Dear Friends and supporters,

It is always a pleasure to make contact with our Friends and Supporters at this time of year, to update you all on the life of the Centre and to invite you to our AGM. As you know from our last letter, we are going through difficult times financially at the moment, but the need for our warm and welcoming “home from home” in the centre of the City is greater than ever so we are determined to continue to serve all those who come to us and, with your continued help, I know we will.

Thank you to all those who so generously sent donations, and messages of support, following the news of our difficulties; you have no idea how encouraging they were. Press reports and a radio interview have also served to bring us to the attention of others and trustees and staff are currently looking at ways to increase our profile further.

One plea from me before I pass you over to others, with their news both good and not so good: Can you find us some more Friends? If each Friend or supporter spread the word to just one person and got them to subscribe as a Friend we would double our membership and spread the word further still in no time at all!

With my best wishes and thanks

Katherine Gray, on behalf of the Trustees.

AN UPDATE FROM OUR CHAPLAIN

You may not have noticed but I have good news – the Chaplaincy in All Saints’ Centre has grown – not in girth (although that may well be the case…), but in terms of there now being a number of us involved in helping out in the Chancel area leading prayers on Fridays at noon, providing a safe listening ear and running our Lent Group.

So it is with great joy that I pass on the great news that the stalwart group of people who have kept the Friday prayers going over the past few years – Denise, Sue, Sheila and more latterly Alison, are now joined by a few others who will become more involved in the prayer life of the Centre. 

Prayer is the foundation of all the wonderful work that goes on day to day in All Saints’ Centre. Prayer helps ensure that we maintain and refresh our focus and enthusiasm for our work and keeps our reason for being – offering hospitality and love in the name of Jesus Christ - to the forefront at all times.

In the future, the chaplaincy team will not only be involved in prayer but will also be around in the Centre to offer their time and a listening ear to folk, hopefully enabling those who are hurting to share their troubles.

And, to that end, a more recent addition to the chancel area is a prayer station with a board for leaving prayer requests. The chaplaincy team will take responsibility for pointing people in the direction of the board and in receiving prayer requests. They will also ensure that any prayers left in our care will be prayed at an appropriate time.

Alongside this good news I am also delighted to report that we have been running a successful and lively Lent Group, meeting on a Friday morning 10.30 – 11.55 am. Building on this new initiative we are planning to offer other courses and sessions in future.

Following our last newsletter  I would like to extend my thanks  to all those people who responded to my plea for Bibles and other Christian resources – many of these have already found their way into the hands of grateful recipients, and we find that there is always demand for more.

So please if you have any unused Bibles, Christian books, crosses or rosaries – please do think of us, and, begging your indulgence, I would like to extend my plea to include artificial flowers and plants and brightly coloured cloths or runners to brighten up the newly cleared Chancel area.  With every blessing,

The Revd Janet Wyer.

FROM OUR TREASURER

As you already know, 2012 proved to be a very challenging year for the Centre and we finished with a total deficit of over £10,000.  All our costs have risen alarmingly, even though efforts have been made to contain them.  In addition our income has declined from £99,500 to £81,396.  Although much of this is explained by a substantial legacy in the previous year, the economic climate and reduced 'foot fall' in Norwich with many empty shops in Westlegate have all added to the problem.

 One bright spot has been the support of many of our loyal benefactors who gave a total of over £16,000 in donations during the year and I would like to thank them on behalf of us all.  However, even this generosity cannot close the gap between our income and expenditure on its own.  Four years ago our rent was £5,750 per year.  From next month it will be £13,000.  This alone accounts for a major part of our deficit.  Apart from carefully controlling our outgoings, which we have been doing, we need to plan financially our immediate future and longer term survival so that the last 33 years started by Jo Cook's dedication and vision for the Centre does not come to a sudden end!

We are therefore planning to launch a CAMPAIGN to raise a substantial amount of money to give us that future. This includes the immediate need for £8,000 to replace the main floor covering and under floor structure in the Centre which has suffered from severe damp in the last few years.  It was generously donated several years ago by John Lewis but has now unfortunately deteriorated badly and needs urgent replacement.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?  A special newsletter will follow, once plans have been finalised, and I trust that we will be able to rely on you to broadcast details of this campaign as widely as you can to any contacts you may have in the media, or any other organisations or individuals who might be able to help the Centre. 

Meanwhile, if any reader would like to help us by giving general and / or administrative support for our campaign, please do get in touch with me by email: mandrhope@btinternet.com or telephone: 01508 480 300. Many thanks ! 

Michael Hope

PAST AND FUTURE EVENTS

Our AGM will be held on Saturday April 20th at 11.00 a.m. We are trying a different time of day this year in the hope that more of you will be able to join us. The meeting time will also allow you to stay and enjoy lunch in our newly- named Sanctuary Café and spend some time with us. Those of you receiving this letter by email, will find a copy of our annual report for 2012 attached. Copies will also be available at the AGM, as will the accounts. If anyone receiving this letter by post would like a copy of the report sent to them, please let us know.

On Sunday 19th May we are holding an Open Garden event in the Bishop's Garden at Bishops House in Norwich. The event will run from 1.00 p.m. until 5.00 p.m. and, as well as an opportunity to enjoy the garden, there will be light lunches and cream teas. Live music will be performed by members and friends of the High Oak Music Group and there will be a Tombola and other stalls.

Sue Rolfe, who is heading-up this event, would be please to receive donations of tombola prizes and items to sell on the stalls. She can be contacted on 01379 852 568

We do hope that you will come along and join in what we hope will be a very happy occasion. You will find a leaflet with full details about the event with this newsletter and maybe you would be so kind as to display it somewhere or give it to a friend or neighbour.

WILL YOU SPONSOR NORMA?

Hello. My name is Norma Broadest and I am taking part again in the Riders and Striders (formerly cycle /walk) on behalf of All Saints’ Centre (and my local church under separate sponsorship). Last year I visited 40 churches on foot.

There will be plenty of forms available at the Centre nearer the date (September 14th). As it is perfectly acceptable to ride or stride for more than one charity and sponsor more than one participant, please do help All Saints’ Centre by sponsoring me. Thank you.

WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY

It is no secret that legacies can make or break a charity and All Saints’ is no exception. We have been ‘rescued’ on several occasions by a sudden boost from someone’s will. Please do consider the people of Norwich whom we welcome and support when you are considering beneficiaries of your will.

We are walking in faith, as our founder always did, but, in these difficult times financially, our prayers for our future are in even more need of being coupled with action.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND GIFT AID

Our thanks to all those who noted the fact that subscriptions are now payable in January. If you still pay your subscription annually and haven’t yet sent it to us, we would be delighted to receive it at your earliest convenience! Thank you also to all those who are now signed up for Gift Aid; this has helped us reclaim a good amount from the tax man! Our thamks go to Sue Olver and Robin Evans for doing the necessary paperwork for this.

AND FINALLY....

EMAIL ADDRESSES ARE STILL NEEDED: To help us cut our costs further, if you have received this letter by post and now have an email address we could use instead, please email Katherine Gray (otc@gotadsl.co.uk) and she will add you to the list.

Thank you for your help and support..