Armed Forces Covenant
In March 2023 The Telford and Wrekin Interfaith Council signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant, and achieved the Bronze award. Signing this covenant shows the commitment of the Telford and Wrekin Interfaith Council and all of its members in supporting our Armed Forces, both those who currently serve as well as our veterans.
Out-of-Hours Emergency Food Service
During the past year, we continued to provide Emergency Food Parcels to families and individuals in need. These continue to be a mix of collections and deliveries. Our Grant from Telford and Wrekin Council allowed us to continue our Out of Hours service
We have also received donations of food and goods from multiple donors which have assisted over 10,000 residents within the Telford and Wrekin Borough
- 9,832 Emergency Food Parcels distributed
- 147,480 meals provided
Community Engagement
During the previous 12 months we have had the pleasure of working with many groups to help bring diversity and inclusion to all members of the community. .
We have been able to go into local primary and secondary Schools during South Asian Heritage Month in July 2022 to deliver Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion workshops to over 1,000 students, to help them to better understand the diverse world around them. .
We were also able to hold several events at our community hub, which covered such areas as Black History Month, Diwali, the King’s Coronation, and other diversity-related events.
Warm Space Project
In Nov 2022 we received funding to deliver a Warm Space project. This allowed us to open up our Community Hub to local residents who may be struggling with heating their homes, in need of a hot meal, or just to come together for a bit of company. The funding allowed us to run the project from Dec 22 through the end of March 23, which ran for 2 days per week. Those in attendance were able to keep warm, have a hot meal, a hot drink, play some games, or to socialise.
Due to the success of the Warm Space project, we put out a fundraiser campaign to allow us to continue this service. This service then became our “Chit-Chat” café, which runs every Thursday 1pm-3pm and all are welcome.
Interfaith Santa
With the support of the Telford and Wrekin Council, Balfour Beatty, and many volunteers we were able to deliver our Mobile Santa Grotto to the streets of Telford and Wrekin for the two weeks leading up to Christmas.
This is now the third year that we have been able to bring our Interfaith Father Christmas to the children of the Borough. Overall, it is estimated that 2,000+ children experienced the Mobile Grotto.
- We also delivered over 1,500 Selection Boxes to vulnerable children during that time.
- We also gave over 200 presents to children who would overwise not receive anything due to the financial crisis that is affecting many families in our community.
Christmas Day Meals
On Christmas Day 2022, we prepared and delivered hot Christmas meals to over 250 vulnerable adults, many of whom were placed in homeless shelters around the Telford and Wrekin Borough, as well as elderly individuals and couples who were struggling.
We were also able to hold a sit-down meal at our community Hub for those who wanted some company on the day. We provided additional treats to add an extra smile to those we served.
Over 40 volunteers from the many communities that make up the T and W Interfaith Council gave up their time on Christmas day to help prepare, serve, and deliver Christmas meals.
It was again a truly ‘Interfaith Christmas’, where all came together to serve those in the greatest need.
Easter Egg Project
During Easter 2023 the Board of Trustees, with support from our volunteers wanted to continue the Easter Egg Project to support the local community, including vulnerable families and individuals.
As a result of public support and donations, we were able to deliver over 800 Easter Eggs to vulnerable individuals and families across the borough.
Our Easter Smile campaign has been a great success for the third year running. The smiles on each child’s face are the reason our volunteers love this project.
