Special Book Release: BAPS Charities – Celebrating Your Support of Barnardo’s

Following the BAPS Charities 10K Challenge and 30-mile bike ride in 2010, BAPS Charities raised £25,000 for Barnardo’s to help vulnerable children throughout the UK. In commemoration of this project, Barnardo’s recently published a book to express their gratitude to everyone who participated and as a celebration of the success and fun of the challenge itself.

Mr Jez Alcock, Special Advisor to Barnardo’s, was present on the evening of Saturday 10 March 2012 at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London, to inaugurate this souvenir book. In his address, he said: “I have been at Barnardo’s for 23 years and I have to say, you are the friendliest and kindest people I have ever met. I am here tonight to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all of you for your efforts to raise a magnificent £25,000 to fund our critical work at Carefree in Leicester, The Arch Service in Birmingham, and Heshima in Croydon.

“Our CEO [Marie Currie] can’t be here tonight but she asked me to say these words: ‘The donation raised through your challenge events has helped us to continue to care for some of the most vulnerable young people in the UK. I am extremely grateful for your inspirational efforts.”

Jez proceeded to describe one of the beneficiaries of the money raised by BAPS Charities: “One young person called Matthew, whose mother suffers from severe mental illness, had become a young carer. The donations raised by BAPS Charities helped to fund a group for such young carers in Leicester – enabling the hire of a community hall, pay for transport for children to attend groups for advice and support, and recreational activities that children in these circumstances would otherwise not be able to experience.”

He continued by narrating Matthew’s words: “Imagine a fishing net that can catch the big fish but not the little ones. Barnardo’s is like a blanket that covers the holes, that stops the little fish like me slipping through.”

Jez concluded, “Because of your wonderful generosity, Barnado’s has been able to make that blanket just a little bit larger. Thank you all so much.”

A full, online copy of the book can be viewed here (after clicking ‘PREVIEW BOOK!’).

To learn more about the important work of Barnardo’s, please click here.

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