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St. Peter's Aid for the Needy (SPAN)
St. Peter’s Aid for the Needy (SPAN) was founded by parishioners in 1974 for the purpose of bringing Christian love in practical ways to those in need both locally and overseas. Members of the parish are invited to participate in the activities of SPAN and to donate to its work, including the Gift Aid scheme, as they wish on a completely voluntarily basis. SPAN is the principal means by which the parish of St. Peter makes charitable donations.
SPAN became a registered charity in 1994 - registered charity number 1040252. Since its foundation SPAN has administered donations from parishioners totaling £700,000. In 2010 SPAN received and distributed over £35,000. SPAN aims to share its available funds between local and UK needs and those in need overseas.
SPAN has a number of ongoing commitments, principally CAFOD, St Francis Hospital in Nyenga, Uganda, and Ortum Mission Hospital, Kenya. Regular support is also given to Leamington Christian Mission, Leamington Night Shelter, a project for refugees and asylum seekers in Smethwick, a refugee camp in South Africa and a home for street children in Lebanon. SPAN helps fund the education of three orphans and a deaf and dumb child in Uganda.
Three Sundays are set aside during Lent every year for SPAN Lenten Alms. Speakers from particular charities are invited to speak at Mass about their work and a collection is taken for the charity. This year the Lenten Alms were for an agricultural project in North Uganda, supported by the International Refugee Trust, a special mattress for Castel Froma, a local residential facility for brain damage and complex neurological conditions, and the Saturday Friendship Group which works to support the homeless and vulnerably housed in Leamington.
Appeals for support are received throughout the year and are discussed at the SPAN monthly meetings. Careful consideration is given to each appeal and, where appropriate, a donation is made.
A Christmas food parcel and toy distribution scheme is operated every year and about forty local families are helped in this way. Good quality clothing is collected and given to local charities working with the homeless for distribution.
SPAN open meetings are held in the parish centre at 7.30pm on the second Monday of each month (except August) and the Annual General Meeting is held in May. All parishioners are welcome to attend these meetings.