Christmas Cards are now digital too!

This year we have decided to begin offering digital cards as well as our stock of real cards.

Our digital cards are available through an organisation which for a donation from you, allows you to choose one of four cards to send to up to 100 friends (via email).

This is an increasingly popular way to support your favourite charity and we wanted to offer you the option too.

The process is very simple:

1. Go to our card website.

2. Here you will see one example of our cards.

3. Click on the card of your choice.

4. Say who the card is from and add your message.

5. Choose how much to donate (and whether to add a tip for Don’t Send Me A Card).

6. You are then sent to PayPal’s website to complete your purchase.

7. You are asked for the email addresses you want to send the card to.

8. Click send.

It’s very straightforward and a great way to stay in touch with people while also helping out the charity of your choice – hopefully us.

Thank you and have a lovely Christmas.

September Newsletter

Your newsletter this time reports on how adults and children coped with their first outbreak of covid 19 at the Home. We also introduce the new social worker Rumbidzai Mashoko.

2021-SeptDownload

Please note, we have changed our bank account. Information is contained in the newsletter. We are now with the Cooperative Bank. If you have set up a standing order with us please contact your bank and change the details to our new account, the old account will close on December 20th 2021. 

 Banks do not switch standing orders automatically.

It is important you make the switch because your donations continue to be vital to the support we give to the children at MRCH.

For the moment our HSBC account is still open but will be closed at the end of September.

We are also hoping to offer digital Christmas cards this year – watch this space for information.

June Newsletter

It is with great sadness that in this Newsletter we announce the death of one of our founding committee members – John Richer. John was with us at the inaugural meeting of the Friends in 1996 and he served as our Secretary for many years. He will be greatly missed.

We are pleased to be able to relay that all staff have now had their COVID vaccines. Under COVID restrictions the children are able to attend 2-3 days of school a week at present and everyone is well.

MRCH is undergoing a significant staff restructuring partially as a necessary cost cutting exercise but also to ensure compliance with government requirements for a qualified and experienced social worker – this is currently being advertised.

We also extend out congratulations to all the students who have passed O-level and A-level examinations in recent months.

Our donations have been severely effected by the pandemic as fundraising opportunities are so restricted. Please remember there are a number of ways you can make one off donations – they will be greatly appreciated. Stay Safe.

March Newsletter

Our new format Newsletter is working well and means we can include many more photos than before. We hope you like it.

This newsletter includes:

  • An update of the conditions at the Home as a result of Covid restrictions – the Home is struggling, under another lockdown, to access education and basic food and hygene staples.
  • Photos from the Annual fundraising dinner, joined remotely by Zimbabwe Methodist Fellowships from the UK, Canada and Australia.
  • Progress update on the ECD with lots of photos.
  • A report from the Rural COmmunity Outreach programme.

Thank you for all the wonderful donations we have received over the last few months, please keep them coming – we appreciate fundraising is very difficult at this time, but every little helps. Take care.

A thank you to our donors

Following our promotion of Amazon Smile – which enables customers to ask Amazon to add a donation as a percentage of their purchase to a charity of their choice – we have had our first confirmation of donations.

Similarly we have just received a cheque from PayPal Giving Fund for other donations.

Every little helps and we are very grateful to all those who donate to the Friends whatever route that takes. Your funds are invaluable to the Home.

Keep safe.

September Newsletter

The September Newsletter reports on the desperate situation of the Home in recent months as a result of both Covid-19 and the ever declining economic situation of Zimbabwe. Overall, donations are down and the Home has had to make challenging decisions about cost cutting resulting in job losses and a return to outdoor cooking over a fire rather than paying for electricity.

The good news is that so far children have not missed any meals and everyone at the home is virus free.

A sincere thank you for all the donations we have received over the last 6 months, it is invaluable at this very uncertain and challenging time. The newsletter has details of other ways you can support the Home with one off charge free donations via PayPal and in your every day activities when purchasing on-line with Amazon Smile.

You can now donate via PayPal if thats easier…

At a time when it is so difficult to fundraise, we are suggesting people make donations direct instead if they feel able. We now have another mechanism for you to donate to the Friends – PayPal – it’s quick and easy if you already have an account set up.

Simply follow this link

  • PayPal will complete the relevant details.
  • Select the amount you want to donate – or specify your own amount.
  • You will be prompted about Gift Aid – following which you will receive an email to say that your donation has been received.

Thank you.

June Newsletter

Our June Newsletter is now available.

Like many places, the Children’s Home is locked down and the schools are closed. At present there are no cases of Coronavirus at the Home and the health and safety of everyone at the Home is being well managed – no visitors are allowed to the Home and staff are only allowed out for essential items such as food and medicine. More widely in Zimbabwe, the new normal is wearing a mask wherever you are or face arrest.

With fundraising being a challenge at the moment any donations you can make through other routes is very much appreciated. See the newsletter for a list of ways you can donate. Thank you.