The Besom in Witney Newsletter - April 2023

 

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue

but in actions and in truth."

1 John 3 v18

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Welcome to our Newsletter!

 

Our previous Newsletter celebrated the generous giving of donors over the Christmas period, and this Newsletter looks at some of the people supported by the Besom in Witney over the past three months.

 

So, here's a selection of individual stories from our time-givers - some short and others a bit longer.  What these stories have in common is that - thanks to God's grace in the hearts of our supporters, donors and time-givers - we've been able to help so many people in different ways.​

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• We provided support for a mum with three children aged under 10 who had literally nothing apart from a car. They had been living in a hostel and then two Travel Lodges before being given a totally empty house in Witney.  Besom provided them with some furniture and various household essentials, along with new duvets plus food, toys and children's clothes. The mum was so grateful for all our support.

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• Besom helped a homeless man in Witney by buying him a sleeping bag and giving him a food parcel made up of no-cook items.

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• We delivered a large food parcel to a family with six children, including four teenagers.

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• We've also supported a mum with three children and another one on the way.  Some of the family had Covid, and we were able to give them a pack of Covid tests plus a food parcel along with some loo rolls, bottles of shower cream, body lotion and hand cream.

 

• ​​We supported a lady who had moved to a safe place, having fled with her daughter following domestic abuse.  Besom provided her with a very large house-pack consisting of a microwave, vacuum cleaner, iron, food blender, kitchen goods cutlery, crockery, towels and bedding (including a brand-new duvet and pillows). 

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• And here's a moving story about a family of four (a father, mother and two young daughters) who were asylum seekers here in Witney.  They waited for three years while their asylum status was being processed, and during that time neither parent was allowed to work, nor was the family entitled to benefits apart from a small monthly payment from the Home Office towards their rent.  Besom in Witney provided this family with weekly food parcels plus Sainsbury's vouchers and the occasional piece of furniture over those three years. Besom time-givers also helped them move house twice. They now have settled status and no longer need any assistance from Besom. When the family recently received their final food parcel, the young mother gave a beautiful speech in which she asked the time-givers to thank the Besom for everything. 

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• And here's a couple of "thank you" messages we received from recipients:

 

"Can I just say how grateful we are for all your help with the food parcel today, and thank you for the vouchers as well.  That was very unexpected as there were lots in the food parcel already. Take care, and once again, thank you."

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"I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the food parcel we received yesterday.  From the bottom of my heart - and my boys' stomachs - thank you so much. And a special thank you to XXX for all her help too."

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Could you please pray for all those individuals and families mentioned above.  

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Also, please pray for the people we meet in the months ahead - particularly that our actions and words might provide some comfort and a sense of God's love to those in need.

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From the team at The Besom in Witney

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email: contact@witneybesom.org