More than £1,000 was donated at a charity church service in Reading to raise money for hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica.
More than £1,000 was donated at a charity service in Reading to raise money for hurricane relief in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa struck in October last year. The storm — the strongest on record to hit Jamaica — has left communities reeling and led to 102 deaths across the Caribbean.
The fundraiser was held at St Michael’s Church, New Lane, Tilehurst, and was organised by Reverend Polly Falconer and the Jamaica Society and Friends Reading organisation. Rev Falconer said: “We put together an upholding service, it was quite a light-hearted service with three hymns, a steel band, a gospel singer, and had food that was all donated by Dolphin’s Caribbean Restaurant. ”
From that single service, organisers raised £1,011. “The programme was done by Miles & Daughters funeral directors, from that one service, we raised £1,011, and more than 100 people attended.
Programmes were donated by Miles & Daughters — “The directors donated 100 programmes they designed and printed, lots of people took them away to keep as a souvenir.” The money will be sent to the relief fund through the High Commission of Jamaica. The Church of England Diocese of Oxford also has a link with the Anglican Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
Rev Falconer added: “We’ve been running a stewardship help, and we’ve already raised £11k for that stewardship, and that is building, and that’s still going up. ” “We’re part of the ongoing strive to help the island.” She also said: “A third of the island has no power, the relief has been phenomenal from across the world, and the rebuilding work has started. ”
Hymns sung included ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God’ and ‘To God be the Glory’, with soloist Wendy Evans performing ‘The Goodness of God’. A medley of Jamaican folk songs was played by local saxophonist Kemmi Spence.
The event was attended by councillors Alice Mpofu-Coles (Labour, Whitley), the mayor of Reading, Glenn Dennis (Labour, Kentwood), Wendy Griffith (Labour, Battle) and Matt Rodda, the Labour MP for Reading Central. Mr Rodda said: “ It was good to be able to show my support for Jamaica at the Hurricane Melissa Disaster Appeal Upholding Service. “ The service was part of the campaign to support Jamaica which many local organisations have been running to raise funds. “ I would particularly like to thank the Diocese of Oxford and its Partnership with the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, Reading Jamaica Society and Friends and many other community organisations and residents.
Local resident Karen Roach, from Colnbrook, who did the Gospel reading in Jamaican, has raised £4,000 and sent nine ‘barrels of hope’ full of essential supplies to the island.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
