If you are in Scotland please share this as your unwanted footwear can help us transform lives. Thank you.

Do you remember Lorraine whose story we told in our Christmas Appeal? Thanks to you, we were able to be there for everyone who came to our Foodbanks this Winter. Praise God for the staff and volunteers who serve on the frontline helping vulnerable people. https://www.blythswood.org/donate

Maintenance Officer - Evanton We required someone to organise and plan the maintenance of the grounds and buildings of the Blythswood Deephaven Depot, including undertaking front line repair and replacement. Basic skills in a range of trades required. The position is for 22.5 hours per week over 3 days between Monday and Friday. For application form and job description click here - https://www.blythswood.org/current-vacancies

TRAINING PROGRAMME TRANSFORMS LIFE OF ORPHANED TEENAGER IN ZIMBABWE https://www.blythswood.org/blythswood-news Albert’s life was shattered five years ago when his father died, and then his mother too, a few months later. The loss of both parents left the 15-year-old boy with a very uncertain future. With no one to support him or pay his school fees he failed his fourth year exams and had to drop out of school. But a training programme supported by Blythswood Care has enabled him to get a job, and with his earnings rent a room and start to rebuild his life. Albert heard about the sewing skills training programme run by Harare Shelter from former graduates in his community, in Harare, Zimbabwe. He successfully completed the eight month course in 2016 and subsequently was offered employment in a clothing shop, making school uniforms among other things. “He enjoys his work and dreams about opening his own sewing shop and employing others,” says Stephen Damuputirai, director of Harare Shelter. “He is also keen to re-sit his form four exams.” Help us help Albert and others in his situation. https://www.blythswood.org/donate

EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING FOR FIREFIGHTERS IN SERBIA https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf John Campbell is a watch manager with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in Stornoway. In June he was part of a team of fire professionals who delivered five fire-engines and an ambulance to Kragujevac, Serbia, and volunteered their expertise to help train local fire crews in the operation of their new equipment. “On this occasion, John focussed on the command and control aspect of the use of breathing apparatus,” says team leader Gary Bennett, commenting on the picture above. “Here he was giving instruction on entering smoke-filled buildings. “Our team provided instruction for 40 Serbian firefighters. It’s the most training they would have had since leaving training school. As a result of our visit the local crews are better equipped to deal with house fires, road traffic accidents, and any trauma-related incident.” Gary’s 15 year partnership with Blythswood Care has seen his teams of volunteers deliver fire engines, ambulances and training to Moldova, Serbia and Romania. More than 50 vehicles have been provided, with teams of firefighters, mechanics and paramedics volunteering their time and expertise to train hundreds of their counterparts in Europe in the use of new equipment. This project has grown into the recently formed Scottish Emergency Relief Association. Blythswood’s head of projects Finlay Mackenzie says: “We are very happy to continue our partnership with SERA and looking forward to working together to save lives in Eastern Europe.” Read more stories at https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf

HOT SOUP AND A KIND WORD FOR MIGRANTS IN SERBIA https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf David Armus manages the supply of essential food aid from Blythswood to people passing through – or stranded in – Serbia’s migrant centres. “I spoke to a woman from Syria who was in the migrant centre with her two little girls. Her husband died in the war, and because she could see no end to the violence at home, she fled with the children. “Like most migrants from Syria, her aim was to reach Germany. Blythswood Serbia helps people like this by giving them a meal of bread and hot soup, followed by bananas and chocolate. Apart from that, we can only try to encourage them by talking to them in a friendly way.” Blythswood has been providing food aid to migrants since the summer of 2015 Read more stories at https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf

SAVING VISION IN THAILAND AND MYANMAR Blythswood Care supports the work of Mae Tao Clinic https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf U Than Hlaing is 50 years old. He has a small shop selling clothes in Mandalay, Myanmar. Two years ago his eyes became inflamed, leading to cataract and glaucoma in both eyes. His vision deteriorated to the point where he could barely see his fingers in front of his face. It was impossible for him to continue to work. The concern of U Than Hlaing was not just for himself but for his daughter who suffers from a serious heart problem. With no money coming in he was unable to pay for her treatment. His doctor suggested he make the 12 hour bus journey to neighbouring Thailand, where the Mae Tao Clinic offers eye treatment to people with nowhere else to turn. There doctors from the UK brought the inflammation and glaucoma under control before removing the cataract from his right eye. A week later the surgeon who performed the operation reported: “His vision has improved dramatically and he is due to have the other cataract removed soon. “He will be able to return to work but will need long-term supervision for the underlying inflammatory condition.” You can help transform the lives of others like U Than Hlaing https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf

GOOD NEIGHBOURS HELP PARALYSED FARMER IN ROMANIA https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf A farmer in Romania, left paralysed by an accident six years ago, is able to stay in his own home thanks to the kindness of neighbours and assistance from Blythswood Care. Iulian, now 52, suffered the life-changing injury when he was cutting branches and fell from a tree. His wife left him when the permanence of his injury became clear, and his grown-up children are sight-impaired and unable to help. But the absence of family support has not prevented Iulian from continuing to do keep some livestock and do things that give him fulfilment. He continues to keep a few chickens and a pig and even has a goat which he leads to pasture each day from his wheelchair. “He has a positive attitude and is still able to smile,” says Sandel Szitas, who runs Blythswood’s Basis project, bringing food, clothing and friendship to low-income households in and around the city of Cluj. “When the social services department referred him to us about three years ago, he was struggling to get by on a disability pension of 500 lei [£95] per month. We are able to provide him with clothes and with a monthly food parcel that helps to make his pension go further.” Iulian faced an additional crisis when an electrical fault caused a fire in his house, destroying his furniture and even his wheelchair. “The people from the village jumped to help him,” says Sandel. “With their help his home has been rebuilt. A Blythswood supporter bought him a new wheelchair and his neighbours have surfaced the path outside, which allows him to reach the pigsty.” Iulian is a Romanian Orthodox believer and welcomes Sandel’s offer to read the Bible and pray with him during his monthly visit. “I only do that when people really want me to,” Sandel says. Help us help Iulian and others like him in need. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf

Blythswood's new foodbank centre opened this week in Culloden due to local needs. See the story covered in the Press & Journal - https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/1402915/culloden-gets-a-foodbank-as-demand-increases/

HELPING CHILDREN ACHIEVE LITERACY TOUCHES THE NEXT GENERATION TOO https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf Blythswood’s after-school programme in western Romania first opened its doors in 2001. Seventeen years later many of the first children to enrol in Talita Kum are themselves parents. Izaura, now 24, has a six-year-old son in the reception class at school. As she is able to help him with his homework, she acknowledges the role that Blythswood played in enabling her to achieve literacy. Izaura came from one of the poorest Roma families in Jimbolia and faced every disadvantage in her education. Both her parents were illiterate. Seeing little value in education, they were late in enrolling their children in school. In the classroom Izaura had to learn a new language, her mother tongue being Romani, and not Romanian. At home there was no-one to help her. Sometimes she missed weeks, even months, of school due to chaotic domestic circumstances. Her father was abusive, violent towards his children and his neighbours, and spent some time in jail. In spite of everything, Izaura did well at school. And this she attributes to the help she received at Talita Kum. There she received a cooked meal every day, and had access to hot showers and clean clothes. More than that she had the attention of the social workers and teacher. The result was that the shy and quiet child made steady progress with her school work and learned to read and write well. Today TK2 extends Talita Kum’s winning combination of nutrition and education to children in junior secondary. Without that advantage, Izaura completed just five years at school and, having married at seventeen, has never had paid employment. But with Blythswood’s help, these five years were sufficient to transform her life and that of her family. “Right now Izaura is a homemaker and is focussed on raising her son,” says Adrian Popa, whose ambition has been to improve the life chances of the poorest children in his home town of Jimbolia. “She will look for a job when she feels she can manage home and work responsibilities. She knows that without Talita Kum she would not be able to help her son Cristian at school now. For this she is really grateful.” Looking at the wider impact of the programme, Adrian observes that the rate of early school leaving fell from 45% in 2009 to just 1.5% in 2017. “It’s more than just educational achievements,” he adds. “The TK programme actually means better people, that the youngsters who go through the programme really add value to their community.” Read more encouraging life transforming stories - https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/213375_934d70a96c2f4868a0a143eee4104bd8.pdf

Shoeboxes well received in a cold village in Kosovo.

Smiles from people in Romania when receiving shoeboxes.