The Romanian Aid Foundation & Asociatia Neemia

We were very relieved to receive a truck-load of aid from Billingshurst in the middle of last month. The customs procedures were more complex than in previous years but not overly onerous. We have also received approval to receive similar loads, at least until the end of this year.

The load arrived on the day that our stock of summer clothing was finally exhausted. Ironically, we still have supplies of winter clothing but that is not suitable for summer conditions. We are grateful for the timing of the delivery, and it was not long before items from this load were appearing on the donation records.

We continue to make donations from the office, albeit in smaller quantities and under the social distancing restrictions that still apply. People still need to be clothed and be fed, and there are many households who have had difficulties doing so during the pandemic. We have been able to maintain some level of donations throughout this period without lorries through a combination of locally sourced items and sponsorship for food purchases; we are grateful to those who made that possible.

This has been a long period of extra stain on our staff. Although none of them has had COVID itself, there has been an impact though friends and family, and due to the additional work that has been asked of them. This has tended to exacerbate other health problems, and we need to find some way in which they can step back a little from time to time.

Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to Richard and those who worked with him for all that they have done for people in this area. It is some 30 years since the activities that evolved into RoAF and AN began. Encouraged by many supporters, Richard Burgess and Jon Norman drove a small truck load of aid to post-revolution Romania, intending it as a ‘one-off’ venture. What they saw fueled a desire to continue to help. In due course Richard bought his own truck and made aid trips four or five times a year, as well as helping in many needy situations. Finally Richard has hung up the keys to his truck – his dynamism and drive will be missed. We trust that he will have a long and happy retirement – although watching the sunset from a rocking chair on the porch probably isn’t his style.

This month’s featured photos

• A Welcome Arrival
• Richard in Action
• .

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month (pending update).

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Some households may receive more than one donation during a month (eg, repeat donations of food).
– Items shown as 0 or as “…” are awaiting final returns for the month.

 
Previous month’s news, July 2021