Angels in action delivering food across Norfolk 

Angels in disguise were in action in Norfolk over Christmas in the form of City Saints in Action volunteers who joined together to pack and deliver food hampers to refugees, asylum seekers and others in need.

 
Volunteers from the local Christian group packed food provided by Norwich Foodbank and fresh fruit, vegetables and treats from Norfolk farmers and delivered it to people they knew were struggling to make ends meet over the festive period.
 
Carrie Sant founder of City Saints in Action said: “It is not just the homeless and unemployed that struggle with current austerity measures. Families and individuals on minimum wage or less are often the worst hit.
 
“People like the single mother working for an agency as a carer. She travels around Norfolk villages for 20 hours per week, but she doesn’t get paid for the time it takes to get from one client to the next, nor does she get mileage allowance for her car.
 
“These costs allowed for, she works for approximately £3.50 per hour and when her two young children need child care in the holidays she can reclaim 70% but this makes her net hourly rate even less. The “bedroom tax” means that she also has to pay £56 extra a month for the three-bedroom house allocated to her by the council,” said Carrie.
 
“The delivery day was almost over and having failed to use one family parcel I was driving home when I suddenly thought of a house where we had previously helped a refugee family, I drove that way home. There were no proper curtains at the windows and children’s bikes in the garden. The family I knew had moved and I experienced some doubts as I went to knock on the door.
 
“A young girl answered the door her father stood behind her, she spoke perfect English. I discovered they had just moved in having been given refugee status after waiting six years. Government money for food had stopped and they were now waiting for benefits, which would probably not come until after Christmas. They had three children, very little food and no cooker. Providentially, we had a good cooker which one of our volunteers took the father to collect from our store and we were able to immediately give them the food we had not delivered.
 
“They told me I was their ‘angel’. I explained that I believed that I had been led to knock on their door and that this was because God loved them and was looking after them, so they should thank him. They responded by telling me of  ways in which God had cared for them, we shared our love of God and spoke of  His faithfulness. The father was in tears. Only on my second visit did I discover that this was a Muslim family.  We laughed and shared some more, we may not agree on some things but we agree on two essential priorities in life - Love God and love your neighbour as yourself.”

City Saints in Action describes itself asan inclusive group of people working together to try to bless others across Norwich and whose volunteers are Christian, Muslim and people of no specific faith with a shared desire to serve God.
 
If you would like to volunteer with City Saints in Action, contact Carrie Sant on 07523 909798

Pictured above, City Saints in Action were helped by children who went with their mums to deliver hampers to families with young children.