WHAT HAPPENS AT OUR COMMUNITY FRIDGE?

I didn’t think you would want to see the rotten apples that I had been tasked to sort out this morning - and believe me, much like the potatoes, I needed to wear gloves to do the job!  First of all, I couldn’t find any gloves, but several people looked and then having found them, I could get on with the job.  I guess that the one thing about the apples we buy in the shops being sprayed  with preservative means that they last longer, but there is nothing quite like apples straight from the tree and by the look of these, they were ones that were brought in from people’s gardens for the Community Fridge and I’m sure they were much appreciated, so thank you to whoever brought them.

We were quite short of people to help today and had one or two issues that needed some of us to be “listeners”, which was what we did, but this meant that I didn’t take that many photographs, so I had to put my thinking cap on as to what I would do for my Blip today.

After a busy morning, I left to go and meet a friend in town for coffee - and as I have been feeling so much better, felt that I could do the two things in one day and we had a lovely time chatting - I can’t tell you too much about her, but suffice to say that from being a very unhappy lady, she is now much happier and I encouraged her to leave the past behind and move forward, which she says she is trying to do.  

I took this photograph whilst waiting for the bus to take me into town - although Mr. HCB said the he would willingly take me, I am mindful of the cost of petrol and I do get a free bus pass, being a lady of a certain age, so why not take advantage?

I had to catch two buses, but whilst waiting for the second one, I noticed, as I have done before whilst standing at this particular bus stop, that the houses still have telegraph wires from the pole to the individual houses - and I rather liked the way they splayed out, especially with the beautiful blue sky above them.

It made me think of the way that we, as volunteers at the Community Fridge, reach out to those who come through the doors and although it is Church-led, we make no distinction between those who come.  We have many different nationalities and ages, from people in their early 20s to those in their 70s and maybe even above, and everyone is treated with love and respect.

Not everyone comes into the café, which is run just on a Monday at the moment, but those who come seem to enjoy chatting with one another, and many friendships have been made, and also with the volunteers and are happy to share their joys and their various issues.  Some come just to support the café without taking five free items from the Community Fridge, and we are grateful for those people too.  

This morning, we had three lovely ladies from Healthwatch, an independent organisation that looks out for those who need to use health and social care services.   Their sole purpose is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use these services and to speak on their behalf and they also seek to help those who are worried or concerned about the current services they receive.  

So any issue, big or small, can be directed to the staff from Healthwatch by those who come in to the Community Fridge.  I have to say the staff are always very friendly and smiley people - something which goes a long way when you are feeling stressed and don’t know which way to turn.  Very often, people wouldn’t go into an office, but if you can speak to someone whilst you are having a cup of coffee, not only does it save a journey into town, but it is in a much more friendly atmosphere.

I have mentioned the Prayer Table before, and the volunteers are always ready to pray with people if that is something they would like.  It’s good to have the free booklets to give out and bearing in mind that it is a Church Outreach campaign, we make no apology for being openly Christian and showing those who come through the doors the love of God.

“And now these three remain: 
     faith, hope and love. 
          But the greatest of these 
               is love.”
I Corinthians 13 : 13 (NIV)

P.S.  I don't want to embarrass him, but it was great to have Jonny with us today!