One Thousand and Eight Hundred Children
Recently I was told that in our beautiful and much- loved Duchy of Cornwall there are children, from six to eighteen years old, who act as unpaid carers for members of their families, (usually parents).
The shocking fact is that there are over one thousand, eight hundred such children, in Cornwall alone, who are tied by their demanding responsibilities and rarely get the chance to go to the beach or cinema, play sports, mix with their peers socially – all things we take for granted. They often miss school and money is invariably very tight. In case you are wondering these children often have to cope with medication, meals, personal care - such as showering, dealing with commodes and being on call to fetch and carry, particularly during the night.
It was Canon Pat who told me this. Many of you will know of her reputation for compassion and very practical help.
Being Pat, she has gone into action with her usual clarity of understanding and vision for something better. She has gone ahead and started to arrange 3 day holidays for 20 of these children. She has found a lovely camping place at Warleggan and made plans for the children to have a break from their demanding lives – with fun and games, a chance to be children and to make friends, go walking on the moors, have a chance to join with a drumming group around the campfire, to learn bush craft from the scouts – and then to plant trees which will, hopefully, grow into a copse for the future.
Pat will be working in partnership with Dr Barnardo’s and the parishes of St Neot and Warleggan are all joining in, erecting tents and cooking the food and providing gallons of hot chocolate and sticky buns. She has organised boring things like insurance and safe guarding.
The first holiday is planned for May 24th till May 27th. If it is a success they will try to make it an annual event. Pat says that people are being very generous with helpful donations but there is a way to go before she can relax and say that the event is comfortably covered financially. This where you and I come in.
I, among others from the Probus Team (sorry that is no longer the correct name but you know what I mean) Bible Study Group, have decided we must try to help.
You are invited to drop in at Oxturn House on Thursday 13th March for “Coffee and Cake” (other refreshments will be available) at any time between 11.00 am and 4.30 pm.
I feel sure that you will share my compassion for these children and I hope you will feel able to support this wonderful project.
As you would expect, I do not have a card reader so please make sure you have plenty of cash in your pockets!!!!
Barbara Holt