For a number of months, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Loughborough, Leicestershire area, have been supporting the local branch of the Red Cross in their work with refugees and asylum seekers. With the encouragement of the church leaders in Loughborough, members of the congregation stayed behind after church, every few weeks, to make up baby packs and hygiene kits for men and women. Other donations have included sleeping bags and knitted blankets.
- Loughborough Ward members assisting the Red Cross
- Loughborough Helps the Red Cross
- Loughborough helps Red Cross
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As they engaged in this act of service, church members learned more about the value of their efforts when one of the Red Cross staff, Cathy Stevenson, attended church meetings in response to an invitation from the local church leader, Bishop Andrew Toone. Cathy enjoyed hearing talks on the theme of, “Who Is My Neighbour”, one of which was given by one of the youngest members of the congregation.
The joint meeting for adult men and women began with a short film about the worldwide refugee crisis which showed images of the response of the Church in Europe. Cathy noticed the Church logo on the parcels of goods in the video and recognised that they were the same as on the boxes that are delivered to her in Leicester.
As part of Cathy’s presentation she highlighted the need that asylum seekers have for legal advice and she was thrilled with the offer of help from several of the solicitors in the congregation.
At the end of the church meetings, Cathy joined with other members of the congregation to make up the next batch of donations for the Red Cross.
It is hoped that Cathy and others at the Red Cross feel that they now have close links with a supportive organisation, full of people who care and are willing to help people in need.