Due to the remarkable support the Helping Hands team have been given in the last year we are now expecting to support 500 families in financial crisis in the next 12 months.  That is 200 more families than we first envisaged!!

This has come just at the right time, as there is an ever increased need in our communities especially now community care grants and crisis loans have ended.

We are so thankful that Helping Hands can help another 200 people facing short term financial crisis as we don’t want to see those that are most vulnerable turning to high cost commercial lenders.

To our delight, many people who have been given help are now some of our core volunteers; and thankfully they have a pay it forward attitude.  In general when people have been helped they are thankful and want to “repay” it back somehow.  What Helping Hands encourages them to do is pay it “forward”— so many of them are now doing outreach for people they don’t know without any expectation of return and with the hope that the new recipients then go on to do random acts of kindness to more people in need.

Helping Hands still require new or nearly new 0 – 16 year old clothes to distribute to the children of parents living on low incomes.  Thank you to all the Newton News readers that have seen their new/nearly new clothes go to a new home.

Helping Hands project support vulnerable people in financial trouble where members have lost their jobs, are struggling to pay basic living costs or have other personal circumstances that leave them in need of our support. If you need help just phone 07936431262.  We offer a ring back service.

Alwyn White – Project Leader