Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership has a vacancy for an elected trustee to join our Trustee Group. Trustees need to be nominated by 2 members of the Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership. The vacancy is initially until the 2024 AGM when the Trustee can stand for re-election.

The Trustees are responsible for the governance, compliance and overseeing strategic direction towards meeting the vision of the SEP, specifically:

1. To oversee the governance and operation of the Partnership
2. To ensure compliance with legal and denominational requirements including safeguarding

• To ensure financial probity for the SEP.

It is expected the Trustees will have three or four meetings per year.

Trustees should not generally be holders of other offices in the Partnership or its Congregations. We are hoping that the new Trustee might also be able to be the Trustees’ representative on the Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership Council.

The current Trustees are:

Elected: Mr David Preston (Chair), Dr Adrian Prisk (Treasurer), Mrs Anne Slee (Secretary), Ms Diana Stammers, Mr Stephen Fletcher.

Ex officio: Rev Dr Paul Smith Rev, Dr Sam Muthuveloe, Rev Canon Chukwuemeka Iwuagwu, Rev David Haseldine

PCC nominee: Mrs Penny Miller

Nominations should be sent to Anne Slee by 17 December 2023 anne.e.slee@gmail.com If more than one nomination is received, an election will take place at the next Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership all members Church Meeting.

Any questions about the post of Trustee should be directed to any of the elected Trustees (contact details available from Anne Slee). Diana Stammers can also provide copies of the Governing Document and Operating Procedures for the Partnership.

Are you among the many people in Milton Keynes struggling pay their bills this winter? Then help could be at hand.

Tommy Hayes, Community Liaison Officer for Great Linford Parish Council, says “You may have already had this information already but residents living in Milton Keynes can apply for financial support from Milton Keynes City Council. Residents who are n financial difficulties and struggling to meet the cost of essential items including:

• Food
• Energy and water bills
• Repair or purchase of essential household appliances
• Servicing and repair of heating systems
• School uniform or other essential clothing
• Other essential living costs

More information and the application form can b e found on the MKCC website: Household support fund | Milton Keynes City Council (milton-keynes.gov.uk).

Milton Keynes Food Cupboard will be closing down as age catches up with its volunteers.

John and Diana Sturgess write: “With sadness we are writing to inform you that the Food Cupboard Committee has recognised that the time has come to start the process of closing down our outreach. THIS DECISION HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN NOT BECAUSE of a drop in demand, that our services are no longer needed, nor that our regular donors of food/finance have diminished to a point where we can no longer continue.

“As with so many other organisations, our volunteer age is steadily rising, and whether a Deliverer or a Thursday morning sorter/packer, the negotiating of stairs whilst carrying heavy food loads is becoming more and more challenging. Most of us are now regrettably, carrying age related problems that significantly increase the risk of injury or aggravating an existing medical condition.  With this in mind, as a committee, we don’t want to feel responsible, even if only as a contributory factor, for a future significant decline in health of one of our volunteers.

“Your churches have supported our outreach so generously in the past and we ask you to pass on our sincere and grateful thanks to all those who have who have played such a worthwhile and effective part in it. We understand the time and effort this support has taken, but, may we encourage you to continue your care of others by developing a link with your local Food Larder, Community Fridge or Food Bank.

“In conclusion, we must acknowledge, once again, the generous and vital part your churches have played in our outreach (both in the past and present). Thank you so much for the support you have contributed during our almost 35 years of outreach. It would have been an impossible dream without regular support from individuals, churches, schools and organisations like yourselves.

“Thank you all so much.”

Yours sincerely

John and Diana Sturgess

(main co-ordinators for Food Cupboard)