Blythswood News

Number 89 Winter 2025

Middlemen

I often think of Blythswood as the people in the middle, or helping to make things happen. We liaise both with our partners, who love their communities, and the donors who are motivated to help someone far away and choose Blythswood as the way to do it.

It’s a privileged place for us to be. Those of us who travel to partners and their projects are able to see firsthand what difference is made. Partners say thank you to us. I try to tell them it’s not us but the people who donate who make it possible – and that’s true. I like to think about an imaginary ‘Mrs Smith’ who gives £5, and I recognise that our work is possible because of the generosity of those who give sacrificially to help others.

Reading the articles in this edition of Blythswood News, I’m aware that it’s not just the donors who make a difference but also the volunteers and staff. At the time of writing this message, hundreds of volunteers a day are sorting through shoeboxes. We couldn’t fulfil the delivery of quality shoeboxes without them. Some volunteers give hours, others like Kenny and Barbara, who you can read about, have been volunteering for nearly 60 years. The staff team also makes it possible for us to do this work. I am pleased that as we note in this edition the long service and dedication of a number of staff, we’re also celebrating the arrival of fresh faces to Blythswood.

Thank you for letting us be the people in the middle. Our partners compliment us and tell us we’re doing a great job. It’s you who does a great job by supporting us so that we can help those doing a great job, by showing love to people in need in their communities.

It’s an honour to serve donors, volunteers, staff and partners. Thank you for your participation in this work. We pray that in all we do, we are used by God to change lives for good and forever.

Jeremy Ross
Chief Executive

Middlemen

I often think of Blythswood as the people in the middle, or helping to make things happen. We liaise both with our partners, who love their communities, and the donors who are motivated to help someone far away and choose Blythswood as the way to do it.

It’s a privileged place for us to be. Those of us who travel to partners and their projects are able to see firsthand what difference is made. Partners say thank you to us. I try to tell them it’s not us but the people who donate who make it possible – and that’s true. I like to think about an imaginary ‘Mrs Smith’ who gives £5, and I recognise that our work is possible because of the generosity of those who give sacrificially to help others.

Reading the articles in this edition of Blythswood News, I’m aware that it’s not just the donors who make a difference but also the volunteers and staff. At the time of writing this message, hundreds of volunteers a day are sorting through shoeboxes. We couldn’t fulfil the delivery of quality shoeboxes without them. Some volunteers give hours, others like Kenny and Barbara, who you can read about, have been volunteering for nearly 60 years. The staff team also makes it possible for us to do this work. I am pleased that as we note in this edition the long service and dedication of a number of staff, we’re also celebrating the arrival of fresh faces to Blythswood.

Thank you for letting us be the people in the middle. Our partners compliment us and tell us we’re doing a great job. It’s you who does a great job by supporting us so that we can help those doing a great job, by showing love to people in need in their communities.

It’s an honour to serve donors, volunteers, staff and partners. Thank you for your participation in this work. We pray that in all we do, we are used by God to change lives for good and forever.

Jeremy Ross
Chief Executive