How do you put a financial figure on the commitment of local people, churches and businesses who have worked together over the last 2 years to support victims of Human Trafficking? Many people have given their time as well as donations of goods and money. The real financial cost is impossible to estimate but we can confidently say that the commitment of local people has been priceless. On behalf of the Victims of Human Trafficking a Big Thank You.

The following is just an indication of some donations given. It is impossible to identify all individual items or donations given directly to Anti Human Trafficking charities by individuals or groups.
Some donations made:-

Salvation Army Victims of Human Trafficking:  £3,853
Charities linked to Anti-Human trafficking:  £700
Frodsham Methodist Church Donations to Salvation Army and International Justice Mission:  £2,134
Estimated donations in kind forwarded directly to Salvation Army and related Charities:  £3,400
Monies or gifts in kind given by groups and others to assist awareness raising:  £2,000

Churches Together against Human Trafficking Group still continues to work hard for this cause and is now represented on The Cheshire Anti-Slavery Network, which works with Statutory NGO’s and other groups.

Further details are available by e-mailing frodshamforuminfo@gmail.com.

Boaz Trust – Frodsham Methodist Church charity for 2016 For generations, people fleeing hardship, violence or persecution have sought refuge in Britain. Many have quickly settled and integrated well. However, those contesting asylum decisions have no recourse to public funds, no benefits or housing and are not allowed to work; caught up in a cumbersome bureaucratic process, many fall victim to homelessness or destitution. To address this growing problem in the Manchester area, the Boaz Trust is a Christian charity set up in 2005. They provide accommodation, food and other essentials to those who are unable to access support from anywhere else. They also offer advocacy and pastoral support, and campaign on a local and national level for justice in asylum legislation.

The charity has a three-pronged approach to their support: CATCH, HOLD, RELEASE. The CATCH phase provides places for those who fall through the system (often referred on by agencies such as the Red Cross) in night shelters or in people’s homes through the hosting scheme. Once people are off the streets, in a safe place, they move on to the HOLD phase, where they are offered meaningful, often life-changing activities such as English classes, and gain access to legal services. The aim for the organisation is that those whom they help should become self-sufficient, the RELEASE phase. Those granted leave to remain in Britain are given help with accommodation, and any support they still need to enable them to live independent, fulfilled lives in their new country.
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In 2014-15, the Boaz Trust gave support and accommodation to over 200 asylum seekers, through 14 shared houses, the hosting scheme, and night shelters provided by local churches. Over 300 volunteers shared in the work alongside the paid staff. They have no government funding, and rely entirely on donations to maintain their work. The Church Council feel the Boaz Trust is a charity worthy of our support this year.

There are two further district-run workshops to examine the issue of whether the Methodist Church should reconsider its definition of marriage in the light of civil same-sex marriage. How do we use the Bible to help us in this matter?

The first, already publicised, is at North St, Crewe (CW1 4NJ) on Thursday 21 January at 7:00pm and an extra one has been arranged for Saturday 23 January at Wellspring Methodist Church Congleton (CW12 3AP) at 10:00am. Both will last 2 ¼ hours, and consist of input plus small group conversations and feedback. Refreshments are provided.

These workshops are open to anyone in the Methodist Church but booking is required. Please book with The District Office for the evening of 21 January at Crewe: chester.stoke@btconnect.com or 01270 627774.

Please book with Dane & Trent Circuit office for the morning of 23 January at Congleton: office@danetrentmethodist.org.uk 01260 270899.

For further info. contact David Pickles: picklesd@methodistchurch.co.uk 07799 902565