At St John's, we endeavour to reach out beyond the parish boundaries to remind us that we are part of the world-wide Church. As a church, we aspire to give 5% of our unrestricted income each year to Mission.

 

Charities, supported on an annual basis, fall into three categories: International; National; and Local. The charities (3 in each category) are researched and put forward by the Outreach Group. A simple congregational voting system selects the ‘winner’ in each category.

St John’s also responds to Emergency Appeals eg by the DEC.

In 2023 we are supporting:
 

International:  Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

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MSF is an international, independent medical humanitarian organisation providing medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. Their actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality. Awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 it produces an award winning newsletter.

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On any one day, more than 30,000 Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff from all over the world can be found providing assistance to people in crisis. They are doctors, nurses, midwives, surgeons, anaesthetists, epidemiologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, logistics experts, water and sanitation engineers, administrators and many other kinds of support staff. More than 90 per cent of the staff are recruited locally, and they work on MSF programmes with a small number of international staff. 

 

Medical teams treat people for mental health crises, skin diseases, malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and more. Water and sanitation needs are often great. MSF can provide clean drinking water and sanitation.

 

National: Samaritans

 

Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide throughout Great Britain and Ireland, often through their telephone helpline.

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Every 10 seconds, Samaritans responds to a call for help. No judgement. No pressure.

There 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year for anyone who needs someone. Call 116 123 for free.

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Samaritans incredible volunteers run more than 200 branches and locations across the UK and Ireland.

 

They offer their time to help to deliver 24-hour emotional support service to callers in many ways, from answering telephones and emails, to fundraising, generating publicity, administration and finance.

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Local: Wheatfields Hospice

Wheatfields provides specialist palliative and end of life care to thousands of people across Leeds. It supports people in the hospice in the 18 bed inpatient unit, their own homes or via day care services.

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The focus is on quality of life – giving every patient the care and support they need to spend the time they have left in the way they choose.

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Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice is a charity and is completely free to patients and their loved ones.

Care costs £3.8m per year which equates to £10,500 per day thanks to the generosity of supporters and fundraising activities.

 

The Outreach Team