A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN:

AND WHAT OF THE NEED?
DURING THE LAST YEAR (SEPT 2008 - AUG 2009) WE HAVE AGAIN BEEN ABLE TO HELP FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NEEDED EMERGENCY HELP. THESE HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO US BY OUR VARIOUS "REFERRAL AGENCIES".
660+ PARCELS HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TO 1100+ INDIVIDUALS. LOOKING BACK, WE SEE THAT THE NUMBER OF PARCELS IS 25% UP ON LAST YEAR, THOUGH THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING HELP IS ABOUT THE SAME!

In spite of a steady supply of donated tins and packets of food from our regular supporters, our shelves have often looked very empty and we have needed to go shopping almost every week. This is only made possible by your invaluable cash donations. As the BASICS BANK embarks on its SIXTH YEAR of service to our local communities, we are very conscious of the loyal and generous help given by so many people, and we are very grateful for it!

May we remind you that as Summer passes the time for HARVEST FESTIVAL is fast approaching. It is a time when many local Churches and schools remember us as part of their Harvest Celebrations by collecting tins and packets of food. We are very dependent upon this major source of donated food and money, so we very much hope that you will feel able to help us again in this way.

PLEASE HELP US TO RESTOCK OUR EMPTY SHELVES.

In our newsletter a year ago we told you of our hopes of purchasing a prefabricated garden-room as our new home at the Lymington United Reformed Church at a cost of around £25,000. Well, MONDAY AUGUST 17TH 2009 was a RED-LETTER DAY!!

Basics Bank moved back in to the United Reformed Church and newly-built church/community hall.
Through the generosity of grant-awarding bodies, churches, other organisations and individuals who kindly responded to our appeal for funds, the great news is that everything is paid for and we have been able, NON-STOP, to continue meeting all calls for help.
We offer a heartfelt "thank you" to EVERYONE who has supported our work by donating so generously to the Building Fund and to all those who continue faithfully to give donations of food, essential toiletries and cash.
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF ALL OF YOU, THE WORK OF BASICS BANK COULD NOT CONTINUE.
Special thanks goes to our friends at the Roman Catholic Church for allowing us the use of their premises as our temporary home during the last eighteen months, also to Jack Gordon - Chair of the Open Door Project Buildings Group - and to Helena Carr - Open Door Project Fund raising Officer - without whose expertise and commitment we would not have achieved our goal: a new purpose built home.
So many others have helped us along the way, not least our own Town Council and NFDC Councillor Elizabeth Lewis and other NFDC members, and we are immensely grateful to each and every one.

Philip Wiseman, Chairman.