Truro Food Bank

 

I went to our local Sainsburys Supermarket this afternoon, just for some top up items. I find that I don't need to do a big weekly shop now.

It broke my heart to see the almost empty Food Bank boxes. I asked one of the staff why there was so little food , but she assured me that there had been a collection that morning and the boxes had been full.

I used to make sure that if I shopped I dropped one item in the box. Now I feel the situation is so much graver, so put a larger collection in.

Truro Food Bank has been running since 2009, and is for emergency food supplies to people in need. It is a Christian organisation linked to the Trussell Trust, and relies on food and monetary donations from the public and other organisations. Last year  in our area 2,220 people were fed with goods from the Food Bank, giving out boxes with three days supplies.

This is what the average box contains. Not only staples such as cereals, long life milk, tinned meats etc, but also

more personal items, toiletries, tissues. These are the things that get left off the shopping lists when trying to feed a family is more important.

One of our local Secondary schools has just managed to donate 488 kilos of food, raised from a 'non uniform' day. Isn't that brilliant?

There are so many reasons why families need this help. Some will have lost jobs. Some will have arrived from a war torn country. Some will just not be able to make a small wage go round as well as paying utility bills. Some will have lost a partner or be living alone.

I find it hard, and am so thankful for the things that I have.

Jonathon

In a week of News programmes featuring politics, murders, shootings, Post office scandals, rising cost of living, abandoned babies and worse, it has been sweet to see this.

Prince Edward, now Duke of Edinburgh, has been spending a few days on the island of St Helena, and was introduced to Jonathon, at 191years old,  the oldest Tortoise in the world.

I found that refreshing.

Random (very) thoughts

 We have the promised snow. Not much but enough to make me wonder if I should cancel an appointment later.

I'm loving the scent of my hyacinths, which turned out to be blue, as I had thought. I wish they would grow evenly.

A dear friend has just dropped in to see me, making me realise how fortunate I am to have lovely people around.

The bluetits have been investigating the nesting box. I do hope they will nest there again this year. We had the thrill of watching the babies take a leap into the world last year.

Not my photo

I'm wondering where I shall go on holiday this year, so many places to choose from. Will it be a return to Italy? a visit to Guernsey? or just a visit to friends in beautiful Herefordshire?

My last random thought is that I must take a box of warming vegetable soup out of the freezer to have for lunch. I do like making soup!

Walk and Talk

 This is  a lovely walk by the side of the Truro river. On the left is a large park with tennis courts and children's games, and also a Cafe.

Every few months our local Hospice leads a 'stroll', known as Bereavement Walk and Talk. When I joined the first one I was worried that it was possibly going to be a bit 'doom and gloom'. It isn't at all. It's usually a group of between four and today, ten, people, who simply enjoy being out in the fresh air in lovely surroundings.

We know that the link between us is that we have all lost someone dear to us, but it isn't dwelt on in a sad way. Memories are laughed about, people are remembered in a comforting way. Most of the time the conversation is about anything but bereavement, but equally we are all aware that we are different stages of a journey, and chatting is a good way to lighten our souls.

It takes about an hour, depending on how slowly we walk. Then there is the treat of a hot chocolate or a coffee and cake at the little Cafe.

A good way to spend a morning.

Signs of Spring.

My Hyacinths were planted in November last year, I cant remember what colour they are, but I think that I probably chose blue. It wont be too long before they are out.

Outside on my front step I have a bowl full of tiny daffodils and Iris. Now they too are producing their first little spikes.

In the conservatory, which doesn't have heat, I'm surprised to see the Geraniums flowering happily. Last Winter I lost several by leaving them in the greenhouse, all polythene covered, but it wasn't enough to stave off the frost. So this year, they are safe.

 The appearance of the little bulb leaves makes me look forward to Spring. In Cornwall we already have daffodils flowering in the fields, so maybe Winter is beginning to recede.