Sutton Bonington
CHARITY DONATION. Tools, haberdashery and sewing materials have been donated by popular Sutton Bonington couple Terry and Sylvia Holt to a charity that ships unwanted items to Africa.
Like many people during lockdown the couple first cleared out their loft, their sheds, workshop and storage cupboard.
However, unlike many families who used the lockdown as an opportunity to have a clear out, for the Holts lockdown coincided with the bigger task of clearing and storing in readiness for downsizing to a bungalow.
Gardening equipment and tools were put to one side, along with sewing and knitting materials. Excess hammers of all types, drills, saws, planes and chisels were also identified and added to the pile.
Sylvia then began an internet search and came upon TWAN, Tools with a Mission, a Christian charity which refurbishes tools and equipment and ships them to Africa.
While their excess equipment was stored under their carport, awaiting collection by TWAM volunteers, it was added to by friends who had also had a clear-out.
Eventually the unwanted equipment was collected by volunteers from TWAM and sorted into useful tool kits before filling the next container at Peterborough bound for Africa.
TWAM is a Christian charity that collects unwanted usable tools, refurbishes them, sorts them into trade tool kits and sends them to the developing world for livelihood creation.
They send around 20 containers filled with over 300 tonnes of tools every year. They invest in local people supporting their own communities through livelihood creating projects such as skills training centres.
The charity has a national network of 200 volunteer collectors who will either pick tools up from you or act as a drop off point.
ZOOM SERVICE. A Zoom Christmas Day Family Service will take place at Sutton Bonington Baptist Church at 10.30am
There will be a short Zoom service to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and as people will be participating from home church leaders say there will be little chance of them burning their turkeys!
Villagers are asked to contact church leaders via the church’s website to request a Zoom link.
SCHOOL GUIDANCE. Parents at Sutton Bonington Primary School have been given guidance about when they may contact their children’s teachers by emails regarding learning or minor welfare concerns.
Headteacher Mr. Lee Shilton has told parents: ”Please only email these emails during work hours (before 6pm) and remember, the staff are only replying from them at the end of the school day (between 4:00pm and 4:30pm).”
Mr. Shilton has explained that the school staff are unable to reply during the school day as they are teaching the class.
He has told parents: ”If you have a more urgent concern, please email the school office.”
DEFIBRILLATOR SITE SWITCH. Because of a current problem involving access, parish councillors have agreed to a change in the site of the defibrillator unit local at the village primary school at Sutton Bonington.
Members of the council were told that the defibrillator needed moving because when the school gates were locked there was no access to the unit
The council agreed to a new site for relocation of the defibrillator to the bus stop on Park Lane.
Members were also told that the unit had had been affected by water and the power supply to it had been accidentally turned off. Clerk Helen Chadwick told the council there was no way they could tell if it would work satisfactorily even if it had a new battery. The council agreed to purchase of a new defib at a cost of £1,970.
ANTI BULLYING WEEK.
Sutton Bonington primary school again participated in the annual Anti-Bullying Week 2020 towards the end of last month and joined schools across the country who were involved in the effort to highlight AntiBullying.
School headmaster Lee Shilton says this was something we do every year. The theme this year was ‘United Against Bullying’ and the official launch film can be seen at https://youtu. be/e8e7NRIk4AA. Lee said they held assemblies all week on the subject and staff undertook some activities in class to raise awareness of bullying and the negative impact it can have.
“One of the main activities was called ‘ What part will you play?’ where each child was given a jigsaw piece and had to explain what part it would play in being ‘United Against Bullying’.
Once complete, everyone then created the whole jigsaw!
JEWELLERY STANCE.
Children at Sutton Bonington Primary School are “strongly discouraged” from wearing jewellery, according to headteacher Mr. Lee Shilton.
If a child has pierced ears, Mr. Shilton has asked parents to ensure that plain studs only are worn at school. The headteacher says that other types of earrings can be dangerous at playtimes and during PE. Children will be required to remove all jewellery before PE. If they cannot do this themselves, parents Are asked to ensure they do not wear jewellery on PE days.
Additionally on PE days Mr. Shilton asks that parents ensure that the children have the capability to tie long hair back.
The wearing of watches is encouraged at the school as it helps children to practise telling the time. But Mr. Shilton says that if a child has a smart watch, any ability to make phone calls/ send messages must be disabled.
CARD SALE FOR HOMELESS. Christmas cards are being sold by the Rucksack Project based at the university campus in Sutton Bonington in aid of homeless people.
Four “beautiful” handdrawn designs are included in a pack of five for £2.50 and a pack of £10 for £5.
All the cards come with envelopes and no text inside and each pack will include a mix of designs.
All proceeds from the sale of the cards go towards providing the homeless community and the vulnerably-housed in Nottingham with clean, warm, dry clothes, provisions and toiletries.
Please email svyfe@ nottingham.ac.uk to purchase the bright and cheerful Christmas cards or for further information.
Since September they have been collecting donations and filling the rucksacks, with the aim of taking these to Nottingham in December to hand them out.
The group leaders say that last year it was overwhelming to see the impact of the project, and how truly grateful the homeless people were for something so simple.
Donations of any of the items on the list below are gratefully received, or any money donations to help buy the items. Helpers can also be provided with a rucksack to fill yourself.
There are opportunities to help with the fundraising events over the coming months, as well as packing the rucksacks with the supplies.
Helpers are also welcome to help hand out the filled rucksacks in December!
If you are interested in getting involved, please sign up!
They aim to fill every rucksack with a hat, a scarf, gloves, a warm Jumper, a -shirt, a new pair of pants and socks and a blanket or a sleeping bag
This year we would also be especially grateful for donations of the rucksacks themselves.