September
2002.
Dear
Headteacher,
Every
year for the past 16 years BEFA has sent out its Christmas Sugar Appeal
to
Norfolk Schools.
Although
it still seems awfully early to be talking about Christmas, it's
time
to ask you again if you will help us to bring some comfort to the
homeless
and vulnerable at what is a particularly difficult time of year for
them. We ask children to collect sugar because
they can carry it easily, yet
it
feels "important", and they know the "comfortable" feeling it brings.
Also,
a packet of sugar is affordable, which allows most families to
participate. Sugar also packs, transports, and
stores easily, and is needed
by
the shelters in vast amounts.
British
Sugar have agreed to help us again this year with a donation of up to
2
tonnes, matching packet for packet, the amount of their Silver Spoon brand
sugar
collected. Last year Norfolk
schools collected over 4 tonnes of sugar.
With British Sugar's match this became 6
tonnes! This quantity supplied the
winter
needs of all the Open Christmases, Homeless Shelters and Women's
Refuges
in Norfolk, as well as other Agencies who help the homeless, such as
the
Salvation Army. Also, not
forgetting our neighbours, some went to Crisis
in
London and some to similar projects in the Manchester area.
Some
schools also collected money for us, from Christmas Concerts, from Come
As
You Like Days or other fundraisers, which helped us buy Christmas food for
these
projects too.
The
broad outlines of what BEFA does are on the attached Fact Sheet, and we
sincerely
hope that you will feel able to join the band of Norfolk Schools
(over
60 last year) who help us.
If
you require any more information, or would like to be put in touch with a
school
near you who have collected sugar for us, please let us know. We try
to
make things as easy as possible for schools; we know just how busy you
are! We can usually supply posters etc.
and a speaker if you would like.
Our
collection schedule normally gets quite hectic in the last few weeks of
term,
so we would be very grateful if you could let us know as soon as
possible
if you would like to help, and we can make arrangements to suit
you.
Thank
you for taking the time to read our Appeal. We look forward to
hearing
from you, and hope you will join the ever-increasing number of
schools
who do so much good, (and have so much fun doing it!) by collecting
sugar
for the homeless at Christmas.
Yours
sincerely,
Peter
and Polly Bowles.
BEFA
Volunteers.
Please
turn over for Fact Sheet.
FACT
SHEET
BEFA
is a locally founded, locally operated charity with roots in the farming
community
and a strong commitment to the people of Norfolk. It has a 17 year
history
of bringing good food from the people of Norfolk to the
homeless.
BEFA's
mission is simply to help feed the homeless at Christmas, working
through
established shelters, supported accommodation projects, etc. and with
other
experienced agencies such as the Salvation Army which have daily
contact
with the homeless.
BEFA
is a 100% volunteer organization.
There are no paid staff and
administration
costs are negligible. Almost every
penny donated goes to
purchase
food.
Local
farmers donate most of the fresh produce - more than 20 pallets in
2001.
Food
Wholesalers and Manufacturers donated another 20 pallets of
foodstuffs.
Norfolk
school children donate sugar - over 4 tonnes in 2001.
British
Sugar matched (and has generously offered to match again in 2002) the
"Silver
Spoon" sugar donated by Norfolk schoolchildren in 2001, bringing the
total
amount of sugar collected and distributed to shelters since last
Christmas
to over 6 tonnes!
Norfolk
families make donations of cash, which is used to purchase the
necessary
food items (like Turkeys and Christmas Puddings) which have not
been
donated. In 2001 this amounted to
just over£20,000.
Local
volunteers donate time, office space, supplies, etc.
Local
businesses help with postage, copying, transportation and
warehousing.
BEFA
sends only the food that is needed.
Each homeless project is sent a
shopping
list of the Christmas foods BEFA can provide. We ask them to mark
the
quantities of each food item they expect to need, and add a "wish list"
which
BEFA attempts to fulfill. The
lists are then collated and we at BEFA
work
to come up with the quantities of food needed.
BEFA
provided food for more than 3500 meals for the homeless of Norfolk
during
Christmas 2001. In addition we sent
a 40-foot Lorry to Manchester for
various
homeless projects in the northwest and one to Crisis in London. Both
of
these lorries were filled to overflowing!
Although
our main work happens at Christmas, we will happily be a conduit for
donations
of food or other useful items throughout the year. For instance a
couple
of months ago we were given and have distributed 40 pallets of
breakfast
cereals. Also, in January 2001,
BEFA distributed 138 cans of
donated
paint to homeless projects in Norfolk.
The shelters (particularly
those
serving families) were thrilled at the opportunity to make their
surroundings
look bright and welcoming, and we could have easily found homes
for
5 times that amount!