Unearthing the Past

One of the young men who attends the Agriculture Project here at Crag House Farm got quite a surprise a couple of months ago, when helping to shift rubble to clear a small area of land. Something which he spotted in with mounds of earth and stones, turned out to be something really special; an almost entire clay pipe. Pipe bowls or stems have sometimes been discovered on the Farm, particularly when ploughing land or repairing drystone walls, but never one in as good a condition as this.

Old clay pipe found by our Agriculture Team.

Having sought advice on cleaning the pipe, (being grateful to have a trustee who was formerly a museum curator), the pipe was carefully handed over to our very own “Repair Shop”, otherwise known as the Art Shop Project here at Caring For Life. They did a wonderful, delicate job of restoring it and the clay pipe now looks magnificent, showing something of the markings of use around the bowl, and clearly showing the spur underneath.

Although we cannot be clear as to the exact age of the clay pipe, it is thrilling to be able to see something which was once used by someone working here at Crag House Farm. It appears to have been a good quality pipe, and someone must have been sorry to realise they had lost it! 

With all the history attached to Crag House Farm, it is unsurprising that we find objects such as this beautiful pipe, occasionally coins, old field drains and even a quern-stone. 

Farming activities have taken place here for centuries, and it is rather wonderful to see how a little piece of history was unearthed by a young man now working on the Agriculture Project here at Caring For Life. Crag House Farm is providing a safe haven and a sense of belonging for so many people, and we thank God for this.

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Food and Much More

As recent web articles show, this time of the year, traditionally “harvest time”, is wonderfully busy for us. Churches, support groups, organisations and schools send harvest gifts to us, with a stream of cars sometimes arriving all at once, to deliver the harvest to us. After sorting the food by category and date, a task undertaken by our Time For Jesus volunteers, staff and volunteers, including corporate volunteer groups, our food stores are replenished, ready for food parcels to be given out to those in need at any time during the year ahead. Members of our Being There (housing support) team make up food parcels for individuals  or families who are experiencing difficult times, due to a whole myriad of factors. Food parcels are made up and then delivered.

But this aspect of Caring For Life’s work is about so much more than giving a food parcel. This is a tremendously practical way of meeting an immediate need. If someone has no income, or drastically reduced income for whatever reason, there is an immediate need for food to sustain life. At Caring For Life we come across situations where people are choosing between heating their home or eating food, and this becomes a dangerous choice when winter sets in. Or we see families in which the parent may be ensuring the child eats, but not eating properly themselves. Not infrequently, we find people with empty cupboards in their kitchen. Some people may have a chronic health problem or be reliant on important medication, and poor nutrition has a very negative impact on their overall physical and mental health. 

At Caring For Life we come across situations where people are choosing between heating their home or eating food.

Thus, meeting the need for food is a wonderful way to provide quick, straightforward help. But delivering a food parcel also provides an opportunity for a gentle chat, some human contact, and the chance to see what other help is needed; what can be done to unravel the causes of “food poverty”.  Regular food parcels may be needed for some time, whilst a person’s financial situation stabilises and issues are sorted out.  Caring For Life is so thankful to be able to provide that regular help when it is needed, and so grateful for the harvest gifts which make this possible, enabling us to provide food.. and so much more .. for those in need. We thank God for the harvest and for the opportunity to share His love in this way.  

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Donating a Day

This week, a team from Lloyds Bank downed tools and donated a day to Caring For Life! We are immensely grateful to all our volunteers, including groups of corporate volunteers, who take time away from their usual duties to help us out.

The Lloyds volunteers knew what they were in for, some having volunteered in the past, so they knew they would be faced with a mountain of tinned food to sort!

A wonderful and very welcome flood of harvest gifts arrives at Caring For Life at this time of the year, donated by churches and groups up and down the country. But it all has to be sorted. The Lloyds team worked throughout the day, sorting tins into not only food types, but also date categories, so that they can be used effectively for food parcels.

Their help was crucial and made all the difference in enabling us to store the food which has been donated. Every food parcel that will be given out in the year ahead, every Christmas hamper, and every free meal served, depends on careful sorting of food at this stage.

We are truly grateful that the Lloyds volunteers donated a day, and their time was certainly well used. 

People who donate food and volunteers who help to sort it are all a part of a wonderful ministry of providing very practically and compassionately for people who are finding life itself a  real  struggle. Much of our work at Caring For Life involves giving people time; time to listen and really hear what a person is trying to say, time to sit with someone who simply needs company, or time to advocate for them when the world of housing applications, benefits or bills is just overwhelming. 

We in turn do thank all our volunteers who give Caring For Life the valuable donation of time.

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