Nearly £900 was raised at a Penrith church barbecue to help equip a neonatal unit in Zambia.
A group of volunteers from St Catherine’s Church organised the event, which included musical entertainment from BlueJam’s Street Beats band.
On August 21 2020, a two-ward neonatal intensive care unit was opened at the Monze Mission Hospital, in Zambia, thanks to fundraising by various parishes in Cumbria, including the Roman Catholic Parish of St John Boste, which includes St Catherine’s Church.
Judith Bayley, chair of the Monze group committee, said: “The opening of these two wards has allowed mothers and premature babies to be cared for separately from in the normal hospital wards and has already saved the lives of numerous babies.”
The hospital in Monze is the largest hospital in the Southern Province of Zambia and there it has a long-standing link with Cumbrian Roman Catholic parishes which dates back many years.
“This year we were thrilled to be joined by Father Oliver Siandele who is from Monze and who is attached to the Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Hope in Carlisle, though he is soon to return home.
“We were delighted this year and last year to be joined by the Blue Jam Street Beats who made our barbecue into a wonderful, fun event and we raised £895.86 from ticket sales, raffle and generous donations. Thank you to all who made this day a success,” said Judith.
At St Catherine’s, the team of volunteers now hold three events a year to raise money to equip the neonatal unit.
Any donations to the cause are welcome. More details about the ongoing work to support the hospital in Monze can be found at www.stjohnboste.org.uk
