too long to mention everyone and I apologise now if I have forgotten anyone, but here are some of the many companies or groups who helped.
Without their help, the Newbury Weekly News Over 80s Parcel fund would not have been such a tremendous success.
Sue Kitchener, John Smart and other members of the Rotary Club in Thatcham, Dave and Jan Long from CHAIN in Hungerford, Rotary Club in Newbury and Hungerford, Vodafone, AWE and Southern Electric employees, Park House, Trinity, St Bartholomews, Kennet and John O’Gaunt School, Sainsbury’s staff, trustees of the Croft Hall in Hungerford, Fair Close Day Centre, and All Saints Church Hall in Upper Bucklebury, Downe House School, Francois Curtis, Bowlers Arms and everyone who took part in the quiz night, Budgens, Newbury Racecourse, Hungerford Tuesday Club, Greenham Common Trust, Quantel Ltd, Rivar Ltd, Highcross Strategic Advisers Ltd, Thatcham Town Council, Kintbury Parish Council, Soroptomist International, Greenham Parish Council, Highclere Enterprises, DJ Cole Joinery, Newbury Building Society, Goss Graphic Systems, Dunston Graphics, Jones Robinson, Willoughby and Atkins, Town and Manor of Hungerford, Bucklebury Parish Council, all the schools who took part in the quiz night, Thatcham Park, Falkland, St Gabriel’s, Speenhamland, Hermitage, Curridge, Woolhampton, Whitelands Park and Chieveley Primary Schools, and many more people who have helped in some way towards this years’ food parcels.
So next year, when you see volunteers collecting for the fund, or are asked to get involved in an event to raise money for this truly local charity, or just come along to one of our fun fundraising evenings, remember that the parcels are a gift to some of West Berkshire’s oldest residents, and really help to brighten up their Christmas!
The food parcels, which are from the whole community, are a way for all of us to say a big ‘thank you’ to the elderly people in Newbury, Thatcham and Hungerford for all they have done during their lifetime.
May I take this opportunity on behalf of all the elderly people who have received a Newbury Weekly News Over 80s Food Parcel in Newbury, Thatcham and Hungerford to thank you all, wish you a happy Christmas and all the best for 2015.
Joanne Fulker
Co-ordinator – NWN Over 80s’ Christmas Parcel Fund