Category Archives: Coronavirus

Church Buildings, Coronavirus, News Releases, St George's Church, St John's Church, St Mark's Church

Churches reopen for private prayer

3 Comments

We are delighted to say that all three churches are open for private prayer on certain days.

The exact days and times that each is open are:

St John’s: Sunday 2-4pm and from July 12 all day.
Thursday all day

St George’s: Monday and Thursday, all day

St Mark’s: Tuesday and Saturday 10am-12pm

We have also installed hand sanitisers at the entrance and exit doors and everyone is asked to use these. The churches will then be shut for three days to help prevent the spread of the virus.

We are also able to hold funerals, weddings and baptisms in the churches, though numbers are limited.

Lesley commented: “We are so pleased to be able to welcome everyone back into the churches, although there are obvious time limits and other restrictions so that we can help protect people from COVID-19. Our churches are symbols of hope and stability in a troubled world and though we can pray anywhere, many of us find a sense of God and peace in church.

“Everyone is welcome to come in when we are open; people of any faith or none are free to come and enjoy the buildings.”

For further information contact the administrator, Stella, by email or by calling 07842761919.

Coronavirus, News Releases

Interfaith friendship and facemasks

Leave a comment

We now have some cloth face masks for people in the parish, thanks to the work and generosity of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’s Association, Lajna Ima’illah UK, in response to the health threat posed by Covid-19.

The churches and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which has its central mosque in Tilford, have been developing close links over the past year and we support each other where we can, so when Lajna UK contacted us last month to ask if we would like face masks we eagerly said yes. If you would like one, let us know.

“Our friends in Lajna UK have been so very generous in giving these masks to us,” says Lesley Crawley. “We are delighted to be continuing to build links with the Ahmadiyya Muslims who have a great heart for the community. We worship a loving God and follow many of the same values, in particular that of love for all people. Thank you again to our sisters from the local Lajna UK and we look forward to spending more time with you after lockdown.”

Ismat Sana, the Aldershot president of the Ahmaddiya Women’s Association, says: “Covid-19 is a new experience and we realised that there was a shortfall in PPE for those that needed it the most. Humanitarian work is massively important to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as a whole and something our Women’s Association, Lajna UK, is already passionate about, so we decided to purchase materials and make PPE as a way of assisting our hardworking local community members.”

The Aldershot branch of Lajna UK will be taking part in the Farnham Flower Festival which you will be able to find on this website over the weekend of June 27-28.

If you would like a face mask would you also be willing to video yourself catching a face mask and then throwing it on to the next person? Here Stella Wiseman is caught on camera maintaining social distancing while delivering a mask to Bob Shatwell. Video yourself and send the results to revd.alan@badshotleaandhale.org. Thanks!

Belief, Coronavirus, Psychology

The Benefits of Meeting in Person

Leave a comment

I have heard a number of people saying how wonderful it is that life has carried on as it has, and how once this is all over (all is a long way away) we don’t need to travel as much as we can do all our meetings by Zoom (other video conferencing apps exist).

I want to challenge this. I believe that we have been able to do it so far because we are living off relationships which already exist. I know there are stories of couples dating on Zoom and then getting together, but I believe that there is a fundamental difference between meeting with someone online who you already know, and forming a new relationship in that way.

This applies to both personal relationships as well as professional ones. The personal ones are perhaps more obvious with the obvious lack of touch, but I believe the professional ones also need physical presence, at least some of the time.

For example, my daughter is returning to work next week after maternity leave, and will be working from home for the foreseeable future. She will be managing staff she has never met before, as well as those she managed before she was off. There is no doubt in her mind that the former will be much harder.

Another issue that I foresee, although one which might now be a fact of life, is the “small stuff”. Twenty years ago the company I then worked for tried out video conferencing, and it did save a significant amount of travelling. However, personally I missed the conversations that took place because I was physically with someone, conversations that weren’t worth making an effort to have, but which when we were face to face cropped up. They were the times I discovered how well our service was working – it might have been well enough not to be complained about – but there were issues which if not addressed would come back to bite us. Similarly, when visiting a site I would speak to lots of different people; video conferencing it would just be the person on the call.

So, yes, when this is over lets look to change things, but please let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater and lose the personal interaction.

Coronavirus, St George's Church

The Hygiene Bank

Leave a comment

The church is now working with The Hygiene Bank Farnham which is now using St George’s to store and sort products to go out to those in need of support.

The Hygiene Bank Farnham is part of a nationwide network of hygiene banks and its goal is to tackle hygiene poverty in our own community. 

Miranda Morey, Farnham Area Project Coordinator for The Hygiene Bank, writes:

“We believe that feeling clean and being able to present our best selves to the world is integral to not only our physical health, but to our self-worth and well-being as individuals, and something everyone in our community deserves whatever their circumstances. 

“Sadly, research by In Kind Direct tells us that over a third of people in the UK have had to cut down on buying hygiene products, or go without these altogether, for financial reasons – the number rises to over half in 18-24 year olds. 

“Since 2018 The Hygiene Bank has grown to over 100 branches and more than 200 volunteers working across the country – branches collect, sort and redistribute donated hygiene and cleaning products via different local community organisations, to those who need them. 

“Our branch has been operating across the Farnham and Aldershot area since early 2019, and in that time we have distributed over 1 tonne of hygiene products via our 12 local partner organisations that include food banks, schools, youth groups, Citizen’s Advice Waverley, Homestart Waverley, and Waverley Family Centre.

“We collect products – everything from toothbrushes and toothpaste, to nappies and soap (these must be new and unopened).  We usually do this via public donation points across the community, e.g. in Tesco, but during the pandemic these are closed, meaning we are struggling to collect our usual donations.

“We have been overwhelmed by local community support, with people organising street collections on our behalf, or donating products via our online wishlist at www.easho.co.uk.  If you would like to find out more about us or to donate, do email us at thbfarnham@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/thehygienebankfarnham.”

Coronavirus

Scrub Update

Leave a comment

Yesterday we told you about Liz Larkin and her amazing 700 visors sent as personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Scrub Hub for Frimley Park Hospital and also to doctors’ surgeries.

Today here is a small update from the Scrub Hub for which many of you are busy making scrubs, masks and caps. The Scrub Hub has made more than 2,100 pieces.

Anne Young, who is co-ordinating efforts in the parish, writes:

“I have been asked to pass on truly grateful thanks to all who have contributed to this amazing number of essential items and to also let you know that scrubs and scrub caps are still urgently needed, but at the moment, they have sufficient scrub bags.  if you are still sewing or have made some bags, please drop them off at my house, but if you could change from bags to caps or scrubs, it would be most appreciated.

I now have paper patterns here for both the caps and scrubs themselves, so please send me an email if you would like me to reserve one for you.  I have plenty of fabric, so please continue to help yourself to as much as you need. (I have at least double the amount still in my garage, so don’t hold back on the quantity you take away).”

Just to prove how important the work is, here is some information from Diane Andrews from Frimley Park:

  1. Each person will go through about three scrubs a day or more, as each time they change wards or patient they need a new set
  2. A delivery of 8,000 masks, such as the one they received last week, will last them a day!
  3. Not only is the hospital still dealing with Covid patents, but because of the opening up of outpatient clinics, every patient will need a mask, and for each change of patient the doctor and nurse will need to change their mask and other PPE.

A huge ‘thank-you’ to everyone. Your donations and your work are saving lives.

Picture by H. Shaw on Unsplash.

Coronavirus, News Releases

Liz’s Lockdown Labour – 700 PPE Visors for Frontline staff

Leave a comment

Update: Liz will be talking about making the visors on BBC Radio Surrey on Saturday (June 6) at 2.45pm, and on Sunday at 7.45am.

Liz Larkin, a design and technology teacher from the parish , has spent lockdown not only teaching her pupils via the internet, but making hundreds of visors to be used as essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospitals and doctors’ surgeries.

Liz, who lives in Weybourne and teaches at Farnborough Hill School, has been in the workshop at the school creating visors out of PVC and polypropylene, using a laser cutter. “I use the laser cutter for the polypropylene straps and the PVC visors are made by hand,” said Liz. “I then clip them together by hand. It takes 20 minutes to make about 12. I’ve made around 700, many of them with the help of my family too.”

The visors are then sent to places which have been making desperate pleas for PPE for frontline workers, including the Scrub Hub which is making and collecting PPE for Frimley Park Hospital.  “I’ve given around 200 to the Scrub Hub and I have sent them to doctors’ surgeries here in Farnham and further afield. For instance, I’ve sent 70 to a practice in London which a school contact told me about.”

Liz sourced the materials herself. “I raised £700 through Go Fund Me for materials and started making the visors when we went into lockdown. I’m part of a huge network of design and technology teachers across the country doing this and thousands and thousands have been made for hospitals, hospices, care homes and surgeries which are absolutely desperate for PPE. People will get in touch and say ‘we are running out, we need some now’, and we will respond.”

Liz has been doing this in her spare time while also teaching a full timetable online for her pupils at Farnborough Hill, having to rework all her plans in order to teach a practical subject at a distance without the use of all the normal equipment.

She remains unfazed however. “I could see there was a need for the visors,” she said. “People in design are always spotting a need and doing something about it.”

Meanwhile people are still making scrubs for Frimley Park Hospital. If you can help by donating material – duvet covers, pillowcases, sheets, etc, or making caps, masks and scrubs themselves, let us know. Contact Stella Wiseman for information. Patterns can be supplied. Currently the hospital has enough scrub bags but desperately needs caps, masks and scrubs.

Pictured above are Liz, Chris, Hannah and Matt Larkin with some of the visors they have made.

Coronavirus, St George's Church

Share Farnham community store now open

1 Comment

The new Share Farnham community store opened on Tuesday, May 12 and will be open Monday to Friday, from 10am to noon, at Hale Community Centre, GU9 0JH, and Farnham Maltings, GU9 7QR.

Share Farnham is full of free-to-borrow activities and equipment to help keep you busy and active and has been stocked thanks to the generosity of local people who have donated scores of books, games, puzzles, DVDs, toys and craft activities. Those who dropped off their donations at St George’s Church Hall have accounted for five tables’ worth of items, so thank you so much!

How to borrow

Simply visit the store at either venue between 10am and 12pm Monday to Friday, or if you cannot because you are shielding or self-isolating at home, please call the Farnham Coronavirus Helpline helpline on 01252 745446.

How to donate items

More donations are welcome and can be dropped at the Farnham Maltings or Hale Community Centre during store opening hours.

Share Farnham donations 1Share Farnham donations 2

Some of the donations at the Hale Community Centre.

 

Pictured top: Enjoy puzzles and games. Picture by Debby Hudson on Unsplash.

Coronavirus, Services

VE Day Service online

Leave a comment

We will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of VE Day this Sunday (May 10) with an online service of music and memories of wide appeal for all, and on the website from 9.30am.

Led by Wendy Edwards, Licensed Lay Minister, the gathering includes a Gospel reading by Lance Corporal Bibbings of  The Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment, Farnham; music from wartime by members of TS Swiftsure, Badshot Lea; and a thought-provoking World War II evacuation memory from Hazel Edwards, Wendy’s mother-in-law. Wendy makes comparisons between World War II and the coronavirus emergency. She draws hope, comfort and and wisdom from both these times of enormous personal and national challenge and ends  the short service with prayers for peace.

Lesley Crawley reflects on the service: “It is 75 years since the end of World War II in Europe and it is fitting to remember the sacrifices made by so many people in defence of freedom. Obviously, our celebrations this year are rather different from what we might expect and perhaps the memory of those sacrifices is made all the more poignant by taking place in these difficult times. Do join us online from 9.30am on Sunday.”

The link to the service on Sunday will be here.

 

 

 

Coronavirus, St George's Church

Donate to Share Farnham at St George’s

Leave a comment

St George’s Church Hall will be open from Monday to Thursday this week, from 10am-noon, to receive donations for Share Farnham.

Share Farnham is a community store of free activities and equipment to help keep you busy and active and it will open this month, but first donations are needed.

The store needs clean, quality objects in good condition and working order and suggested items to donate include puzzles and board games (complete sets), books (less than three years old), musical instruments (playable condition), garden games, sheet music, craft items (eg knitting patterns, cross stitch), DVDs, toys (no soft toys), exercise equipment and cookery equipment (eg pasta makers). No electrical or petrol-powered equipment please.

Please bring your donations and place them on the table provided. Please observe all social distancing requirements.

Once there are enough donations the store will be open in two places – Farnham Maltings and Hale Community Centre. It will be open to all, and you will be able to borrow items, free of charge, for a period of three weeks.

As well as St George’s, items can be dropped this Monday to Thursday at Farnham Maltings and Hale Community Centre between 10am and noon, and at The Bear and Ragged Staff pub (48 The Street, Wrecclesham) between 2pm and 4pm.

 

 

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood, Canva

 

Art, Children and Youth, Coronavirus, Schools

Thanks and reflection

Leave a comment

The service of thanksgiving and prayer for the NHS and other frontline workers has been hugely welcomed and reflected the gratitude and creativity of our community as well as the importance of prayer for many of us (online searches for information about prayer have skyrocketed since the outbreak of Coronavirus began).

Our thanks to the masses of people who were involved in the service which Alan and Lesley put together: Farnham Heath End School; the Scouts; people across the community who sent in beautiful rainbows and other works; keyworkers who allowed themselves to be photographed and the pictures shown as Olivia Jasper sang Amazing Grace; church members; the Mayor of Farnham, Pat Evans; and local MP, Jeremy Hunt.

Lesley Crawley reflected on the service: “I have been bowled over by the gratitude of others for this service and I hope it is enabling others to take their thoughts and anxieties and feelings of gratitude and turn them into prayers. For me, I find prayer always helps; it always makes me feel more peaceful and bit by bit it makes me a better version of myself. In the case of a nation praying it gives us a helpful and even hopeful way of expressing our concerns and worries and also a way of focussing on the good and being grateful for that.”