ST MARTINS-IN-THE-FIELD...WHAT FIELD?

It was a pleasant chat with the representative from St Martins-In-The Field; the best bit of all was when he said he had no time for certain other charities that mobbed and bothered for donations and persisted in various ways to obtain more donations from their givers thereafter. He felt that his donations would be being misused, diverted away from their primary purpose.

I know about the Vicar's Fund that St Martins is involved in all year round, a fund that can give emergency help quickly, what I did not know was that the fund is nationwide and does not stop and the Welsh, Irish, or, Scottish Borders.

The all-year work with vulnerable people and the destitute, has a great record of giving purpose and meaning to many peoples' lives. St Martins is not just for Christmas, though as the coldest time of the year approaches and many hostels have reduced capacity, the support of St Martins is in ever greater demand.

The BBC are about to begin their annual appeal for the nationwide network of help that St Martins quietly provides. I hope they do well.

I got to thinking about "The Field". An old picture does show the old church of St Martins surrounded by some greenery. Now it is not even a faded memory. There is no sign of it. The Church is overlooked, overshadowed even, by the Portrait Gallery and The National Gallery at the bottom of The Charing Cross Road and the busy daily life of Trafalgar Square.


(Courtesy of Wikipedia).