It’s that time of year again when we plan the Besom Christmas Hampers. We are operating, like last year, from two sites, firstly in Festival Place mainly with The Food Bank and also from Praise Embassy Church. Please reference all the details below:

LOCATION: Praise Embassy Church, Lennox Road, RG22 4AP.(Behind B & Q)

DATES: To deliver food and hampers and to give time to help build hampers the dates are; Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for two weeks commencing the 6th and 13th December and Monday and Wednesday the 20th and 21st December.

TIMES: The team and volunteers will be at Praise Embassy from 10am to 2pm on the above dates.

Details of what you can put in a hamper are on the Besom website. Please include children’s toys, if you want to, as we often have the need for them. We will also need churches to deliver small quantities to people in the area close to their church. Individuals will also be needed to have the joy of delivering hampers.Please start to gather food, boxes, wrapping paper etc so we can start building hampers starting on the 6th. Why not do this with your friends and in your various church groups?

The Besom Team cannot do this without you lovely christians so please let me know the days you can come along and help and we will provide refreshments and music!!

If you need any more information please let Bob Smith know on [email protected]

James is touring a brand new show in 2021/22 about the ‘seven signs’ in John’s Gospel which contains the three miracles that are best known by non-Christians. The show is fast-moving and funny, assumes no Bible knowledge and is accessible to all people of all ages.

James has plenty of experience writing comedy for mainstream secular audiences, having written episodes of Miranda, My Family, My Hero, Citizen Khan and Shakespeare & Hathaway. He also has also taken a deep dive into John’s Gospel, having based his latest book, The Gospel According to a Sitcom Writer, on John, published by SPCK, following up The Sacred Art of Joking.

Basingstoke Foodbank is looking to appoint a Foodbank Community Connector (download Job Description here)

This is a new paid role. We have funding for a 1-year fixed term contract to start asap.  There may be potential for renewal beyond a year.  Initially 25 hours pw with a 3-month review if we need to increase hours.  Flexible over 5 days

Throughout the 9 years Basingstoke Foodbank has been in operation we have sought to signpost clients visiting the Foodbank Centre to agencies and activities that may help to alleviate some of the root causes of their financial challenges.  Our vision has been to help people where possible out of crisis to a place where they would no longer need our help.

Through experience, we have come to understand the many challenges people in crisis face, and know that just giving people contact details or websites that would be of genuine help to them can be overlooked when they have so much to deal with.

We have opened 6 centres around Basingstoke and Tadley, and have asked the church centres to consider how they can also develop relationships and support of clients through the events, programmes and activities they can offer in the coming years.

We are looking for someone who could spend time in our centres working alongside volunteers, clients, agencies and churches evaluating, reviewing and developing our current and future signposting activities to help us become more effective in connecting people with a range of help within their community, and in our local churches.

You will spend time in all the centres weekly, and in our head office in the Tempus Business Centre, Houndmills when not in the centres.

Apply with CV, and covering letter to detail any relevant experience and why you would be suited to the role.  If you would like to discuss the role further prior to application, please email [email protected] and one of our Trustees or operations team will call you.

Applications closing date:  Early October

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Do you know people in your church or community who worry about money?

During the Covid pandemic many people have experienced financial difficulties.  Whether this is because of worklessness or furlough or because their business has been hit by people working from home.  Whatever the cause, the Money Course from Christians Against Poverty (CAP) can help anyone to budget, spend and save and regain control of their money.

Saint Mark’s Church in Kempshott loves to partner with other churches in Basingstoke, and with Christians Against Poverty (CAP), to would love to run the Money Course for your church and community. This course is run by trained Money Coaches.

• This course is for everyone regardless of financial circumstances. For those who are comfortable with their finances and would like to see if they can manage them more efficiently; those who may be struggling to keep their head above water; and those who have run into financial difficulty and may be in debt.  It’s great for young people about to set off to college or university and manage their money on their own for the first time.
• This course will show how to build and maintain a budget and steps you can take to help balance your budget which will enable you to take control of your finances.
• This course will also help people who are suffering with debt to understand how to manage their debt and take the necessary steps to reduce it and work towards becoming debt free. (For anyone who may be struggling with large debts we can put you in touch with Basingstoke’s local CAP Debt Centre, run by the Gateway Church, or with CAP’s own professionally trained debt counsellors who will support you by dealing with creditors and help you put a plan in place which can help you become debt free).

The course is completely free, is very informal and relaxed and we will not ask for or discuss any personal details concerning bank accounts or earnings.  

I would love to talk to you about the opportunity to have our  trained Money Coaches come and run the CAP Money Course at your church. To find out more contact me, Jon Morris, ([email protected]) for more information.