When members in the Norwich area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bade farewell to Nick and Kay Manning of the Kings Lynn congregation little did they know that they would soon be drawn into providing help and support to many in a most significant way. Elder and Sister Manning were called to serve a full-time mission in the Greece Athens mission of the Church and had not been in Athens long when they became aware of a serious issue in one of the local mental hospitals. Many of the patients were sadly lacking many of the necessities of life, including clean and suitable clothing and underwear. Furthermore, as the recession was taking its toll in Greece, hospitals had funding cut and were finding it hard to pay employees as well as providing food and basic necessities to patients.
- Women from the Dereham congregation with donated items for Greece
- Women from the Lowestoft congregation, Norwich, with the donated items for Greek hospitals
- Women from the Norwich congregations with donated items for Greece
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In February 2014 the Mannings commented on the desperate situation in Athens in an e mail conversation with a member of the Norwich congregation. The news spread quickly and within a few days an area wide appeal was launched by the women’s organisation, Relief Society, to supply underwear and pyjamas for many of the older patients.
Setting aside their own worries and financial difficulties, families in the area rallied to the call and large amounts of clothing were collected. Due to the sensitive political situation in the country, specific arrangements had to be made for the shipping and delivering of these items. The donations were finally delivered and gratefully received in March 2014.
The following message was sent by the hospital director, Dr Kimon Probonas, to thank the Norwich members for the donations.
"On behalf of everyone here at Palladio hospital of mental illnesses, I would like to express our deepest gratitude for your initiative to help patients in need. Unfortunately there are a lot of patients abandoned by their families and our effort to help them has limitations .Thank God there are TRUE humanitarian missionaries who are willing to assist and help us in our struggle to make the lives of these patients as pleasant as possible. We are truly grateful for your contribution and I wish that your shining example is followed by as many people as possible so that our work becomes easier and our world a better place!”
With our sincere gratitude on behalf of all the managing staff, Dr med Kimon Probonas"