Harvest Appeal 

 This year, we are inviting the Guiseley Baptist Church family to support two excellent charities – one close to home and, the other, across the world!
 
                 
 
How foodbanks work …
We provide emergency food to people in crisis.
Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with foodbanks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.
 
Food is donated
Schools, churches, businesses, and individuals donate non-perishable, in-date food to a foodbank. Large collections often take place as part of Harvest Festival celebrations and food is also collected at supermarkets.
 
Food is sorted and stored
Volunteers sort food to check that it’s in date and pack it into bags ready to be given to people in need. Over 40,000 people give up their time to volunteer at foodbanks.
 
Professionals identify people in need
A wide range of care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and police register with their local foodbank, identify people in crisis and refer them to the foodbank by issuing a food voucher. 
 
Clients receive food
Foodbank clients bring their e-voucher number to a foodbank centre where it can be redeemed for three days’ emergency food. Volunteers meet clients over a warm drink or free hot meal and are able to signpost people to agencies able to solve the longer-term problem.
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The Bradford North Foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust’s network of foodbanks, working to tackle food poverty and hunger in our local communities, as well as across the UK. We offer three-day emergency food parcels in exchange for a food voucher obtainable from many local support agencies. Food parcels are collected from one of our neighbourhood, cafe-style, foodbank centres. (The nearest foodbank centre to GBC is at Trinity, Rawdon). We also rely on our supporters for financial donations to help with the operational costs.
For more information about Bradford North Foodbank, please visit their website at https://bradfordnorth.foodbank.org.uk
                                 
 GREAT LAKES OUTREACH
 
5-year-old 4-hour walkers in Burundi …
In late August 2024, Simon Guillebaud wrote: These 5-year-old boys are about to embark on a two-hour walk home from school to the second hill you can see. They make the journey twice per day – that blows my mind!

It’s easy to take school for granted in the West, but for these kids, a decent education is their best hope of escaping the desperate poverty they have grown up in.
This coming week, Burundian kids will be due to return to school en masse for the new year, but not all of them will make it! You see, even though education is apparently free, families still have to pay for school uniform and stationery to learn. Without it, their children will be sent home, and many families simply cannot afford this. It’s common for parents to have to choose between their children, who gets to learn, and who has to stay at home.
I’ll never forget my friend and ministry leader Rachel coming to me in tears, explaining that often it’s kids of those serving God who miss out because they don’t have the money. That is so wrong! And that’s why I am writing to you – could you help us ensure that all of the children of everybody who works for our Partners can get back to school for this year?
Pretty much all of us had the privilege of attending school and did not need to be concerned about books, stationery or uniforms – what a blessing! I’d love to give you the chance to share that blessing with a Burundian family this year. Could you help us provide £25 to over 800 families?
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Great Lakes Outreach (GLO) is a network of passionate people of faith who are reaching out to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the last, the lost and the least in Burundi, located in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. We partner with local Christian organisations to share God’s message to fund sustainable projects that transform lives. GLO was founded in 2003 by Simon Guillebaud in response to massive needs of the country. Simon recognised the potential for strategic co-operation with local partners and has worked in Burundi since 1998. Please visit the website for more information at www.greatlakesoutreach.org

HOW TO GIVE

If you can contribute, please note the following:
Foodbank items must be non-perishable and in date. Items most urgently needed include: tinned meat, tinned fruit, tinned fish, long-life juice, jams/preserves/honey, tinned tomatoes … along with … toothpaste, deodorant, soap/handwash and toothbrushes. (Items not currently required include: cereal, tea bags, pasta, rice, tinned pulses – chickpeas, kidney beans etc)
Items can be brought to church on any Sunday during October … but especially to our Harvest Service – held at 10.30am on 20^th October.
 
Financial gifts – which will be split between both the Bradford North Foodbank and the Burundi (Great Lakes Outreach) charities – can be donated at any time during October:

• Cash or cheques should be put inside an envelope, clearly marked ‘Harvest 2024’ and placed in the offertory bag at church during a Sunday morning service
• For those who give via the bank, please ensure the reference states ‘Harvest 2024’. (Bank details for GBC are below.)

 
Many thanks for your support to the work of these two great charities.
 
Guiseley Baptist Church – Barclays Bank business account:
Sort code: 20-48-95     Account number: 20444960