Dear
Friends
In light of advice given by the government on Monday 16th March
2020 the Ark is taking steps to limit the spread of the virus and to contribute
to the well-being of our staff, volunteers and our friends who use our service.
It is with sadness that we now must suspend all of our activity
groups (Friendship club, Craft club and Job club). We will also be closing the
café area to the public and no longer running a drop-in meeting place. We
appreciate that for several people our café is a source of community and in
difficult times community is more important than ever. We will be attempting to
find ways of remaining in contact with our patrons to ensure that they are not
cut adrift from all support.
We will be honouring existing appointments with our welfare rights
worker; however, wherever possible these appointments will be made by telephone
rather than face to face. When unavoidable and a face to face appointment is
essential if it is already booked, we will keep that appointment.
We are expecting to be able to run a telephone
and email advice service but due to existing commitments this service will not
be available until Tuesday 21st April. We will endeavour to keep
this service available for as long as the situation requires it.
Our AGM was due for Friday 3rd April 2020. This is now
postponed indefinitely but our annual report will be printed and made available
for interested parties.
Even
in turbulent times there are opportunities for us to support, encourage and
sustain each other and we will seek to find and make the most of those
opportunities.
We
pray for good health for all us and hope to return to normality as soon as
possible.
Yours
sincerely,
J Tattersfield
John
Tattersfield
Chair of Trustees.