Food and gifts give brighter Christmas (From Gazette Series)

Food and gifts give brighter Christmas

NORTH NIBLEY Romania Team members John Anyon and Matthew Bigwood made the 3,000-mile round trip to the remote village of Mina 1 Mai to spread some Christmas cheer.

During their December visit, they met the 140 patients of a bleak psychiatric hospital in the former coal mining village.

A highly successful year of fundraising meant that the team was able to buy a quantity of food as well as small Christmas gifts for the patients.

Guided by members of hospital staff, John and Matt spent more than £600 on food and also bought medical equipment, hair trimmers and computer printer ink.

"The charity has staged a number of events throughout the year and a particularly successful photographic exhibition in Wotton-under-Edge in the autumn gave us over £1,000 to spend in Romania," said John, a photographer at the Gazette.

The patients' food supply is intermittent and funding for the hospital is often precarious. Head nurse Mariana Stoica told of how food is still a problem - the monthly allocation from the health authority in Brasov sometimes only lasts a week.

John and Matt bought enough food to fill a pick-up truck and an estate car and when it was delivered it filled a large part of the kitchen's store room.

Besides staple food like pasta and vegetables they bought tinned meat and fish, and herbs and spices for a Christmas Day meal.

"It's good to know that every penny of money raised is being used to benefit the patients," said John. "Particularly at that time of year it is nice to be able to help people much less fortunate than ourselves."

Charity volunteers will soon be planning their summer visit to the hospital and are particularly keen to hear from any qualified care workers who could help. They can be contacted via their website www.nnrt.co.uk