Dear Editor
This Mother’s Day, I am thinking about everything women do to give their children the best start in life.
Like the women in countries such as Malawi, Liberia and India, who rise early each day to cook and serve food to hungry children in their communities with the charity Mary’s Meals.
Their dedication epitomises powerful motherly love, and it is thanks to them that Mary’s Meals is able to feed 1.6 million hungry children around the world every school day. The food they lovingly serve attracts little ones into the classroom, giving them the energy to gain an education that can, one day, be their ladder out of poverty.
I am in awe of these incredible women. And that’s why I am asking your readers to send a Mary’s Meals gift card to the special women in their lives this Mother’s Day. For just £15.90, it will feed a hungry child every day for an entire school year.
Please visit marysmeals.org.uk/mothersday to purchase your gift card in honour of the mums who make Mary’s Meals. I have already told my boys this is a gift I would be delighted to receive!
Love,
Sophie Thompson (Actor)
Dear Editor
The destruction of the world’s forests is leading to vast areas of barren earth. The destruction of trees reduces the amount of vital oxygen needed to combat CO2 gasses and support life everywhere. Excess CO2 in thr atmosphere is now driving climate change.
Everyone should be alarmed by what is being done by private companies, their investors and the financial institutions and governments behind them.
The continued large scale extraction of coal, oil and water to boost the profits of these investors is a crime against every living being who also share this planet.
People must call for an immediate ban on the destruction of the world’s forests as the situation of our climate is now at a critical point. The current rate of extinction and exploitation must be reversed before it is too late.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Dear Editor
Across Scotland there are thousands of people currently living without a home – whether that’s in hostels or B&Bs, sofa-surfing with friends and family or living on our streets. That’s not something we, as a society, should accept as the norm.
Homelessness is not inevitable – and we can all do our part to end homelessness for good. At Crisis we provide direct support to people affected by homelessness, we campaign, and we fundraise so that we will one day be part of the change that helped end homelessness for good across Great Britain.
But to do that, we need your help.
In March, we will host the first ever Race to End Homelessness, a 5km or 10km walk or run around Edinburgh city centre to raise vital funds to help lift people out of homelessness through one-to-one support, in areas such as housing and employment.
Those that take part will take on the scenic route around the city, starting in Holyrood Park, heading around the foot of Arthur’s Seat, before climbing up Calton Hill and then heading back in to the city and ending at The Glasshouse, the prestigious hotel which has partnered with us for this event.
It’s just £20 to register, with a fundraising target of £50. Whether you’re a keen walker or runner, or if you simply fancy taking on a new challenge, why not sign up and help Crisis in its mission to end homelessness.
Sign up here: https://www.crisis.org.uk/caltonhill
Yours sincerely
Grant Campbell
Director of Crisis Scotland
Dear Dave
Thank you for your NEN reporting of my birthday and my letter. It was quite a surprise and very pleasing to read the good words written.
But Dave, without all your work very little that is spoke or written about would not exist.
So Dave, congratulations to you and many sincere thanks. I too wish that ‘Lang may your lumb reek’!
Very best wishes for all of 2020.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Thanks, Tony – much appreciated! – Ed
Dear Editor,
Mary’s Meals has launched an urgent appeal to feed chronically hungry children in Turkana, one of the driest and most impoverished parts of Kenya.
We already serve nutritious meals to more than 23,000 children in nurseries in Turkana, but primary-aged pupils have not received meals since a programme run by another organisation stopped around a year ago.
Desperate pupils can often be found watching children at neighbouring nurseries being fed, and we have heard heartbreaking reports of children as young as three saving their food to take home for hungry siblings.
Mary’s Meals already feeds more than 1.5 million children in 18 of the world’s poorest countries every school day. We are determined to continue feeding these children while expanding, as funds allow, to reach primary school children in Turkana.
Your readers can support our appeal by visiting marysmeals.org.uk/turkana or phoning 0800 698 1212.
Best wishes,
Daniel Adams
UK Executive Director of Mary’s Meals
Dear Editor,
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) will host its third national Heart Hero Awards ceremony this year.
Our event last year was a fantastic and emotional night which celebrated winners and nominees from different walks of life from across Scotland and the rest of the UK. They ranged from inspirational children to remarkable fundraisers and heroic individuals who stepped up to save the life of a stranger using CPR.
We know there are many more unsung Heart Heroes out there and we want to shine a light on their selfless achievements. This will help the BHF raise awareness of the need for continued funding to bring new hope to the 700,000 people in Scotland who are living with conditions such as stroke, coronary heart disease, vascular dementia and diabetes.
That’s why we are calling on your readers to make a valuable nomination for the Heart Hero Awards 2020.
A ‘Heart Hero’ can be anyone from a nurse or doctor working in the field of heart disease to a young person with heart disease that has shown incredible courage and determination. Those shortlisted will be invited to a glitzy awards ceremony in London in September, when the winners will be announced.
There are three categories open for public nominations: My Healthcare Hero, Inspiration and the Young Heart Hero Award (under 18). To find out more about the categories or to make a nomination, visit www.bhf.org.uk/heartheroes
Entries close on Saturday 29 February – we wish everyone the best of luck with their entries!
Yours sincerely,
James Jopling
Head of BHF Scotland
Many happy returns to NEN’s long-time contributor and supporter TONY DELAHOY, who celebrates his 97th birthday today!
Happy birthday, Tony – keep up the good fight and keep those letters coming! Continue reading Happy Birthday, Tony!
Dear Editor
I’d like to invite your readers to make a New Year’s resolution to help us fight back against the devastation of meningitis in 2020 by joining our New Year New You campaign.
I know only too well the misery meningitis can bring. I was just 16 when I contracted bacterial meningitis, which left me seriously ill in hospital. Thankfully, I made a good recovery but others are not so fortunate.
Now, we’re inviting everyone to join us and sign up for a Meningitis Now challenge or community event as part of our New Year New You campaign. We have lots to choose from, to suit all levels of fitness and interest, including treks, cycles and runs, in this country and abroad.
All the details are on our website at https://www.meningitisnow.org/
The serious point is that by doing so not only will you be getting in shape and achieving your personal goals but you will be making a real difference to those at risk of meningitis and those whose lives have already been changed forever because of it.
Money raised will help to fund preventative research, raise awareness and support those affected by the disease through Meningitis Now’s unique range of services.
Please join us if you can in 2020 – together we can make a difference and fight back against meningitis.
Thank you
Seema Jaswal
Television presenter and Meningitis Now Ambassador
