	Wood Street Mission
	Leonard and Sheila Bentley (0161 483 0708) co-ordinate collections from Norbury. At present the Mission urgently requires: Clean and good quality clothing for adults and children Books in good condition (especially children’s books) Good quality toys PLEASE: NO Jumble or House Clearances Items can be left at church on Saturday mornings between 10am and 12 noon. Christmas preparations at the Wood Street Mission Preparation for Christmas at the Wood Street Mission starts early in October when donations of food start arriving from harvest celebrations at churches, schools and other organisations. Each item of food is checked and must be in date at 31st December. Out-of-date food (and tins with the date scratched off) has to be discarded. Food in date on receipt but out of date by 31st December is given to clients when they come in for clothing. In 1999, the number of families receiving help was about 600. By Christmas 2010, it had risen to over 1,600. Substantial quantities of food have frequently been received from supermarkets and suppliers of biscuits, jams, marmalade, etc. They are extremely welcome and, being packed in large quantities, they are easily checked for date (usually well into the following year). The Mission is very grateful for the generosity of these suppliers. The finished food bags include (while stocks last) 10 tins of baked beans, pasta, soup, vegetables, fruit, pudding, meat, fish, 5 packets of jelly, Angel Delight, sweet biscuits, tea bags (80) and sweets. Extras (when available) include packet soup, milk, drink, sugar, mince pies, Christmas pudding and boxed biscuits. Toys are checked on receipt (no dating is needed!) and sorted into suitable age groups with boys’ separate from girls’. Funds received during the year are often used to buy more toys. The Manager (Jan) and the Senior Projects Worker (Des) usually visit various warehouses to negotiate for suitable gifts. Last year, new toys were given to over 3,300 children at Christmas. The bags of food and parcels of toys are collected, in December, by the clients or by Social Services on their behalf. When the doors at Wood Street Mission finally close just before Christmas, the very weary volunteers and employees make their way home to enjoy their own celebrations, hoping they have helped to bring some happiness and joy to those less fortunate than themselves. The toys collected during the 10.15am service on Sunday 4th December will be passed on to the Mission. Sheila and Leonard Bentley	A Brief History After the war, the welfare state provided more of the services which the voluntary sector had offered. The Mission began to develop its work with young people living in and around the city centre. By 1963, the youth club had a membership of 600 and, on Friday nights, the attendance was usually around 200. The Mission sold its holiday home in Blackpool and purchased a large house in Derbyshire which it opened as an outdoor pursuit centre. The centre was sold in 1981 due to high running costs. The city centre based sports activities were then developed into a project offering sports opportunities for special schools and community groups within the city centre. The sports centre closed in 1990, after an extensive review of the Mission’s activities and assets, and allowed for a major redistribution of resources. Throughout its existence, the distribution of clothes and, at Christmas, toys and food has been the core of the Mission’s work. It remains so today as we strive to meet the aims of the founders by responding to the needs of the community in a practical and positive manner. The generous contributions from Norbury Church are greatly appreciated. Thank you all. Wood Street Mission was founded in 1869 by Alfred Alsop with a few of his friends and business associates in response to the poverty and deprivation that they saw around them in parts of Manchester. At that time, Deansgate was a narrow street, a squalid slum and, in the words of a contemporary police officer, “the neighbourhood of Deansgate was a rendez-vous of thieves and a very hot bed of social iniquity and vice”. With so much local poverty, the Mission provided soup kitchens, clogs and clothing. At Christmas, thousands of people were entertained and toys given to the children. By the late 1800s, the Mission’s work had developed to include day trips to Southport for children and a home for homeless boys. The Mission also acquired a seaside camp that provided accommodation for about 120 children. The camp was subsequently replaced by a holiday home in Blackpool. During the early years of the last century, in a period of very cold winters, men sleeping rough were given shelter. When the boys’ home was discontinued, room was set aside as a refuge for girls in trouble. During World War II (1939-45), the Mission’s activities had to be curtailed as its holiday home was requisitioned by the Government and part of its Manchester building was used as an air raid shelter. Leonard and Sheila Bentley Wood Street Mission, 24 Wood Street Manchester M3 3EF Telephone: 0161-834 3140
	Norbury Parish Church, London Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. Telephone: 0161-483 6325. Registered Charity 1130910

Wood Street Mission

Leonard and Sheila Bentley (0161 483 0708) co-ordinate collections from Norbury. At present the Mission urgently requires:

Clean and good quality clothing for adults and children
Books in good condition (especially children’s books)
Good quality toys

PLEASE: NO Jumble or House Clearances

Items can be left at church on Saturday mornings between 10am and 12 noon.

Christmas preparations at the Wood Street Mission

Preparation for Christmas at the Wood Street Mission starts early in October when donations of food start arriving from harvest celebrations at churches, schools and other organisations. Each item of food is checked and must be in date at 31st December. Out-of-date food (and tins with the date scratched off) has to be discarded. Food in date on receipt but out of date by 31st December is given to clients when they come in for clothing.

In 1999, the number of families receiving help was about 600. By Christmas 2010, it had risen to over 1,600.

Substantial quantities of food have frequently been received from supermarkets and suppliers of biscuits, jams, marmalade, etc. They are extremely welcome and, being packed in large quantities, they are easily checked for date (usually well into the following year). The Mission is very grateful for the generosity of these suppliers.

The finished food bags include (while stocks last) 10 tins of baked beans, pasta, soup, vegetables, fruit, pudding, meat, fish, 5 packets of jelly, Angel Delight, sweet biscuits, tea bags (80) and sweets. Extras (when available) include packet soup, milk, drink, sugar, mince pies, Christmas pudding and boxed biscuits.

Toys are checked on receipt (no dating is needed!) and sorted into suitable age groups with boys’ separate from girls’. Funds received during the year are often used to buy more toys. The Manager (Jan) and the Senior Projects Worker (Des) usually visit various warehouses to negotiate for suitable gifts. Last year, new toys were given to over 3,300 children at Christmas.

The bags of food and parcels of toys are collected, in December, by the clients or by Social Services on their behalf.

When the doors at Wood Street Mission finally close just before Christmas, the very weary volunteers and employees make their way home to enjoy their own celebrations, hoping they have helped to bring some happiness and joy to those less fortunate than themselves.

The toys collected during the 10.15am service on Sunday 4th December will be passed on to the Mission.

Sheila and Leonard Bentley

A Brief History

After the war, the welfare state provided more of the services which the voluntary sector had offered. The Mission began to develop its work with young people living in and around the city centre. By 1963, the youth club had a membership of 600 and, on Friday nights, the attendance was usually around 200.

The Mission sold its holiday home in Blackpool and purchased a large house in Derbyshire which it opened as an outdoor pursuit centre. The centre was sold in 1981 due to high running costs. The city centre based sports activities were then developed into a project offering sports opportunities for special schools and community groups within the city centre. The sports centre closed in 1990, after an extensive review of the Mission’s activities and assets, and allowed for a major redistribution of resources.

Throughout its existence, the distribution of clothes and, at Christmas, toys and food has been the core of the Mission’s work. It remains so today as we strive to meet the aims of the founders by responding to the needs of the community in a practical and positive manner.

The generous contributions from Norbury Church are greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

Wood Street Mission was founded in 1869 by Alfred Alsop with a few of his friends and business associates in response to the poverty and deprivation that they saw around them in parts of Manchester. At that time, Deansgate was a narrow street, a squalid slum and, in the words of a contemporary police officer, “the neighbourhood of Deansgate was a rendez-vous of thieves and a very hot bed of social iniquity and vice”. With so much local poverty, the Mission provided soup kitchens, clogs and clothing. At Christmas, thousands of people were entertained and toys given to the children.

By the late 1800s, the Mission’s work had developed to include day trips to Southport for children and a home for homeless boys. The Mission also acquired a seaside camp that provided accommodation for about 120 children. The camp was subsequently replaced by a holiday home in Blackpool.

During the early years of the last century, in a period of very cold winters, men sleeping rough were given shelter. When the boys’ home was discontinued, room was set aside as a refuge for girls in trouble. During World War II (1939-45), the Mission’s activities had to be curtailed as its holiday home was requisitioned by the Government and part of its Manchester building was used as an air raid shelter.

Leonard and Sheila Bentley

Wood Street Mission,
24 Wood Street
Manchester
M3 3EF
Telephone: 0161-834 3140

Wood Street Mission

Christmas preparations at the Wood Street Mission

A Brief History

Norbury Parish Church, London Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. Telephone: 0161-483 6325. Registered Charity 1130910

Norbury Parish Church, London Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire.
Telephone: 0161-483 6325. Registered Charity 1130910