The Lidgetton Community Centre started 7 years ago to assist the orphans and vulnerable children in the community. Our aim is to offer support to the needy families who have taken one or more children into their households, enabling the children to remain in their community of origin.
We do this by supplying a monthly food parcel, second hand clothing, school uniforms and blankets.
At present we are assisting 24 families, with a total of 34 children.

Accessing a grant is a difficult process for many of our families as they often do not have the necessary documents required by the Social Welfare Department.
Spending meagre resources on transport to Home Affairs or Social Welfare offices only to stand in long queues and often to be sent home empty-handed, is exhausting and depressing. Hopefully, in 2010 we will see an improvement in these departments.

We are currently spending an average of R90 per child per food parcel. The parcels consist of 10 kg mealie meal, beans, lentils, samp, cooking oil, soup powder, Morevite porridge, sugar, soap, and a cabbage or vegetables in season. When funds permit we also add toothbrushes and toothpaste, and shoe- cleaning materials. We have been meeting at the Lidgetton Cash Store, where we make use of the verandah and a little office. Many thanks to Lidgetton Cash Store for the use of these premises and the supply of food at cost.

We would like to thank the following for their generous contributions and
support which have enabled us to continue the work of the project:

• Sharon MacKenzie and her team of the Lions River Country Fair
• St John's Gowrie church
• John Porter
• Marie Murphy
• Allison Van Gils Bruce and Marjolijn
• Mary Ward
• M J Greene
• Elza Reynolds
• Linda Hutchinson
• Rotary Club of Howick
• Seventh Day Adventist church
• Fiona Hayhoe-Weiland
• Michaelhouse
• Members of In Shape Gym who donated beautiful Christmas gifts
• Donors of secondhand clothing

The Lions River Country Fair used to be our main sponsors, but the last fair was held in 2007. This is cause for concern as we have not been able to find a major regular donor since then. Our budget for the food is R36,000 p.a. We have had to discontinue supplying uniforms, other than absolute essentials, because of lack of funding. We need an additional R15,000 p.a. to be able to do this. We are hoping to find someone who is willing and able to run a golf day or fundraising dinner on our behalf.

WE NEED YOU! The project will not survive without your help. Your ongoing support and interest is enormously appreciated, and we appeal to others with a heart for helping to come forward.

• Can you sew or knit? Warm clothes and blankets are perhaps something we take for granted
• Do you ever experience gnawing hunger pains and not know when you can hope for a morsel to eat?
• Have you ever experienced the emptiness and despair of watching your mother grow weak and die, leaving you alone and helpless?
• Is your home draughty with holes in the roof where the rain pours in and your meagre belongings become sodden and spoilt.

Spare a thought for these children as you tuck into two or three hearty meals each day, and climb into a hot bath and warm bed at night in your snug and secure house.

We are all children of God. Do the same good things for others as you would want them to do for you.