Easter break
Our teams will be taking their usual break over the Easter weekend, the Horley packing team will not be meeting on Good Friday and the Billingshurst warehouse will be closed on the Easter Saturday; normal hours of operation will resume the following week.
ALERT! … ParcelForce Contract
Since the earliest days of RoAF’s activities we have enjoyed the benefits of support from the Royal Mail and ParcelForce. They have provided us with transport, storage facilities and staff time. All these were great benefits that helped to establish RoAF and have contributed to the growth of both RoAF and AN in Romania. Included in these benefits was a contract whereby certain donors could send us aid items free-of-charge through the ParcelForce network.
This contract has now expired and can no longer be used. ParcelForce (and other couriers) can still deliver to us but it will be on a charge basis as part of their normal business.
We will endeavour to put new arrangements in place for the receipt of aid items on a commercial basis. In the meantime, be aware that this termination of contract takes place with immediate effect. Please do not attempt to send items via the existing ParcelForce details.
ALERT! … New Aid Guidelines
Our latest load was refused acceptance in Romania due to previously unannounced changes in the procedures for importing goods from outside of the EU. These regulations were introduced after our July load had been prepared.
The load has now been accepted subject to certain limitations. We are working towards understanding the new regulations but, with immediate effect, we are unable to accept any more goods for packing and onward transport until we have reached a full understanding and agreement with the relevant authorities. This decision takes effect straight-away, and we apologise for the disruption that you may experience.
New guidelines are available here.
Packing for Romania
~ The packing team in Horley normally meets from 1:30 to 3:30 on Friday afternoons at Horley Baptist Church building which is on Court Lodge Road, RH6 8RG, opposite the shopping parade. The team does not meet on Good Friday or on the Fridays during the Christmas and New Year seasons and usually takes a break throughout August, resuming activities on the first Saturday of September.
~ The Billingshurst warehouse is open between 09:30 and 12:30 each Saturday – deliveries at other times are strictly by appointment only. The warehouse is not normally open on Saturdays during August or over the Christmas and New Year period.
~ The clothes collection boxes at St Francis’s Church in Horley and at our warehouse in Billingshurst are open 24-7 as usual. However, collections from these boxes will be subject to local restrictions; please do not leave items outside these boxes.
~ The south Wales teams’ normal activities continue, in so far as current restrictions allow.
Please remember to check our acceptable items list before donating items for Romania. Note that there are special requirements for the packing of certain items. For up-to-date information please contact your local co-ordinators.
Please do not send prescription medicines. These drugs are potentially dangerous if misused. AN does not have the expertise or the legal authority to distribute them safely and local pharmacies cannot accept them. Disposal becomes a serious problem and they are a waste of precious load space. Non-prescription medicines, vitamins, energy drinks and unused items such as bandages or syringes are no longeracceptable.
Lorry Programme
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The most recent departures were
– late October from Billingshurst
– early December from Billingshurst
The next departures are being planned for:
– from Lampeter and Swansea – not determined
– from Billingshurst – not determined
The lorry departure programme is subject to alteration at short notice.. Planned departure dates are subject to any travel restrictions that may be applied in the countries through which the trucks must travel.
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