Outreach

Windsor Methodist Church Outreach Committee

This committee is an important element of the Church. Its members are drawn from the various organisations within the Church. Its function is to give practical expression to the faith which members of the church profess in ways that benefit others both in the local community and in other parts of the world. Through fund-raising it seeks to support deserving causes both locally, nationally and internationally.

The Church’s Outreach activities include the direct running of major events such as the stunning Flower Festival held in the Windsor Church as part of the 2008 Windsor Heritage Fortnight. The “Fairtrade” theme was cleverly demonstrated by the beautiful floral displays. Over 1,000 people came through the doors and an incredible £3,300 was raised during the Flower Festival.

One of the other Outreach activities is the liaison with other Churches in Windsor under the banner “CHURCHES TOGETHER IN WINDSOR”.

Recently the Outreach Committee activity has included:

Hosting Rosie’s Rainbow Choir from Redroofs Theatre School gave a wonderful concert at the Church which raised £475 pounds plus £50 gift aid which was added to the Church’s contribution to the Haiti appeal. Rosie’s rainbow fund aims to provide music therapy for sick and disabled children and teenagers in hospital, school or wherever needed.

Fairtrade tea producer story - On tour in Berkshire and all the way from Southern India for Fairtrade Fortnight, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Fairtrade Group and the Wesley Guild hosted an event at Windsor Methodist Church on Wednesday 3^rd March 2010 featuring a tea producer. Mr Vinay Devaiah explained the workings of the Thiashola Tea Estate and how tea is produced and the advantages of the Fairtrade system.

Vinay also explained about all the exciting community projects chosen by the workers and financed from the Fairtrade premium. In the last two years since becoming a Fairtrade Estate the premium as paid for the following:

Free installation of cable TV to all workers’ houses
Increased access to medical treatment to five days a week by paying an additional doctor for two days
Free twice-monthly medical camps with access to specialists such as a dentist, eye surgeon and gynaecologist
Provision of gas cookers – healthier than smoky fires and women no longer have to spend an hour or more every day collecting firewood
Scholarships to help with tuition fees and other expenses of college and university students
School bus to transport students to the secondary school 15km away at Manjoor
Purchase of two computers to provide free training for children
Low-interest loan scheme to finance income-generating schemes such as purchase of sewing machines, keeping cows, goats and chicken to sell their milk and eggs
Construction of a community hall available for weddings and other social events
Construction of a mini hydroelectric plant to augment the unreliable existing power supply (spring 2010)
Tree-planting programme to tackle deforestation and climate change.

After hearing Vinay’s story the large audience was treated to a tea tasting with Fairtrade cakes made by a new Maidenhead business “Happy Cakes” and took away samples of Fairtrade teas.

Whitechapel Mission

Another trip is planned to take the monetary donations, clothing, food and toiletries up to Whitechapel.

Whitechapel Mission is dedicated to providing a lifeline to the poor and homeless people of London who struggle each day against hunger, poverty and exclusion. Their goal is to help people to help themselves, giving them the confidence they need to become independent, which we do through practical support and advice and by teaching them the life skills they need to succeed.

Coming soon - another wonderful youth choir concert – watch the website for details.

Other very enjoyable fund-raising events were organised by the committee to support National and International charities:

UK based organisations working with young people whose home background is not good.
Over the last 3 years over £15,000 has been raised for charities working internationally including Water Aid, Schools in India and various projects in parts of Africa.

Through the work of the Committee Windsor Methodist Church has established a relationship with a Methodist church in Poland. As with all churches we seek to encourage individuals to express their own faith in ways that broaden the churches involvement in the local community. This has lead to and increased usage of the church premises as a community resource with the facilities being put to good use in hosting concerts and the production of plays.