Sorted Magazine

Category: News

  • News: Relay race helps young cancer patients

    September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and in support of this cause, the NHS Property Services’ (NHSPS) Executive Team participated in a unique charity event.

    The business took part in a ‘Race to the Home’ relay race to raise funds for its charity partner, Young Lives vs Cancer. NHSPS decided to partner with this charity in 2021 and pledged to raise £150,000 for its Homes from Home service over three years.

    Thanks to the dedication and hard work of NHSPS’ colleagues, £120,000 has already been raised. Previous fundraising activities have included climbing Mount Snowdon, completing Tough Mudders, and conquering the Three Peaks.

    The latest challenge was a relay race that took colleagues in the north from NHSPS’ Stockport office to Jack’s House, a Young Lives vs Cancer Home from Home in Didsbury, Manchester. Meanwhile, staff in the south will travel from NHSPS’ Canary Wharf headquarters to Paul’s House, a Young Lives vs Cancer Home from Home in London.

    The relay race participants used different modes of transport, including running, cycling, walking, public transport, and even NHSPS vans, where they passed the baton over at one of four NHSPS property pit stops in their area.

    Young Lives vs Cancer has ten Homes from Home close to specialist treatment centres in eight cities nationwide. These help families avoid the additional financial burdens of travel, food, and accommodation. They also enable young cancer patients to be close to their loved ones at an incredibly challenging time.

    The NHSPS Executive Team has a fundraising target of £10,000, which would make a world of difference to the young people supported by Young Lives vs Cancer.

    Rhea Horlock, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at NHSPS, said: “I had the opportunity to visit ‘Billy’s House’, a Young Lives vs. Cancer’s Home from Home in Nottingham recently. NHSPS has been in partnership with the charity for over two years now, and in that time, our colleagues have raised an incredible £120,000 to help fund these sites.

    “It was great to see what a warm and welcoming environment the Homes are, and you can really feel how this bit of normality would make such a difference at a very difficult time.”

    To learn more about the challenge and to donate if you can, please look at the Race to the Home fundraising page: NHS Property Services NHSPS is fundraising for Young Lives vs. Cancer (justgiving.com).

    Main Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Young Lives vs Cancer Team

  • News: Supporting young cancer patients

    News: Supporting young cancer patients

    NHS Property Services (NHSPS) is continuing to support Young Lives vs Cancer as its charity partner.

    In 2021, NHSPS colleagues voted for Young Lives vs Cancer to be their three-year charity partner. They have since taken on challenges, including climbing Mount Snowdon, completing Tough Mudders, and conquering the Three Peaks challenge.

    Funds raised through the partnership with NHSPS go towards Young Lives vs Cancer’s Homes from Home service, providing a free place for families to stay when their child is undergoing cancer treatment.

    The charity has ten Homes from Home close to specialist treatment centres in eight cities nationwide. These help families avoid the additional financial burdens of travel, food, and accommodation. They also enable young cancer patients to be close to their loved ones at an incredibly challenging time.

    Rhea Horlock, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at NHSPS, said: “I had the opportunity to visit Billy’s House, a Young Lives vs Cancer’s Home from Home in Nottingham recently. NHSPS has been in partnership with the charity for over two years now, and in that time, our colleagues have raised an incredible £120,000 to help fund these sites.

    “It was great to see what a warm and welcoming environment the Homes are, and you can really feel how this bit of normality would make such a difference at a very difficult time.”

    Dr Shamir Ghumra, Director of Responsible Business at NHSPS, joined Rhea on her visit. He commented: “The work Young Lives vs Cancer does to support children and young people with cancer and their families is invaluable, and their values and strategy align very well with ours.

    “The partnership has been better than we ever thought it could be, and I am very proud of the efforts of our colleagues across the business.”

    He added: “Cancer treatment for young people can last for months or even years, and families face extra monthly costs for travelling and food. Young Lives vs Cancer’s Homes from Home provide clean, safe, and homely accommodation for families when they most need it, completely free.”

    During September, Shamir and the rest of NHSPS’ Executive Team will be taking on their own challenge to raise more funds for this amazing charity to ensure these homes can keep operating.

    To find out what the challenge is and to donate if you can, please take a look at their fundraising page: NHS Property Services NHSPS is fundraising for Young Lives vs. Cancer (justgiving.com).

    Main Photo Credit: Sandy Millar via Unsplash

  • News: Christians in Pakistani under attack

    News: Christians in Pakistani under attack

    Christians in several communities in Pakistan have come under attack from angry mobs this week after two teenagers were accused of allegedly desecrating a Quran. Christian leaders and others said it was a false accusation.

    Nearly 30 churches were attacked, some being completely destroyed as hundreds of Bibles and Christian literature was burned. At least 100 homes were destroyed or burgled leaving thousands of people displaced, with many fleeing for their lives.

    In response, Christian charity Help The Persecuted has a field ministry team on the ground in the worst affected areas around Faisalabad providing immediate practical and spiritual support.

    “I saw the situation from the main street to the end of the houses – the attackers not only burned the churches and burned the houses, but they stole everything from the houses. Everyone on the streets is crying in complete shock. We are coming alongside many Christians impacted by these attacks praying with them and providing emergency help for them,” said local Pastor Rachid who is a member of Help The Persecuted’s Field Ministry Team.

    The charity’s CEO Joshua Youssef added: “The attack on Christians in Pakistan this week has been heart-breaking. What we are witnessing is the result of oppressive apostasy laws that have enabled unsubstantiated allegations to lead to mob attacks on churches and Christian homes.

    “I’m grateful for our Help The Persecuted team in country coming alongside those who have been targeted – providing immediate practical help and the hope of the Gospel. We need to be in prayer for the church in Pakistan and for our team on the ground.”

    In the coming days and weeks Help The Persecuted plans to provide food, shelter, medical and pastoral care as well as help to rebuild and repair the homes and churches of Christians who’ve been forced to flee.

    To find out more go to: www.htp.org

    Main Photo Credit: Florian Olivo via Unsplash
  • News: NHS celebrates 75th birthday

    News: NHS celebrates 75th birthday

    This summer, two momentous occasions are being celebrated: the 75th birthday of the NHS and ten years since NHS Property Services (NHSPS) was established.

    To mark these milestones and as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to all NHS colleagues, NHSPS will be joining in with the annual NHS Big Tea event, hosting tea parties across the nation.

    The business is encouraging colleagues to join in celebrations on July 5th or any day that week.

    NHSPS’ charitable partner is Young Lives Versus Cancer, but NHS charities will also be supported.

    Tea parties will be thrown in the North, Midlands, London, and the South for all NHSPS colleagues. But that’s not all: the organisation is encouraging its workers to host their own parties locally.

    Helen McCarthy, Chief People Officer for NHSPS, said: “The NHS Big Tea is a call to join an outpouring of gratitude on 5 July – the birthday of the NHS and NHSPS. It is a celebration to show thanks, a shared moment of happiness and kindness, hospitality, and reflection.

    “So, we’re asking colleagues to please put 5 July in their diary and take some time out to get together, share a cuppa and cake, and raise money. Whether a Big Tea is held at work, at home, or in the local community, joining in the celebrations is what counts.”

    Helen added: “We are encouraging colleagues to invite their ‘invi-teas’, stock up on tea party treats, and plan some fun games to help raise funds and support other NHS colleagues, patients, and volunteers. We look forward to seeing the nation coming together for this brilliant event.”

    For more information, visit nhsbigtea.co.uk.

    Main Photo Credit: Christian Bowen via Unsplash

  • Sir Tom Jones OBE: “Losing someone you love is devastating.”

    Sir Tom Jones OBE: “Losing someone you love is devastating.”

    Marie Curie and supporters including Tom Jones, actress Alison Steadman and Downton Abbey’s Jim Carter are urging the nation to unite for a National Day of Reflection. The aim is to provide a moment to remember loved ones who have died, support those who are grieving, and connect with each other.

    The third National Day of Reflection will take place on Thursday 23rd March 2023, and is organised by end-of-life charity Marie Curie. It will see hundreds of public Walls of Reflection go up across the UK where people can gather to reflect on their grief and support those who have been bereaved. A national minute’s silence will be held at midday.

    The National Day of Reflection is a one of a kind opportunity to reflect on any death of a loved one, from any cause and at any time. For many it may be the only acknowledgement of their grief and gives everyone permission to take time to reflect and support one another. This year’s day is significant with the deaths of a number of public figures recently, including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, showing the benefit of uniting in grief as a nation.

    Marie Curie is urging schools, workplaces and communities to put up a wall as a place to celebrate the lives of loved ones by sharing memories, photos, poems, music, objects and anything else that connects them to those people. An online toolkit can be downloaded at www.mariecurie.org.uk/dayofreflection with everything needed to prepare for 23rdMarch.

    Marie Curie launched the National Day of Reflection in 2021 as a day to remember those who died during the pandemic, and support those whose grief was affected by lockdown. Over 850 organisations took part in 2022, with a number of public figures supporting including His Majesty King Charles III. Now in its third year, a series of new free online events will be held on Saturday 18th March and throughout the day on 23rd March giving people more ways to connect with others.

    Events include panel discussions with faith leaders, researchers, and philosophers to discuss themes such as the role faith plays in our relationship with death and the opportunity to view best-selling psychotherapist, Julia Samuel, in conversation with special guests talking about their experience of grief.

    Sir Tom Jones OBE shared: “Losing someone you love is devastating – and it’s also something almost all of us have in common. Grief can so often feel very heavy, which is why Marie Curie’s National Day of Reflection is so important. It gives us all a moment in time to come together with our friends and families, to remember and celebrate the people who aren’t with us anymore.”

    Marie Curie Ambassador Alison Steadman OBE explained: “I’m supporting Marie Curie’s National Day of Reflection because like most people, I have experienced grief and loss, and I know what it’s like to be alone. It’s absolutely awful, and it’s sad, and we need people to talk to. That’s why this National Day of Reflection is going to be so important for everyone to share their grief, and to be able to talk.”

    Marie Curie Ambassador Jim Carter OBE enthused: “I’m so pleased that once again Marie Curie is leading the National Day of Reflection. It’s wonderful seeing people across the UK, from Cornwall to the Highlands of Scotland and everywhere in-between, supporting those who are grieving and remembering those who have died. I firmly believe this Day should become a permanent fixture in our annual calendar, a chance for every one of us to pause, reflect and remember.”

    To find out more visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/dayofreflection.

    Main Photo Credit: Fair Usage

  • News from Turkey and Syria: Emergence earthquake response

    News from Turkey and Syria: Emergence earthquake response

    Powerful aftershocks are shaking Turkey and Syria. Following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which has left at least 2200 people dead, Help The Persecuted is rushing emergency supplies to those devastated by this disaster.

    While their Field Ministry Team travels to Aleppo in Syria to begin coordinating their aid efforts, Help The Persecuted has already released emergency funds to churches on the ground in the city where hundreds of lives have already been lost.

    “We heard that one of our staff has lost family members and a young boy and his mother who belonged to an Armenian church have been found dead in the rubble in Aleppo,” explained Help The Persecuted Regional Director Salaam.

    He added: “When we spoke to local pastors they told us the greatest need is to keep people warm as they’ve already been hit by extreme winter storms. Our field ministry team members are travelling to the city to begin our emergency aid distributions with the local churches and to provide pastoral care.”

    Their team will work closely with partner churches to provide hot meals and shelter to those who lost their homes as well as bedding and heating supplies.

    Help The Persecuted CEO and President Joshua Youssef says this earthquake will just add to the crisis sweeping Syria: “After several years of civil war this disaster will just further exacerbate the poverty that many Christians were already facing there. But as we’ve experienced over the years the Syrian people have a very strong resolve and we will do everything we can to stand with the persecuted church and to demonstrate the love of Christ in action.”

    About HTP: www.htp.org

    Millions of Christians around the world have lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their families to persecution. Many more are forced to evacuate and leave their entire lives behind. When lives hang in the balance, every minute counts. That’s why Help The Persecuted has embedded in the field those who can help Christians in-person at a moment’s notice. Since launching the charity has delivered practical and spiritual support to over 135,000 vulnerable people to address their most urgent needs, including:

    •Emergency Safe House housing.

    •The provision of food, housing, rent and basic living needs.

    •Transportation and relocation expenses to secure a safe environment.

    •Establishing small businesses and providing vocational training.

    •Construction assistance to rebuild homes and family businesses.

    •Medical expenses related to torture or abuse, and vital medications.

    •Trauma counselling, therapy and group meetings.

    •Pastoral care, discipleship programmes and connections to a local church.

    Main photo: Mahmoud Sulaiman via Unsplash

  • News from The Leprosy Mission

    News from The Leprosy Mission

    Leprosy Mission teams are shocked to discover the tea gardens of Bangladesh are home to the highest leprosy rate they have seen.

    The Leprosy Mission has worked in the slums of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka for many years. The overcrowded living conditions and poor sanitation are not only distressing but ripe for disease.

    Just a few hours’ drive Northeast of Dhaka, the fresh air and the vibrant foliage of the tea gardens are the perfect antidote to the city slums.

    But appearances can be deceptive. While the tea crop flourishes, leprosy is choking the life out of its workforce.

    There are 600,000 people living and working on the tea estates of Sylhet with the leprosy rate 20-30 times the global average. This equates to thousands of people living with untreated leprosy. Almost no family remains unscathed and even children are showing the early signs.

    Leprosy Mission doctors and health workers are staggered by the number of new cases they have found. Since going into tea estates in 2017, they have found and cured more than 1,600 new cases of leprosy. The more they look, the more they find.

    The discovery has culminated in the launch of the Flourish campaign on Sunday 29 January, World Leprosy Day 2023. Flourish seeks to find and cure tea workers and their families of leprosy, protect livelihoods and create a future where the whole community can flourish.

    Chief Executive, Peter Waddup, says there is a real urgency to find and cure new cases of leprosy. This is before disability sets in and the tea workers lose everything they know and love.

    Peter said: “The situation in the tea gardens is very unusual. This is not just because of the extraordinary high rate of leprosy but the lack of stigma surrounding the disease.

    “I’ve had the privilege of visiting our projects across Asia and Africa and one thing is constant. That is the terrible prejudice surrounding leprosy. People are, understandably, reluctant to come forward for treatment because of this prejudice. They live in fear of being seen as cursed and cast out of their families and communities.

    “But what is unusual within the tea estates of Bangladesh is there doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of stigma surrounding the disease.

    “This is likely to be because the workforce is made up of ethnic and religious minorities who are, sadly, already marginalised from society.

    “When the workers are fit and well, they form a tight-knit community with friendships between the tea pickers often going back decades.

    “The trouble comes when nerve damage caused by leprosy causes fingers to curl.

    “As the tea pickers are paid by the kilogram of tea picked, speed and efficiency are everything.

    “There is a very real worry among the tea pickers that they will lose their home and community. This is because employees are provided with a basic family home which they must leave should they become too sick or disabled to work.

    “My colleagues in Bangladesh are already running pop-up clinics in a third of the tea gardens in Sylhet, finding and curing new leprosy cases.

    “Knowing the full extent of the problem, we desperately need the resources to scale up this work.

    “There is a real urgency to find and cure people before leprosy leaves them too disabled to work and they lose everything. 

    “The aim is always to cure people of leprosy at the earliest opportunity.

    “As well as preventing transmission, prompt treatment stops leprosy from causing life-long disabilities.

    “The fact that there doesn’t appear to be too much stigma surrounding taking the cure for leprosy in the tea gardens is a good thing. It means people are open to treatment.

    “Tragically it is when they are forced to leave the tea gardens because of leprosy that they are exposed to extreme prejudice.”

    Main photo credit: Ruth Towell

  • News: UK charity Feeding Britain partner with Frankie & Benny’s

    News: UK charity Feeding Britain partner with Frankie & Benny’s

    Frankie & Benny’s has pledged to donate a festive meal to someone in need for every turkey dinner they sell. Sasha Storey, Head of Brand, said: “Frankie & Benny’s is a restaurant brand with families at its core, so it’s really important for us that we support other families in need at this time of year. The cost of living crisis will be hard for so many and we must remember to try to help others now and in the future as best we can.”

    This Christmas campaign operates in partnership with Feeding Britain. Andrew Forsey, National Director of Feeding Britain, said: “With growing numbers of people relying on our help to put food on the table, this partnership is absolutely crucial to supporting our mission to tackle food poverty in the UK. We are enormously grateful.”

    Feeding Britain is an award winning charity which supports a national network of 60 regional anti-hunger partnerships comprising more than 600 local organisations, ranging from community centres and schools, to local authorities and social enterprises.

    For £1 Feeding Britain can provide a meal for those in need. For every Yuletide Stuffed Turkey dinner sold Frankie & Benny’s will donate £1 to Feeding Britain. To help others this Christmas please visit: https://feedingbritain.org/donate/

  • News: Churches campaign for women’s safety

    News: Churches campaign for women’s safety

    Christian campaigners are highlighting the realities of violence against women during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Red chairs are being placed in churches, businesses, train stations and schools to raise awareness that, globally, a woman or girl dies at the hands of an intimate partner or family member every 11 minutes.

    The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs through to International Human Rights Day on 10 December.

    The Red Chair Project began in French churches, but now through the Christian Network to End Domestic Abuse, is being replicated throughout the world by Christian organisations who want to galvanise the church to speak up and do something about violence against women and girls.

    The Red Chair Project involves reserving an empty chair in a public place with a sign in red highlighting facts about domestic violence. The empty chair also serves as a visual symbol of the lives lost to gender-based violence. The colour red reminds us all of the violence faced by millions of women in war zones, on city streets, and also in their own homes. The sign is available in French, English, Spanish, Hindi, Romanian, Hungarian, and more.

    Bekah Legg, CEO of Christian charity Restored says; “At Restored, we speak up about violence against women 365 days a year, but this is a great opportunity for everyone to do something simple. Violence against women is such a pervasive problem, that most people don’t know where to start, but this project makes it easy to make a difference and start to change a culture which normalises violence against women.”

    Restored will be sharing pictures of Red Chairs around the country on their social media over the 16 Days of Activism. If you would like to get involved and set up your own Red Chair in your community, find out more and download the resources at www.restored-uk.org/redchair.

  • Birdwatching goes high tech

    Birdwatching goes high tech

    John and Natalie White are co-founders of the new birdwatching app and social media platform, Birda. They told Sorted Magazine: “The popularity of birdwatching has grown exponentially across the country. RSPB’s annual garden survey revealed that the number of people reporting which birds they could see in their gardens rose by 85%. Currently around six million people in the UK are regularly engaged in birdwatching and it has also overtaken fishing as the number one hobby.”

    Birda turns your phone into a tool for logging the birds you spot and the app is free to download. The interface is user friendly for casual and serious birdwatchers alike. Birds can be logged one at a time or several birds can be logged as part of a longer birding session. Progress can be tracked and lists built.

    The app features home lists, curated lists, badges, goal setting, offline mode, and a Birda community functions, offline mode.

    Natalie enthused: “Birda is great for teams, brand building, and community outreach. It encourages connection and competition between colleagues or companies. In Birda, you can earn individual badges for specific goals and species, compete with your followers to see who can stay at the top of the leader board, and participate in local and national birdwatching challenges. All the while, you’ll be helping conservationists protect a myriad of bird species. Anonymous combined logs from the app can be used by scientists and environmental protection organisations to create a picture of species movement. This will help to put the proper measures in place to support and safeguard them. You’ll also find local conservation activities to join and projects to donate to through the app.”