Our parish directory is woefully out of date. The last one was produced almost four years ago. An up to date directory is vital, so we need to know that your information is correct. If you have started coming to St Luke’s since 2006, or have changed any of your details since then, please let us know. Over the coming weeks there will be a form at the back of the church for you to enter your details. Since we last updated the directory, a great many more people have acquired email addresses. It would be great to have emails as well as phone numbers, so please leave details if you can. Email Babygrow
Babygrow has now ceased operation from St Luke's Church. However, the following article was used to describe its work. Please note: this is for information only and there is no function of Babygrow from St Luke's anymore
Beginnings
In 1994, The 'Babygrow' Project was launched at St. Luke's Church, Brislington, Bristol, in
conjunction with The 'Babygro' Project at The Cathedral Church of St. John, Bulawayo, the initial aim being to help prevent "baby dumping" by destitute pregnant girls. From these beginnings the work quickly spread to include helping a number of child support projects in Zimbabwe, and support children in the Bulawayo area and at St. James Mission, Nyamandhlovu. 'Babygrow' donations go to:
- support destitute mums and their children
- feed children in a large squatter camp
- support a home for Aids orphans
- provide food for abandoned babies, now being taken to a local hospital where a new wing has been opened for these infants
- pay education fees for children from destitute families
supply medicines for a rural clinic
The Land and its People
Zimbabwe is about three times the size of England. It is situated in central Southern Africa and has a population of about eleven million: 70% Shona (living mainly in the north and east) and 25% Matabele (mainly in the south and west) form the two major groups of people. Most of the people in the rural areas are subsistence farmers or labourers.
Over recent years, a number of problems have made life exceedingly difficult for many poorer families - severe economic pressures, mass food shortages and escalating health problems associated with HIV/AIDS have led to greatly increased incidents of "baby dumping" and child abandonment, and to many children being orphaned.
It is now estimated that:
- over 80% of the people are living in poverty
- there are over 1,000,000 orphans in the country
- Aids kills about 4,000 every week
- life expectancy is now the lowest in the world - 37 for men, 34 for women
- inflation is the highest in the world, estimated at between 7,600% and 13,000% but is now classed as "incalculable" as there are not enough goods on sale in shops to give a true figure
ANY money of ANY age from ANYwhere
'Babygrow' raises money for its work by collecting literally ANY money British/foreign, notes/coins, old/new - and for this the Project has the support of the HSBC Bank pic and Bath Stamp & Coin Shop who, between them, exchange everything collected for sterling.
Every coin has a value to 'Babygrow'!
Through this collection, 'Babygrow' has:
- supplied an orphanage with a borehole and pump for water
- supplied a number of children's homes and schools with much-needed equipment
- built a clinic in the vast rural area in the south of the country.
However, most of the money now goes to buy the very basic necessities for life - food, clothing and medical supplies.