Peterborough church visitors raise thousands for charity

A number of charities working with those affected acutely by Covid-19 restrictions and lockdown are among those to receive support from St John the Baptist, in Cathedral Square.

The church has donated £7,000 to the good causes, which include charities working with the homeless and mental health as well as Thorpe Hall Hospice.

Canon Ian Black, Vicar of St John’s, said “We are delighted to be able to make these gifts and we know that they will be timely when so many charities are facing difficulties at the moment. There is increased demand for all of their services and we are grateful to everyone who has supported the coffee shop over the past year - helping bake and serve at the counter, as customers and friends.

“The church building has been closed since 24th March and we do not know at the moment when we will be able to open the cafe again. This will significantly affect the donations we are able to make next year. When we do open we will work with the guidelines in place for cafes at that time. Many of the volunteers are in vulnerable groups themselves, so there will have to be a very careful assessment made first.

“The church aims to be a beacon of faith, hope and love in the heart of our city and this is one of the ways in which we are able to show this.”

The full list is:

Light Project Peterborough

Peterborough Soup Kitchen

The Samaritans

Peterborough Women’s Aid

British Red Cross

Leprosy Mission

A Rocha

DeafBlind UK

Diabetes UK

Crops

Inclusive Church

Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice