Christmas Letters To Annual Report for 2016
CHRISTMAS LETTERS TO PRISONERS C/O 42 South Park Hill Road, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 7YB E-mail: secretary@christmasletters.plus.com Registered Charity No. 210053 COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Mr Tony Sheldrake Mrs Pearl Harris Mr John Aston Mrs Betty Bunn Mrs Rona Nichols Rev. Brian Wightwick BA Mr David Gresty Mr Mark Watts Chairman Treasurer Secretary: Mr Allan Turner Administrative assistant: Mrs. Ronke Fashola Normal Office Hours: (These are given as an approximate guide and are subject to variation, particularly at holiday times and around Bank Holidays) Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: 10.00am to 4.00 pm (Office normally closed) 10.00am to 4.00 pm 10.00am to 4.00 pm (Office normally closed) An answerphone is always on to take messages outside of these hours. We aim to answer mail as soon as possible, but please allow a week for a reply.
Chairman s report "I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me." (Matt 26 v 36) These are the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ telling of how, when He comes again, He will reward those who have cared for His people during His absence. However, many of us do not have the opportunity of personally being a hospital or prison visitor, but we can still serve the Lord in this way through letters - particularly through Christmas Letters to Prisoners. In 2016, we sent 11,500 letters into the prisons in the UK and Ireland for distribution by the prison chaplains on Christmas Day. The chaplains tell us that they were well received; only the Lord knows how many prisoners receive salvation through the letters. Our work is just a small part of the response to His command to "go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation". (Mark 16 v 15) Over the years, a number of prisons have closed their doors to us. We regularly telephone the chaplains offering to supply our letters, but all too often we cannot reach them. So, we are considering providing letters elsewhere, for instance hospitals. Not all our letters are suitable for patients in hospital, but some are. Therefore, we are consulting with the chaplains of a local hospital to enquire whether they would be willing for us to distribute letters at Christmastime. Do please pray that the Lord would open the way for us. Once again we offer our heartfelt thanks to all our helpers; the volunteers who work in the office, the copyists, the composers of letters and above all, those who pray for us and for the recipients of the letters that they may come to the Saviour. Thank you all very much! Tony Sheldrake, Chairman.
TREASURER S REPORT This year has been another of many savings. I am pleased to report that donations for the year were up by 236 to 7,128. We received 131 in interest and dividends in 2016, which is up a little on last year. We also received 1,500 in legacies but still ended with a deficit of 6,995 Our expenditure went down marginally by 1,805 in 2016 despite price increases. There was a very small increase on postage to prisons. Some supporters help us to reduce our postage costs by sending books of stamps to us. Last year we received approximately 302 by this means. We are very grateful to all who continue to support our work and particularly those who regularly support our work through standing order via the bank. We would particularly like to thank those who have signed Gift Aid Forms. These enabled us to reclaim 1,315 from the Inland Revenue in 2016. If you can help in this way, please complete the details on the back cover and return to us. This is only applicable to those who pay income tax. Finally, I would like to say a big Thank you to all who continue to support the work so faithfully. Indeed, we could not do the work without your ongoing commitment, most particularly by prayer. If you would like a copy of our full accounts please let us know. Pearl Harris
SECRETARY S REPORT 2016 The move that we had heralded happened. We moved into the new premises on the 14 th of December 2016 and were up and running within two days with the exception of phone and broadband. For three weeks, I ran the communications with some very high tech work on my mobile phone. For those who understand I used it as a hotspot. Many thanks to all who get their letters back to us as they finish them as this enables the smooth flow of work through the year. The original letters have been slow in coming this year and we would appreciate more for 2018 use. Unfortunately, it seems that the evil one has managed more mischief with the 2017 letters with many mistakes not found in production. The levels we go to do include proof-readers but even then as I type up the changes mistakes creep in. I have spent much time informing people of our new address and still forget some but if you need to post or phone us then do note the address change at the front. As always, I am grateful to our Administrative Assistant Ronke Fashola and especially our team of faithful volunteers for their support and good advice. I take suggestions from all the volunteers and if you feel you can contribute with ideas, feel free to contact me. Holloway prison closed in 2016 so we lost that but two others joined us, albeit with fewer letters. We thank the Lord for this increase. Once more, we sent letters via the copyist who did this work on Soon s behalf...sadly the charity has now closed in this form. She took 600 letters for English speaking prisons in Africa. I received many replies from inmates who were so encouraged to receive a letter. Some of them have asked us to provide a Bible and other Christian reading material. We received letters from Turkey the USA and South America. Sadly, they are always too long to publish in this magazine. We sent a few letters to Belgium for the English speakers there. Again quite a number of our copyists have sent in prayer requests this year and we pray for them during our morning prayers on a Monday. We don t always hear what has happened but are sure that the Lord hears us and answers our prayers. I did want to update my message but it is so apt that I leave it with you again. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11
Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Chaplains responses An extract from a large letter. From Pastor Amos Mukoko in Malawi. Dear brothers and sisters. I greet you with the name that is above all names, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you very much for your letter enclosed with Christmas cards for my prisoners. I assure you that my brothers and sisters are blessed at Christmas season and be a lifechanging time for us here in Malawi. I assure you that these cards are very important in my work of preaching the word of God in prisons. These cards come at the right time when we are planning to hold gospel meetings in prison because we do this every year at Christmas and the New Year. We ask our brothers and sisters at Christmas Letters to Prisoners to remember us in your daily prayers. I assure all that took part in writing these important cards that your letters and words in them will make many of my fellow inmates stronger in the word of God. The words in them are full of God s Holy anointing. May God give you all peace and love when writing these cards.
CHRISTMAS LETTERS TO PRISONERS C/O 42 South Park Hill Road. South Croydon Surrey CR2 7YB Tel: 020 86805272 E-mail: secretary@christmasletters.plus.com http://www.christmasletters.plus.com Registered Charity No. 210053 Secretary: Mr. Allan Turner Details of Donor Title... Christian name... Surname... Address...... Postcode... I want CLP to treat all donations I have made since.../.../... and all donations I make from the date of this declaration until I notify you otherwise, as Gift Aid donations. Signature........ Date / /...
LETTER DISTRIBUTION IN 2015 (figures in brackets are for 2015) England & Wales Inmates 8480 (8600) Staff - - Scotland Inmates 130 (130) Staff () Irish Republic Inmates 1040 (1040) Staff - (-) Northern Ireland Inmates 830 (830) Channel Islands Inmates - (-) Staff - (-) Belgium Inmates - (15) Africa Inmates 550 (850) (English speaking prisons) Totals: 11030 (11465) Represented as follows: General Category (Male) 9060 (8625) Young Offenders 700 (920) General Category (Female) 1270 (1920) Staff - (-) Total: 11030 (114650) Statistics as at 31.12.15 Copyists 119 (128) Group Copyists 1 (2) Awaiting final acceptance 0 (0) Totals: 120 (130) Friends of C.L.P. 94 (98) Total level of support 214 (228)
HOW TO HELP.... If, as a result of reading our ANNUAL REPORT you would like further information about our work and ministry, or would like details of how you might be able to help to promote the work, please contact the Administrator at the address below: Christmas Letters to Prisoners C/O 42 South Park Hill Road. South Croydon, Surrey CR2 7YB You can also phone the office on 020 8680 5272, or our e-mail address is secretary@christmasletters.plus.com Please complete the details below as appropriate: PLEASE SEND ME THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ( ) How can I help? As a Copyist ( ) How can I help? Forming a Copyist group ( ) How can I help? As a Friend of C.L.P. ( ) How can I help? Writing an Original Letter Or by assisting us to maintain our work and ministry by sending details by which you can support us: ( ) Please send me a Gift Aid form ( ) Please send me details of direct giving ( ) We are interested in a speaker from C.L.P. Name: Address: Post Code: Tel No: