Hello everyone, I hope this blog finds you safe and well.
I’m writing this on a wet and cold Thursday afternoon with warm and happy thoughts of seeing friends and family over Christmas time. However things are going to be very different for all of us this year during the pandemic.
It is with this in mind I want to bring to your attention the good work of Oxted Rotary Club, did you know that they have been responsible for the Christmas tree outside Boots on the high street for almost 50 years? No, I didn’t either and I was on the high street for 23 of those years too!
I want to give them a helping hand because they are unable to collect donations from passing shoppers this year on the high street and that’s going to impact on many families struggling to make ends meet this Christmas.
Please take a few minutes to read their ‘Christmas PLEASE Campaign’ below – it will make all the difference to so many and you can apply to benefit if your circumstances are particularly hard this year.
Thank you from Stella.
The ‘Oxted Rotary’
Christmas PLEASE Campaign
PLEASE Give a little . . . . PLEASE Take a little . . .
This Christmas promises to be the most unusual ever and we are having to adapt to the way we run our Christmas appeal for funds to help those in need, so Oxted Rotary Club will be running a virtual appeal that allows the community to give a little and take a little.
To help fund this initiative, we would normally provide a large Christmas tree outside Boots and collect loose change from passing shoppers in the weeks prior to Christmas but this is no longer possible. Instead, we are asking you to give a little by text and our giant tree is being replaced by a smaller tree close to the water feature outside Elements, maintaining our 50-year old tradition of erecting a tree in Oxted High Street at Christmas time.
So, to give a little, Make a Wish to Santa and . . .
text PLEASE followed by your donation amount to 70085
For example, to donate £2.00, send PLEASE 2 and your text will cost the amount of your donation plus one standard rate message. PLEASE help us to help others enjoy their Christmas.
To allow those in need to take a little, we are extending our Community Grant Scheme in order to help deserving families with children under the age of eighteen and we have teamed up with Morrisons to provide Gift Vouchers for turkeys and other seasonal goodies in the immediate run-up to Christmas.
Oxted Rotary Club is inviting applications NOW from those in need, so if you believe that you are likely to meet the eligibility criteria and you live in Oxted or immediately surrounding areas, please complete an application form and send it to us as soon as possible.
To obtain an application form, either send an email to grants@oxtedrotary.org.uk with ‘PLEASE’ in the subject line or, if you need a hard copy, request an Oxted Rotary PLEASE application form by sending your name and address to Tandridge Voluntary Action, email info@tva.org.uk
The value of Gift Voucher Grants will depend on the circumstances of the family applying and will be entirely at the discretion of the Oxted Rotary Club. The vouchers will enable the recipient to purchase anything from a Morrisons store with the exception of tobacco or alcohol and applicants are required to affirm their agreement to these conditions.
A little give and take will make Christmas happier for everyone.
Picture supplied by Brian Taylor
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