LOCAL NEWS 12 New Foodbank at Curborough <strong>Lichfield</strong> Foodbank is now distribut<strong>in</strong>g food from Curborough Community Centre. The new service, which started <strong>in</strong> late July, is <strong>in</strong> addition to the current distribution centres at LifeChurch and Wade Street Church. In the year ended 31st March <strong>2021</strong>, <strong>Lichfield</strong> Foodbank provided food for nearly 4,750 <strong>in</strong>dividuals <strong>in</strong> <strong>Lichfield</strong> and the surround<strong>in</strong>g area – that’s an average of over 90 people every week who could not afford to feed themselves - just under half of them were children. The new distribution session at Curborough Community Centre (CCC) will enable volunteers to signpost foodbank service users seamlessly to additional targeted support and advice groups already based at Curborough. <strong>Lichfield</strong> Foodbank is runn<strong>in</strong>g the distribution session every Monday (except bank holidays) between 10am and 12pm. Details of other distribution centres around <strong>Lichfield</strong>, how to receive support, and how to make donations are available at www.lichfield.foodbank.org.uk. ....................................................................................... Success for Foodbank’s Back-to-School Scheme <strong>Lichfield</strong> Cathedral School pupils with their donations Follow<strong>in</strong>g the launch of its Back-to-School campaign <strong>in</strong> June and July, <strong>Lichfield</strong> Foodbank saw donations arriv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> droves and was able to successfully hand out 650 packs to children <strong>in</strong> need. This <strong>in</strong>cluded 422 primary packs and 230 secondary packs to Chadsmead Primary, Charnwood Primary, Christchurch Primary, St Chads Primary, St Peter and Paul Catholic, Streethay Primary, Willows Primary, K<strong>in</strong>g Edwards, Nether Stowe, Queens Croft and Saxon Hill. The campaign called for items of school stationery <strong>in</strong> order to ensure that no child should go without when the new term starts <strong>in</strong> September. Special thanks go to pupils at <strong>Lichfield</strong> Cathedral School and Streethay Primary School for their k<strong>in</strong>d donations and help. ....................................................................................... 1st Burntwood Scout Group Dur<strong>in</strong>g lockdown, 1st Burntwood Scouts cont<strong>in</strong>ued to meet as a section via Zoom and the young people embraced this way of work<strong>in</strong>g, soon becom<strong>in</strong>g confident enough to start cook<strong>in</strong>g onl<strong>in</strong>e and play<strong>in</strong>g b<strong>in</strong>go, amongst other games, as well as complet<strong>in</strong>g lots of badge work. Scout’s badge work covers various activities and tasks and one of the badges looks at the young people complet<strong>in</strong>g some volunteer<strong>in</strong>g work as well as some community impact work. The last meet<strong>in</strong>g of 1st Burntwood Scouts saw an <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong>to eight new scouts, alongside eight Chief Gold Awards, the highest award available to this section, be<strong>in</strong>g presented. Whilst the leaders were filled with an immense sense of pride, especially after see<strong>in</strong>g how hard the scouts had worked towards meet<strong>in</strong>g the requirements over the troublesome past year, but the event was also t<strong>in</strong>ged with sadness as the Group said a fond farewell to six of these young people as they leave to move onto Explorers. The Scout Group is now on a well-deserved summer break, with the leaders already plann<strong>in</strong>g the next year’s activities. Clementi <strong>in</strong> <strong>Lichfield</strong> Photograph courtesy of Steve Dodds Two special performances illustrat<strong>in</strong>g the life of Italian composer Muzio Clementi took place at the Methodist Church on Wade Street as part of the <strong>Lichfield</strong> Festival. Clementi, although born <strong>in</strong> Rome, spent the last three years of his life liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>Lichfield</strong>, from 1828 to 1831, and lived at Lyncroft House on the Stafford Road, now the Hedgehog Inn. Although Italian-born, Clementi was credited as a British composer and was known as the ‘Father of the Pianoforte’. The performances <strong>in</strong>cluded stories from Clementi’s life along with excerpts from some of his most popular musical works, performed on an orig<strong>in</strong>al 1825 Clementi ‘square’ piano, from the H<strong>in</strong>chcocks Musical Museum collection. The performances concluded with a special arrangement of ‘A Groovy K<strong>in</strong>d of Love’, which was a massive hit for the M<strong>in</strong>dbenders pop group <strong>in</strong> 1966 and s<strong>in</strong>ger Phil Coll<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> 1988. The performances were sponsored by Janette Horton and the <strong>Lichfield</strong> Civic Society with <strong>Citylife</strong> features writer, Jono, and Marilyn Masters on hand to help provide some Regency costumed colour. ....................................................................................... Got a story or charity event you want to share with our readership? Th<strong>in</strong>k you’ve snapped an image that captures the spirit of the region? We want to hear from you! Contact <strong>Citylife</strong> at kristencitylife@gmail.com
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