Lenten Appeal, Church of Our Lady and St Edmund, Abingdon

This Lent, our parish is raising funds to support the ROSY appeal locally, and also African Adventures Foundation.

The ROSY appeal (Respite for Oxfordshire’s Sick Youngsters) (registered charity number 1057285) is dedicated to delivering additional respite care to Oxfordshire's terminally ill, acute and chronically sick children, who are supported in their own homes. The charity funds activities, equipment, projects and patient-focussed support that is above and beyond the usual expenditure of the NHS budget. The appeal funds a team of caregivers (nurses, healthcare assistants, etc.) who are part of the Community Children’s Nursing Service, providing direct care to the children. All ROSY activities enhance statutory NHS care and enable more children and their families to receive important support and respite care. Respite support is delivered in a 3-hour home visit to a family, with a staff member who the child and family are familiar with. ROSY enables the service to support children and their families at home, enabling the child to be safely cared for whilst giving parents some precious time for themselves.
 
African Adventures Foundation (registered charity number 1153361) aims to provide more children with a quality education and better opportunities in life. It was set up in 2013 to provide support to 29 schools in developing areas of Ghana, Kenya and Zanzibar. These schools provide education, health and food security, and social support to young people whose access to these basic services would otherwise be very limited. The African Adventures Foundation helps by funding food security programmes, the construction of important school facilities, and hygiene projects that will benefit children’s health and education. They also provide essential classroom resources and kitchen equipment, to help their partner schools operate more. This can range from energy-saving cookstoves and cutlery to IT equipment and desks.

Please give generously.