Saturation Trust

Supporting the Victims of Cumbria's Floods

In the early hours of a cold, windy and rainy morning at the end of November 2009, a team of 21 people set off for Cumbria. Massive floods had hit the area and people were left stranded without electricity and so on. In two days, £7,000 was raised for the trip with the help of churches and businesses in Maidstone as well as personal donations.

On arriving, the situation could only be described as something from a Hollywood movie. There was debris strewn in houses, roads and High Streets, bridges had collapsed under the weight of the water, iron railings had bent in half due to the pressure of the flood water and the drainage system was a mess. The worst we could have seen were elderly people who were in a daze or still in shock – many of them didn’t have insurance for their homes.

We got stuck in immediately, beginning our efforts in Keswick. Initially people were sceptical about us helping. Many thought they needed to pay for the work we were doing and when we told them it was for free and that we had travelled there from Maidstone, they were in shock. Soon one contact led to another of people we could help.

Over the four days we were in Cumbria, we cleared out houses for people without insurance, cleaned and repacked salvageable furniture and electric goods, wiped down walls and floors, cleared gardens and roads of debris, re-erected fences and cleared fallen trees, cleared rotten food and meat from a shop, worked in soup kitchens and supplied food and finances to those who were in need.

The whole exercise was best described by one elderly couple who said: “My faith in humanity has been restored.”
It was just incredible to be a part of the team and work in such unity together. It was tough, physical work but we all just threw everything we had at it. We ranged from 60 years old to 18 and it was a joy to see the youngest and oldest help one another and respond so readily to tasks put before them.

It couldn’t have been done without a lot of support – especially from Blaithwaite Christian Centre who put us up for the whole four days.

Article by: Erwin Lindenberg
Saturation Trust Volunteer

Running for Life Raises £693.57

On Sunday 5th April 2009 a team of enthusiastic runners (including 1 of the Trust’s staff members – Lisa Brook) took part in the ‘Brooks 20th Paddock Wood Half Marathon’ to raise funds for our Humanitarian Aid fund. 

International Aid Fund

The Saturation Trust have raised funds for Tanzanian NGO Tumaini na Upendo.  The money will go towards the building of a hospice for the terminally ill in the Mwanza area.

Educate Today, Change Tomorrow

The Trust offers you the opportunity to sponsor a child in either a primary or secondary school to receive an opportunity of a much needed education. The Trust aims to assist local charities to deliver an appropriate education that will benefit not only the individual, but also their community. 

The Gift of Dignity

Saturation Trust has partnered with a Registered Charity in Tanzania, Tumaini na Upendo.  The Trust offers you the opportunity to give the gift of dignity by allowing an underprivileged person to be cared for in their last stage of life and to die in dignity.