St Peter and St Paul’s Church News

Innocent Smoothie Bottle Hats
Member of the Ladies Friendship Group Sheila Borderick has been busy knitting bottle hats for Innocent Smoothie Bottles. Each of of these will be on a bottle somewhere in the UK later this year and each one will earn 25p for Age UK, however as they were donated to Age Concern Syston the good news is that they will get the money! So with over 40 tops Age Concern Syston is set to receive a useful amount of money!
The Big Knit is closed for this year but that doesn’t mean the knitting can’t continue. Patterns available on line or from Age Concern Syston upstairs in the Methodist Centre. This year they were aiming for 1.6 million hats! Please, if you can knit, think about starting as soon as possible so more money can be raised for this great charity.
Eleven30 steps outside…
Gathered beneath the sun and trees of the churchyard, we tucked into a brunch before launching into our adventure. Armed with a carefully selected stick, we took a gentle stroll to our ‘wild’ destination, pausing along the way to use our senses. Mindfully aware of our surroundings, we collected things of significance along the way to create our journey sticks. Destination reached, we explored the wilderness and nature we have around us, seeking out special bits of ‘treasure’.
We ended the session with a guitar accompanied action song and interactive moments of thanks and praise for the precious nature we had encountered around us.
St. Peter and St Paul’s Ladies Friendship Circle
Our first meeting of the Autumn season was on Monday September 9th. when we were pleased to welcome a new member. This was mostly a business meeting when we were told of forthcoming events. At our meeting on September 23rd. a representative from Leicestershire Air Ambulance will be there and a cheque for £1500.00 will be presented. This amount was raised by the group during the last two years, it being the chosen charity. Several suggestions were made regarding our charity for the next two years and after a vote the Alzheimer’s Society was chosen. Several ladies had brought along a poem and these caused great amusement on various topics. Then followed the usual tea and biscuits. Visitors are always welcome at any of our meetings on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7.30pm in the Church Hall. (opposite the church).
Doreen Payne
A recent communication from Christian Aid
We’re delighted to announce that the Breaking the Barriers programme has been fully funded by the European Union.Breaking the Barriers aims to increase rural women’s jobs in the sustainable energy sector, improve living conditions, and strengthen women’s social status. This three-and-a-half-year programme, which could benefit an estimated three million-plus people, is being implemented in Burkina Faso, Malawi, Ethiopia and Honduras. The total budget is €6,173,615, of which 80% is funded by the EU, and the remainder funded by Christian Aid. 
Women will:
? be supported to create and own Women’s Led Sustainable Energy Enterprises
? receive vital training in sustainable energy products, and business skills
? be trained to lobby on regional and national platforms so they can?push authorities to support sustainable energy initiatives.
The power of many women in these areas remains suppressed by the burdens they bear, the worsening impacts of climate change, and imbalances of power at home and in their communities. We’re encouraging women to change the future, and challenge traditions that kept them and their families locked in poverty. 
This is wonderful news for the women in these challenging countries. Thank you to everyone who supported Christian Aid Week in whatever way.