WHAT ARE GRATITUDE DINNERS?

Gratitude Dinners provide a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the positive contributions and the good we witness with our public sector services, charities, and community organisations making a difference locally.

 

Since our formation, we have hosted two dinners in Islington, London. Our first Islington Gratitude Dinner was prepared to acknowledge contributions, lift the morale and strengthen the relationship between the Islington Community and represented public and voluntary sectors, and promote the culture of Gratitude locally.

 

At the 2020 Islington Gratitude Dinner, at least 30 different organisations were represented, and we had 113 people present, including the Mayor of Islington and members of the Islington Youth Council.

 

Please watch and enjoy the videos below, filmed at our most recent dinner. You can also view the photographs on our gallery page.

LETTERS OF GRATITUDE

The Manna Society Homeless Charity

The poem is on the wall in The Manna office and is noticed by many people.

 

We were so pleased to be recognised in this way because our work is often thankless.

 

Our project working with homeless and marginalised people is not glamorous and we do not generally seek publicity because many of our clients prefer to be anonymous. So, it was heartening that Gratitude has noticed us and shown appreciation.

 

We feel encouraged and even more determined to fulfil our mission of justice and support for those on the edge of society.

 

Having so many other organisations at the event too reminded us how strong the voluntary sector is in Islington and how much potential there is to work with the churches and statutory services.

 

It is good that Gratitude brings people together, not for “networking” – there can be too much of that – but for appreciation.

 

Best wishes,

Anne Cartwright, 
The Manna

Girma Bishaw wrote this poem and community leaders and dignitaries presented it, framed, to the represented organisations.

London Ambulance

I would like to thank you personally and all your colleagues from myself and the London Ambulance Service for the lovely certificate that you have awarded us. Your award was greatly appreciated by the staff at Islington station and has been shared by us for all the staff within the service.

 

It is not often that we are recognised for the work we do, and your award meant so much to each and every one of us as it shows us that the public is grateful and does care for the role we play within the community.

 

The staff who attended the ceremony would like to thank you all personally for a lovely evening and the respect and courtesy that they were all shown, and all had a very enjoyable evening.

 

Thank you once again for remembering us and your Thank you was distributed to each and every staff member who works for the London ambulance service.

 

We are honoured to serve the community and especially the community of Islington.

Kind regards and deepest thanks
Gary Barrett | Group Station Manager
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust