***UPDATE***

Life is full of surprises! In these hard times I am very pleased to tell you that the total at the moment with the Sainsbury's collection, most of the sponsorship now in and the Coffee Morning income will be in excess of £15,700! The Sainsbury's collection alone was £1,129.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped to raise so much money.

I have now been an Oxfam Volunteer for 70 years, since I started shaking a collecting tin in the street in 1953! It seems like such a long time ago now but I am very blessed to have had many kind and compassionate friends who have shared my passion to support those communities that Oxfam works alongside year after year.

This year will be the 38th year of my annual Fast and you all know the routine-------I sit at Sainsbury's in Maidenhead for more than 30 hours over 3 days. This year I will be there on 24th, 25th and 26th November. My cardboard friend, Barbara, the Boxfam lady, will do the "fasting."

Aware of changing times, I shall again have a card reader so those who would like to support me, but don't carry cash, can still do so.

Last year I collected over £1,000 over the three days of the Fast, which says a lot for the generosity of the shoppers in these difficult times. I am so grateful and the final total for 2022 with sponsorship, Gift Aid, the Sainsbury's collection and the proceeds from the Coffee Morning amounted to over £13,600.

Please sponsor me again if you can and let me know if your contact details or Gift Aid status has changed.

It is impossible to adequately describe to you how very grateful both I and Oxfam are for your support. Your donation, no matter how large or small, will go on to support those people who Oxfam work with across the globe who have been made most vulnerable. Many, many thanks for your empathy and practical support.

Barbara