Supporting the Local community in this time of great need!
What is Operation Oasis?
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Operation Oasis is a project that gives help to those in the Local communities who find themselves in need of support during this terrible time of Covid. The Project has been set up by Steve, the Oasis and a small team of dedicated Volunteers to help combat the effects that Covid is having on people in the community and to provide aid to those who find themselves in need. In the last 12 months we have been able to give over 15,000 gifts hampers and packages etc.
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Where does the funding come from?
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At the beginning of the covid pandemic Steve had a choice to make. Shut down the Oasis Centre or use it as a base of operations to help with the pandemic. He chose to stay open and started to apply for grant funding from wherever he could to deliver his vision. The project has been driven by 7 main funders, The Oasis Community Church, Nottinghamshire County Council, the National Emergency Trust, Asda, the Coalfields regeneration trust, the Company Shop and the National Lottery Community Fund.
We would like to use this as another opportunity to thank these providers for their financial support and to Steve for working tirelessly to grant fund these projects.
Operation Oasis - Food for Life
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Food for life has been giving out large Food hampers. The Hampers are full of both things to cook along with some sweet treats. These hampers have been a real life line for many and have helped to put a smile on their faces.
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Sadly this time of Covid has hit many people in the local community and surrounding areas very hard this last year.
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The Food For Life Project has been active since the first UK Lockdown and has to date given over 6000 of its Food Hampers out.
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Each hamper is worth around £25 and has been bought, made up and delivered by a very faithful team of hard working volunteers. These wonderful people have worked tirelessly throughout the last year and have made a huge difference. Without their hard work none of this would have been possible.
Who benefits from Operation Oasis?
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At the very start of this project it was decided that anyone could benefit from Operation Oasis. No one has been Labeled or Stereotyped and anyone who has had a need that has been referred to us we have tried to help. We felt it was important not to judge a person and have simply aimed to help anyone and everyone who feels they are in need. After all everyone has their own set of challenges in life and anyone can find themselves in financial need even if they seem to be well off.
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How often does someone receive our support?
Our support is limited due to our finances and as such we cannot provide a sustained living for people from our project. Operation Oasis was set up to provide some basic support for those in great need and to put a smile on peoples faces in this time of uncertainty. The Project has given to as many people as it possibly could. Some people have had smaller amounts of support and others have had more. This is very much based on the persons situation and what we are able to provide at that moment in time.
Operation Oasis - Essentials For Life
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Another part of our project is to provide Toiletries to those who are in need. This can be anything from toilet paper to toothpaste and has helped many people who may have otherwise had to forgo such essentials or been unable to acquire them.
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We have given out over 4000 Essentials gift baskets throughout this time period along with a lot of other much needed essentials.
Without some of these key products life can become quite difficult so we are really pleased that we have been able to support those who needed it most and provide them with the things they need.
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Steve and the team have had requests and phone calls from a few people who didn't even have any toilet paper and couldn't get hold of any. We were able to support them due to buying bulk amounts from wholesalers to give away. It now seems like a long time ago but near the start of Covid Toilet paper was in hugely short supply in the main shops for a time.
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Throughout this project we have come across many people. Some who have been in desperate need and others who just couldn't acquire certain products at certain times for various other reasons.
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Can I put someone forward who I feel is in need?
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Yes of Course! Currently the project is slowing down but if you know of anyone who has a genuine need don't hesitate to get in contact Steve or visit us at the Oasis Centre. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to give someone everything they need but we can and will try to help where possible. Please remember Operation Oasis is not able to provide permanent food, toiletries etc. We support where we can with the Finance available to us at the time.
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Has Operation Oasis made a difference?
We can say with all certainty that Operation Oasis has helped to provide for people, Give people hope for the future and put a smile on many peoples faces. It has been and is a great honour to serve the community and has enabled many people to survive what has been a very tough time.
Operation Oasis - Gifts For Life
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Yet another part of our Covid relief work is 'Gifts For Life'. This was less about giving to peoples physical needs and more about making someone feel good and putting a smile on their face.
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Many people had no option but to lockdown during this time but there are some who have had the opposite dilemma. Those working as Key Workers were suddenly expected to do even more in some cases. Especially those involved in the Hospitals, Hospices and Community care sectors.
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Steve felt from the start that some of the grant funding should be allocated to give to those who are selflessly giving to others. To give them the recognition they deserve and reward them for their good works.
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Many wonderful people have been nominated by others and we have given a beautiful gift hamper to each one in turn. These hampers have been loaded full of lovely chocolates, sweets and other treats to help make the recipient feel as though they are not being forgotten about and are cherished and valued by those around them.
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We have also given gifts to people who were put forward to us for needing cheering up and encouraging. People who have no one else to care for them and give them a treat.
Our Volunteers
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This project has been, and still is a lot of hard work for those volunteers involved. Our team has worked none stop through this last year to continually buy all the products and items needed, load and unload them into cars, lay them out ready for packaging, make and pack each box and gift basket accordingly, communicate with people over the phone to find out where the needs are and finally to distribute them across much of the Bassetlaw area.
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We here at the Oasis Centre are hugely proud of our loyal and dedicated group of people who have given of themselves to make this part of our world a better place for those living in it.
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They are helping us to be 'a heart in the community, in the heart of the community' and for that we will be forever grateful.
Is there a way I can get involved?
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Yes! We are always looking for more helpful and hard working individuals to add to our small team of volunteers. If you live locally, would like to give back to the community and be part of a lovely team of volunteers please don't hesitate to call, text or email Steve on the Contact details listed at the bottom of this page.
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I would like to help but don't have a lot of time I can give. Is there any other way I can help?
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Yes there is. you can support us in any of the following ways.
- You can join our Oasis Community Centre Facebook page and help us build our online presence.
- You can help with one off delivery events or projects.
- You can use Amazon Smile and select our centre (every purchase you make generates a small donation from Amazon to the Oasis) This Doesn't cost you anything more as the funds come from Amazons Charitable arm.
- If you are financially able you can donate a gift to us via PayPal to help us continue our good works (This can be done by clicking the donate button at the bottom of the page and can be as small or large amount of money as you are able.)
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We value and appreciate all help given. No gift of money or time is too small and it all goes towards a larger goal.
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