This year, as usual, we are selling Christmas cards in support of the St Gregory’s Foundation (http://stgregorysfoundation.org.uk/)  an Orthodox charity working in Russia and other former Soviet territories.  Set up in the early 1990s, its first task was to bring food, clothing and other forms of aid to communities experiencing shortages in the wake of the collapse of the USSR.  Since then it has taken on a variety of humanitarian and educational projects, working in partnership with local parishes and other organisations in the following areas:
  • Helping disabled children and teenagers with communication difficulties to connect to the world so they can become as independent as possible.
  • Providing education, training and skills to graduates from orphanages to give them a good start in life.
  • Helping young parents who grew up in orphanages to bond with their children and keep their family.
  • Empowering children and families living with impaired hearing to take a full part in their communities.
  • Giving security, care and food aid to disadvantaged children.
  • Offering legal support, security and training to street children and teenagers to help them integrate into a wider society.
The cards are attractive and well produced, and carry greetings in Russian and English.  Prices are £5.50 per pack of 10 for most designs and £4.50 for the smaller Theotokos icon card; these include envelopes and the cost of postage from SGF headquarters to our parish.
For Christmas 2018 a colourful new design has been introduced; it is entitled ‘Provincial Russia’.
Cards are available at St Anne’s Chapel when the church is open for its usual services. For more information, contact us hpeliasdevon@gmail.com.