CHRISTIAN AID NEWS

CHRISTIAN 

AID NEWS 

Issue 57 Autumn 2012 christianaid.org.uk 

INDIA’S POOR 

MARCH FOR 

JUSTICE 

And you can still join our 

UK solidarity walks 

• West Africa appeal stepped up 

as food crisis grows 

• Partnership for Change: 

together we can beat poverty

Join Team Poverty in 2013 

and help poor communities 

around the world to improve 

their lives. 

Brighton Marathon 14 April 

Virgin London Marathon 21 April 

Edinburgh Marathon 26 May 

Christian Aid/Adrian Arbib 

Join us 

today! 

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Call 020 7523 2248 or email 

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CHRISTIAN AID 

PARTNeRSHIP 

SCHeMe 

How to give three 

times more 

To get value for money with your giving, 

Christian Aid’s Partnership Scheme ticks all 

the boxes: 

✔ all donations are multiplied at least three 

times by matching grants from the European 

Commission 

✔ all donations support a specific project in the 

developing world 

✔ all donors receive regular updates about their 

chosen project. 

We are currently looking to fund projects in 

Brazil and the Middle East (pictured). 

To find out more, contact your local Christian Aid 

office, email partnerships@christian-aid.org or 

visit christianaid.org.uk/partnerships 

13-360-J634

CONTENTS 

Contact us: 020 7620 4444 

info@christian-aid.org 

Rescuers aid flood 

victims in Manila 

F2103 

EDITOR’S 

LETTER 

POVERTY WILL not be 

beaten by one group or 

individual acting alone. OK, 

that may be a statement of 

the blindingly obvious, but 

it’s a theme that underlines 

Christian Aid’s vision for 

achieving an end to poverty 

– our Partnership for 

Change – a way of working 

with others to bring about 

the fundamental shifts that 

can and will make a 

difference. Our director, 

Loretta Minghella, outlines 

how this works and 

explains how all of us have 

a part to play in making 

this change happen. 

Our cover story is a 

reminder of how this plays 

out on the ground: Sarah 

Filbey reports on the 

100,000 people who will be 

embarking on the March 

for Justice in India next 

month – a massive protest 

walk over land rights that, if 

successful, could help 

India’s poorest to lift 

themselves out of poverty. 

Here in the UK, you can 

show your support by 

taking part in one of several 

solidarity marches being 

staged around Britain. 

Finally, if you haven’t 

already been visited by our 

Tax Justice Bus, watch out 

for the red double-decker 

as it continues to tour 

Britain and Ireland over the 

next few weeks. 

Roger Fulton, Editor 

Christian Aid News 

is printed on 100 per 

cent recycled paper 

6 

REGULARS 

■ 4 THE BIG PICTURE 

One big bus. 

■ 6 NEWS 

Floods hit the Philippines 

and India; the fight to end 

manual scavenging; get set 

for One World Week. 

■ 12 CAMPAIGNS 

The Tax Justice Bus, and 

why the scandal of hunger 

will loom large in 2013. 

■ 22 LIFE AND SOUL 

A corporate partnership 

that helps the poor; and it’s 

time to turn to Will Aid and 

Present Aid. 

■ 24 YOUR 


Events and stories from 

your part of Britain. 

■ 26 INPUT 

Your feedback. 

12 

28 

10 

■ 27 COMMENT 

How Christian Aid works to 

get value for your money. 

■ 28 EVENTS 

Walk, run, cycle… bungee! 

We’re aiming even 

higher when it comes to 

fundraising. 

■ 30 LAST WORD 

Trustee Charlotte Seymour 

Smith sees how our 

partners work in Ethiopia. 

SPECIAL 

FEATURES 

■ 10 NEWS FOCUS 

As the crisis in west Africa 

deepens, Andrew Hogg 

sees the impact of the 

conflict in Mali. 

■ 16 FRONTLINE 

India’s March for Justice 

resists pressure to cancel; 

how our Partnership for 

Change will fight poverty. 

UK registered charity number 1105851 Company number 5171525 Scotland charity number SC039150 Northern Ireland charity number XR94639 

Company number NI059154 Republic of Ireland charity number CHY 6998 Company number 426928. The Christian Aid name and logo are 

trademarks of Christian Aid; Poverty Over is a trademark of Christian Aid. © Christian Aid September 2012. The acceptance of external 

advertising does not indicate endorsement. If you wish to receive this magazine digitally, go to christianaid.org.uk/aboutus/who/ca-news/ 

Christian Aid/Matthew Gonzalez-Noda 

Christian Aid 

is a Christian 

organisation that 

insists the world 

can and must be 

swiftly changed 

to one where 

everyone can live 

a full life, free 

from poverty. We 

work globally for 

profound change 

that eradicates 

the causes of 

poverty, striving 

to achieve 

equality, dignity 

and freedom for 

all, regardless of 

faith or nationality. 

We are part of a 

wider movement 

for social justice. 

We provide 

urgent, practical 

and effective 

assistance where 

need is great, 

tackling the effects 

of poverty as well 

as its root causes. 

■ Front cover Every little helps: offering support to India’s marchers for justice over land rights. Christian Aid/Simon Williams ■ Pictures Joseph Cabon ■ Sub-editors Caroline 

Atkinson, Tomilola Ajayi, Catriona Lorie ■ Circulation Ben Hayward ■ Design and production Becca Macdonald/Syon Publishing, 020 8332 8407 ■ Christian Aid head office 35 Lower 

Marsh, London SE1 7RL ■ Tel 020 7620 4444 ■ Fax 020 7620 0719 ■ Email info@christian-aid.org ■ Online at christianaid.org.uk

THE BIG PICTURE 

NEXT STOP: 

TAX JUSTICE! 

Christian Aid 

4 Christian Aid News

AS CAMPAIGNERS ASSEMBLED at the Greenbelt Festival in 

Cheltenham, last month, to launch our Tax Justice Bus tour 

of Britain and Ireland, a new Christian Aid poll revealed that 

more than half of British adults believe tax avoidance by 

multinationals is morally wrong. 

The poll reveals that 56 per cent believe that such tax 

avoidance, while a technically legal way of reducing the tax 

bill, is morally wrong, and half of people think it should be 

made illegal. Only four per cent of those polled thought tax 

avoidance by multinationals was ‘morally justifiable’ or ‘fair’. 

Three quarters (74 per cent) of the 2,026 people questioned 

in the survey by ComRes feel that Prime Minister David 

Cameron should be demanding international action to tackle 

tax evasion and avoidance, yet just two in five (38 per cent) 

believe the government is genuine in its desire to combat tax 

avoidance. There was also a clear view that companies should 

be more transparent as 81 per cent of those polled believed 

multinationals’ accounts should be more transparent and 

publicly available. Some 79 per cent of people polled said it 

was too easy for multinationals to avoid paying tax. 

More than half (55 per cent) also believe that the British 

government should make helping developing countries 

combat tax avoidance a greater priority than it is at present. 

We are calling for people to ‘Tick for Tax Justice’ by signing 

a petition that calls on Mr Cameron to push for measures 

that would require: 

• multinationals to report on the profits they make and 

taxes they pay in every country in which they operate 

• tax havens to share, automatically, information about the 

money flowing through them with other countries. 

You can follow the Tax Justice Bus tour – staged in 

partnership with Church Action on Poverty – on Twitter 

@taxbus2012 and to take the ‘Tick for Tax Justice’ campaign 

action visit christianaid.org.uk/tax-bus 

• See also Campaigns, page 12, and regional pages, 24-25 

Christian Aid News 5

NEWS 

THE PHILIPPINES 

Partners’ work saves 

thousands from 

monsoon floods 


Christian aid’s disaster risk 

reduction work with poor and vulnerable 

communities helped to save thousands 

of lives following a series of tropical 

storms, which devastated the Philippines’ 

capital Manila this monsoon season. 

the worst flooding to hit Manila 

since typhoon Ketsana in 2009, it killed 

105, affected millions and forced tens 

of thousands of informal settlers, who 

reside in precarious and flood-prone 

shanty towns along riverbanks, to flock 

to evacuation centres. 

since Ketsana, more urban poor 

communities have been empowered 

through the work of Christian aid 

partners, preparing them for disasters, 

developing evacuation and rescue plans, 

and consequently saving many lives. 

Residents cope with 

floods in Manila 

experience from previous emergencies 

has shown that investments in building 

resilience, reducing disaster risk and 

strengthening local capacity to respond 

saves lives and speeds recovery. 

emma Wigley, media and digital 

outreach officer, who visited affected 

communities in Manila said: ‘i met 

Belen de Guzman, a river monitor 

trained by Christian aid partner Centre 

for disaster Preparedness. she had 

been nervously monitoring the water 

levels for several days, alerting her 

community to move to higher ground 

when the river became too dangerous. 

‘i felt proud that our partners have 

provided invaluable training, helping 

people to take control in this hazardous 

environment. With this knowledge and 

guidance, they are a stronger, more 

resilient community.’ 

Christian aid supported partners Urban 

Poor associates, socio-Pastoral institute, 

alyansa tigil Mina and samdhanaby, 

by providing food packages for flood 

affected communities, as well as 

supporting local and national agencies to 

respond to the disaster. 

Our partners continue to work 

throughout the country, supporting 

the most vulnerable, and focusing on 

rebuilding people’s lives and livelihoods, 

especially following typhoon Washi, 

which devastated northern Mindanoa. 

With the support of Christian aid, 

and donations from the typhoon Washi 

appeal that so far exceed £300,000, our 

partners are making a real difference by 

preparing communities to avert future 

disasters in the long term. MUCaard 

and Unlad Kabayan worked in and 

around the worst affected cities of 

Cagayan de Oro and iligan, and reached 

more than 10,000 survivors with food 

and other items such as blankets, school 

materials and emergency cash relief. 

eric Gutierrez, Christian aid policy 

advisor said: ‘the results of past disaster 

risk reduction work were very apparent 

in the recent Manila floods. there were 

plenty of rescue teams, showing that the 

country was better prepared this time. 

‘there were also evacuation centres, 

which means they anticipated the 

problems and made sure dry and safe 

places were ready and stocked up with 

clean water and basic food, unlike before.’ 

Christian aid has mobilised £105,000, 

of which £30,000 has been given by 

the Jersey Overseas aid Commission, 

to attend to the life-saving needs of 

more than 30,000 people in vulnerable 

communities, and is now providing food 

supplies, including rice, canned goods 

and cooking oil; non-food items including 

blankets and flashlights; and plans to 

provide materials for housing repairs. 


india 

...and IndIa floods 

hIt 1.2 mIllIon 

The norTh-easTern sTaTe of assam 

in India is currently experiencing the 

worst floods in the area for more 

than three decades. about 1.2 million 

people have been affected, 1,543 

villages flooded, with 127 people killed 

and hundreds of thousands forced to 

abandon their homes. 

The floods have been caused by 

exceptionally heavy monsoon rains that 

started in June. Flood survivors have 

been struggling to get access to food, 

water and shelter. People have to walk 

or travel in boats to access safe drinking 

water as more than 90 per cent of 

hand pumps have been submerged. 

other challenges include an increased 

Pendembu’s 

Pioneering 

women 

Politicians 

enCiss/irwin 

Theresa 

Garber 

sierra leone 

on 17 

noVember, 

citizens across 

sierra Leone 

will head to the 

polling station to 

cast their votes 

in the national 

and local council 

elections, in which, for the first time, 

women are standing as candidates to 

become local councillors. 

This change has been encouraged 

by grass roots organisation the 

bambara rural Women’s Development 

organisation, with support from the 

enCIss programme (enhancing the 

Interaction and Interface between Civil 

society and the state). The Christian 

aid-managed programme is supporting 

nearly 200 organisations across sierra 

Leone and is funded by UKaid and the 

european Union. Training events held 

in the community are helping to spread 

risk of water-borne diseases, such as 

diarrhoea. The relief operation has been 

complicated by widespread communal 

violence in assam which has displaced 

400,000 people. 

In the two worst-hit flood areas 

Dhemaji and Lakhimpur, Christian aid 

has responded by releasing £50,000 

for our partner rural Volunteers Centre 

(rVC) to use to address the immediate 

water, sanitation and hygiene needs of 

131 flood-affected communities there. 

rVC is distributing hygiene and watertesting 

kits, repairing and constructing 

community latrines and installing hand 

pumps. This work should help about 

8,000 households (48,000 people). 

the message of gender equality and 

encourage women’s participation in 

decisions that affect their families and 

communities. 

esther moinina, hawa moriba and 

Theresa Garber, who are standing 

for election in the community of 

Pendembu, cite healthcare issues – 

including the high incidence of teen 

pregnancy – as areas in which they feel, 

as women, they can play an especially 

important role. ‘The men councillors 

don’t take teen pregnancy seriously,’ 

says hawa. ‘It needs a woman 

councillor to tackle it.’ early pregnancy, 

she adds, has a negative impact on a 

girl, limiting her chances of completing 

her education. 

Theresa trained as psycho-social 

counsellor after the civil war and 

has worked with victims of trauma, 

domestic violence and torture. ‘The fear 

of violence continues even after the 

war,’ she explains. 

as a member of the free healthmonitoring 

team, esther is aware of 

the shortages of medicine and the 

challenge people face in getting access 

to prescription medicine. ‘If I am a 

councillor, I will advocate for more 

healthcare and medicine for women,’ 

she says. 

Partners combat 

effects of deadly 

kidney ePidemic 

IsmaeL CrUz ramos was told he 

had just three months to live when 

doctors discovered that he was in the 

final stages of Chronic Kidney Disease 

(CKD). ‘I was devastated. I lost my 

appetite and was ready to kill myself.’ 

aged just 36, Ismael had fallen 

victim to a mysterious epidemic 

sweeping Central america. CKD is 

now the second biggest cause of 

death among men in el salvador and 

kills more men in nicaragua than 

diabetes and aIDs combined. 

The precise cause of this outbreak 

has eluded health officials, whose 

resources are too limited to carry out 

comprehensive studies. anecdotal 

evidence, however, strongly suggests 

that chemicals used to fumigate and 

fertilise sugar cane may account for 

the high incidence in relatively young 

men. In more developed countries, 

the disease more often strikes older 

men who also suffer from diabetes 

and high blood pressure. 

Ismael had worked in the cane fields 

of bajo Lempa, el salvador, for more 

than a decade when he discovered 

he had CKD. With the help of health 

facilities provided by local Christian 

aid partners acudesbal and Procares, 

he has now been able to receive 

specialist treatment. now aged 40, 

with proper medication and a special 

diet, Ismael is expected to survive 

with the condition for many years. 

Volunteers: 

a key inVestment 

ChrIsTIan aID has recently been 

successful in renewing its Investing 

in Volunteers accreditation. Lasting 

for three years, this recognises good 

practice in volunteer management. 

marie raffay, volunteering 

manager at Christian aid said: ‘We 

are delighted to have achieved the 

reaccreditation. Volunteers are key 

partners in our work.’ 

• To see Christian Aid volunteers 

talking about their roles, or to search 

for an opportunity near you, go to 

christianaid.org.uk/volunteer 


NEWS 

WalES 

a journey 

Size matterS! 

of peace 

and healing 

Jeff Williams 

Christian aid in Wales is to receive 

financial support from the environmental 

charity, size of Wales, for a project to 

help Brazil’s indigenous Guarani people 

in their fight to secure land rights and 

conserve their forest territories. 

size of Wales wants to protect 2 million 

hectares of rainforest (equivalent to an 

area the size of Wales) by co-funding 

projects submitted by charities. it 

works with communities, businesses, 

organisations and schools in Wales and 

hopes to forge lasting links with some of 

the world’s poorest people. 

the Christian aid project will directly 

protect 21,654 hectares of the Mata 

atlantica rainforest, on the coast of 

Brazil. home to the Guarani, the forest is 

increasingly under threat from climate 

change, deforestation, urban growth and 

unsustainable exploitation. the aim is to 

raise £50,000 during the year, which will 

be doubled by size of Wales. 

Comissao Pro-indio (CPi), a Christian 

aid local-partner organisation in 

The future in Brazil 

looks better for this 

young Guarani boy 

the region, works with the Guarani, 

providing legal support in land 

ownership disputes and whenever their 

traditional way of life is threatened. 

Jeff Williams, head of Christian aid 

in Wales, who visited the project area, 

said: ‘size of Wales support will enable 

our partner, CPi, to strengthen its work 

in protecting the rights of the Guarani 

and the future of the forest, making a 

vital difference to a unique people and 

environment.’ 

the project has already got off to 

a flying start with £2,170 from the 

Challenge Climate Change run done by 

Christian aid interns, Moses tutesigensi 

and Catherine Garsed, back in March. it 

will also benefit from a clearance sale at 

a Monmouth art gallery, and later this 

year from a celebrity auction to be held 

in Cardiff. 

• For more details, please contact 

Christian Aid on 029 2084 4646 or visit 

sizeofwales.org.uk 

at ChristMas this year, join us 

on the journey of 12-year-old Waleed 

Badir, who has found a new sense 

of healing and hope against the 

backdrop of unrest in the occupied 

Palestinian territory. 

Waleed was born severely deaf. 

Unable to access the medical care 

he needed in the West Bank, he grew 

up isolated and afraid. But last year, 

volunteer doctors working with our 

partner Physicians for human rights 

israel gave Waleed a hearing aid – and 

his world was transformed. 

his mother said: ‘Our children have 

only ever met israelis at gunpoint. 

i told Waleed, “these israelis are 

doctors and they consider it their duty 

to help people.”’ 

• Share the hope of Christmas with 

children living with conflict. Order and 

download your Christmas resources 

today, at christianaid.org.uk/christmas 

• You can also order and download 

resources to hold your own Big 

Christmas Sing celebration. See 

christianaid.org.uk/bigsing 

christian aid/Tabitha Ross 

Waleed inserts his 

hearing aid 

colombia 

FeArS Over new lAnd rightS lAw 

Christian aid Partner aBColombia 

has raised concerns about a recentlypassed 

law that allows for the return 

of territory to communities forcibly 

removed from their land to make way 

for business interests. 

Colombia has the highest number 

of internally displaced people in the 

world – millions have been forced 

from their lands in areas rich with 

natural resources. the Victims and 

land restitution law (law1448) is a 

positive step, in so far as it recognises 

the land rights of minority groups 

and admits the existence of an armed 

conflict in Colombia (previously denied 

by the state). 

however, aBColombia has 

reservations about how the law 

is to be implemented. in a report 

in June it notes that corruption, 


IndIa 

Star power booStS 

hope of ending 

manual Scavenging 

Christian aid partnEr safai 

Karmachari andolan (sKa) has made 

an appearance on one of india’s 

most popular tV shows – Satyamev 

Jayete (the truth prevails), hosted by 

Bollywood superstar aamir Khan – to 

challenge continued discrimination 

against dalits. 

sKa’s Bejawada Wilson spoke about 

their 10-year campaign to end manual 

scavenging – the name given to the 

practice in which thousands of women 

across india, mostly dalits, still earn a 

living by clearing human waste from 

latrines. Using only their bare hands, 

a brush and a piece of cardboard, it 

is dangerous and humiliating work. 

despite being outlawed since 1993, the 

dehumanising practice continues. 

Early in 2011, sKa – a community 

organisation led by manual scavengers 

– finally extracted a pledge from the 

indian government to end the practice 

once and for all. the pledge was even 

backed with hard cash: the 2011-2012 

budget to help manual scavengers find 

Christian aid/Johanna Rogers 

loopholes and security risks threaten 

the process of land restitution, while 

forced displacement also continues. 

aBColombia recommends that the state 

guarantees full security to those having 

their land returned. Communities should 

also be given support to re-establish 

their livelihoods in a dignified way. 

the report urges the European Union 

alternative livelihoods was increased 

from just over £600,000 to £13.3m. 

task forces have been established and 

are collaborating with sKa to identify 

existing manual scavengers, destroy 

all existing dry latrines and review 

the ill-enforced law to make it more 

effective. sKa has helped more than a 

million women to access government 

resources providing rehabilitation and 

alternative employment. 

Wilson’s appearance on Khan’s show 

received an overwhelming response 

from the public in india and worldwide, 

accelerating the agenda for change. 

Khan followed up with a moving 

column in The Hindu, one of india’s 

largest English-language newspapers, 

arguing for an end to ‘untouchability’. 

Christian aid’s india country manager 

anand Kumar says: ‘this kind of 

popular challenge to deeply-engrained 

cultural practices is imperative to 

ensure government investment in 

eradicating manual scavenging is 

effective.’ 

Women ‘liberated’ 

from a life of 

manual scavenging 

and the UK and irish governments to 

support programmes that enable the safe 

and sustainable return of people to their 

lands. international governments should 

also ensure that no aid, trade support or 

subsidies are given to projects located on 

forcibly expropriated land. 

• Visit abcolombia.org.uk to read the 

report. 

Support for one 

world week 

Christian aid is backing the efforts 

of hundreds of organisers around the 

country who are putting the final touches 

to their plans for One World Week 2012 

from 21-28 October. 

With the theme of ‘sharing destiny – 

Moving towards One World’, the week 

asks how we can shape our lives to 

contribute to an equitable future for 

all. this has always been relevant in a 

Christian context. 

Last year’s event included displays 

about climate change, inspiring talks, 

Fairtrade fetes, football matches, vigils, 

acts of worship, discussions, quiz nights, 

films, global meals, international parties 

and inter-faith activities. 

the many helpful resources on the 

One World Week website include posters, 

activities, faith-based resources and 

points for discussion and debate. a 

selection of hymns, prayers, readings, 

sermons, raps, sketches, symbolic 

actions and pledges can all be 

downloaded and customised. designed 

for Christian congregations of all ages, 

these can also be adapted to offer an 

inclusive experience, with the cooperation 

of members of various faiths. 

those who register their local event on 

the website can feel even more a part of 

this sharing. Go to oneworldweek.org 

Such diVine poetry 

CELEBratEd aUthOr and 

screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce 

joined divine and Christian aid to 

judge the 10th annual divine poetry 

Competition held in association with 

Christian aid. For the first time, this 

year’s competition was also open 

to Welsh language speakers, with 

Welsh children’s poet laureate Eurig 

salisbury leading the judging panel. 

Entrants were invited to imagine 

owning their own chocolate shop 

– that really got the creative juices 

flowing! More than 2,000 entries 

came in from budding poets aged 

seven to 70, and from inverness to st 

ives and Llanllyfni to Lowestoft. the 

winners will receive hampers filled 

with divine chocolate and t-shirts, 

book tokens and Christian aid hooded 

tops, mugs and pens. 

• Visit divinechocolate.com/poetry to 

view the winning poems. 


NEWS FOCUS: MALI 

‘MANy pEOpLE 

ArE FACINg rEAL 

StArvAtION hErE’ 

As we step up our west Africa emergency appeal, Christian Aid’s 

head of media Andrew Hogg reports from Mali on how the west 

Africa food crisis is being exacerbated by the insurgency that has 

driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes 

Christian Aid/tom pilston 

Djougal Tapily with the 

bowl of millet which is the 

daily ration for two adults 

AppeArAnces in MAli are deceptive. 

it’s a country in the grip of a food crisis, 

yet fields on either side of the road 

heading north from the capital Bamako 

are lush with newly grown crops of 

maize, millet and okra. Mango trees 

abound, alongside baobabs, valued for 

their fruit pulp which makes a porridge 

high in vitamin c, as well as karite trees 

– called shea in english – which bear nuts 

that provide cooking oil. 

roadside stalls boast bananas, guavas 

and aubergines, while fishermen in 

pirogues – small, flat-bottomed boats – 

can be seen on the broad, dun-coloured 

waters of the river niger, or one of its 

major tributaries, the Bani. 

However, the further one journeys 

towards the front line with the north of 

the country – largely desert and now 

in the hands of islamist rebels and 

Tuareg secessionists – the sparser the 

vegetation, and the hungrier the people. 

lack of rains last year across the sahel, 

that part of west Africa lying just south of 

the sahara, resulted in poor harvests that 

sparked higher prices for staples such as 

millet, which have left 19 million people 

across the region dependent on food 

aid. The situation was already perilous 

when the rains failed; a food crisis in 

2010 had left more than 10 million facing 

shortages. 

in Mali, some 4.6 million people are 

now in need, with the poor harvest just 

part of the problem. The rebellion in the 

north earlier this year, following an army 

coup in the capital, displaced hundreds 

of thousands of people, disrupting food 

supplies and agricultural production. 

Many fled across Mali’s borders with 

Mauritania, niger and Burkina Faso, 

adding to the food crisis those countries 

were already experiencing, while the Un 

estimates that more than 300,000 made 

their way south into government-held 

territory, many descending on relatives 


christian aid/tom pilston 

or friends who already faced shortages 

of their own. 

Aid in Mali provided by Christian Aid 

partners GRAT and APH, which has so far 

reached some 50,000 people, takes the 

form of rice and cereal distribution, cash 

transfers, cash-for-work programmes 

and the provision of seeds for market 

gardening. 

Working through Norwegian Church 

Aid (an ACT Alliance partner), Christian 

Aid has also provided £50,000 for the 

supply of food to people in remote 

villages in the region around the 

northern town of Gao, which is in the 

hands of an Islamist faction. Several 

shipments of food have been sent from 

the south to Gao by pinasse – long 

wooden cargo boats that ply the River 

Niger – where they are taken by lorry to 

distribution points, with donkey carts 

making the last part of the journey. 

Christian Aid country manager Yacouba 

Kone said it is too early to tell whether 

this year’s rains will produce a harvest 

plentiful enough to fill the grain stores. 

‘The fields may look as if they are 

full of food – the rains so far this year 

have been good – but the harvest is 

still months away and meanwhile the 

granaries are bare, and people are 

struggling,’ he said. 

‘A 100kg sack of rice last year cost 

30,000 West African francs. Now 

the price is 50,000. Poverty here is 

entrenched and only a few can afford the 

fruit and vegetables you see for sale. In 

recent years the level of the Niger has 

also fallen, badly hitting fish stocks.’ 

He reels off a grim litany of other 

factors affecting food supplies. These 

Adiarorkoye Habra 

Toure fled with 

her children when 

insurgents came to 

their home 

include the fact that when the rains come 

they are more intense than they used to 

be, leading to flooding that washes away 

valuable soil. 

Agricultural resources are in short 

supply. Many subsistence farmers 

have flocked to towns looking for 

work, leading to a labour shortage in 

the fields, and some of the best farms 

beside the Niger are now in the hands of 

major foreign concerns – including the 

government of China – growing food for 

its own people. 

Locusts are another threat. Conflict 

in the north has disrupted eradication 

programmes, giving new swarms 

a chance to breed unchecked, with 

devastating results. 

In Konna, one of the northernmost 

towns in Mali still in government hands, 

several families a day still cross from 

the rebel area, often with nothing but 

the clothes they wear. Some have been 

forced out by insurgents, others have left 

through fear. Sexual abuse of women 

has reportedly been widespread, while 

men suspected of being in the military 

have been taken away and not seen again. 

GRAT is focusing distribution on the 

most vulnerable, with some 50 tonnes 

of rice and cereal, and 10 tonnes of seed 

going to the internally displaced and to 

families hosting them. 

West Africa emergency appeal 

Adiarorkoye Habra Toure, a mother 

of four from Douentza, 100km beyond 

Konna, was at home with her family 

when the rebels came, demanding the 

key to her brother-in-law’s motorcycle. 

‘When he didn’t hand it over he was 

beaten in front of us. My children were 

terrified,’ she said. 

Leaving her schoolteacher husband 

behind, she and her children fled by 

bus, running the gauntlet of a series of 

rebel checkpoints where the bus and 

belongings of passengers were picked 

through for valuables. 

Mohamdou Coulibaly, a logistician 

with a non-governmental organisation, 

from Gao, said rebels who took the town 

quickly established a strict Islamic code. 

Women had to wear the veil and could 

not be seen out in the company of men. 

They were forbidden from driving cars, 

and watching television was banned. 

In Socoura, several kilometres south of 

Konna, Mayor Zeine Diallo said: ‘Many 

people are facing real starvation here. 

Rice and seed have been distributed to 

the most needy, but another 800 tons are 

needed.’ The area’s 40,000-strong 

population, many of whom already 

required food aid, has been swollen by 

more than 2,000 people from the north. 

One new arrival was farmer Mohamed 

Bereck Bouhair Dicko, who grew rice 

outside Timbuktu. ‘There was no 

authority there. We had to save our lives. 

It’s a tragedy – I was a food producer. I 

just left everything behind,’ he said. 

Away from the highway, in countryside 

outside the town of Bandiagara – not 

long ago a favourite tourist spot – the 

threat of the insurgency is of less 

concern than simply surviving the 

present food shortages. 

In Binour, village elder Djougal Tapily 

survives with his wife and their family of 

six on millet supplied by our partner 

APH. A small bowl of uncooked cereal is 

the daily allowance for two adults. 

‘It keeps us alive but it is not enough. 

We are always hungry, but we have to 

manage what we have. I spend all my 

time worrying about how the family will 

be fed.’ 

Many supporters responded to our west Africa crisis appeal during the spring, 

helping us to raise nearly £457,400. During his trip, Andrew saw the valuable 

work that this help made possible – but he also saw the extent of hunger and 

deprivation growing across the region. Please help us extend the work we are 

doing by visiting christianaid.org.uk/westafrica 


camPaiGNs 

Christian Aid 

Time To caTch The 

Tax JusTice Bus 

All aboard! The Tax Justice Bus tour is on the road, and 

Christian Aid campaigns officer Clare Fussell hops on to tell us 

what’s been happening 

It’s been more than a fortnight since 

our tax Justice bus first opened its red, 

shiny doors to welcome visitors aboard. 

And what a fortnight it’s been! 

since launching at the Christian arts, 

faith and justice festival, Greenbelt, on 

August bank holiday we’ve been thrilled 

to meet many of you as the bus tour 

has wound around the West midlands, 

south Wales and the West Country. 

our partners have been travelling 

with the bus and sharing their stories 

along the way. so far we’ve welcomed 

the rev suzanne matale, general 

secretary of the Council of Churches of 

Zambia, Alvin mosioma, coordinator of 

tax Justice network Africa, and 

Filomeno s. sta. Ana III, coordinator of 

Action for economic reforms in the 

Philippines. their presence with us has 

been truly inspirational. 

So, what’s the tour all about? 

Christian Aid estimates that poor 

countries lose Us$160bn each year 

due to some unscrupulous companies 

dodging the taxes they owe. this is 

more than the annual global aid 

budget. 

For the governments of these 

impoverished nations this lost income 


Christian Aid campaigners with 

Rev Suzanne Matale (centre) 

from Zambia, outside the 

Tax Justice Bus at Greenbelt 

is desperately missed. It’s money that is 

needed to provide essential services 

such as schools and hospitals, or to 

invest in infrastructure such as roads, 

electricity and water for communities 

that have none. 

Receiving the revenue from taxes that 

they are rightfully owed would provide 

governments with a sustainable and 

long-term source of income that would 

reduce poor countries’ dependency on 

international aid. 

Over the past four years, thousands 

of you have called on accountancy 

firms, businesses and politicians alike 

to take steps to tackle tax dodging by 

making the financial system more 

transparent. Thank you! The cam paign 

is making good progress and we want 

to build on the energy for change that 

has already been generated. 

WHY TAX MATTERS 

TO ZAMBIA 

WE’RE REALLY EXCITED that the 

Rev Suzanne Matale, general 

secretary of the Council of Churches 

in Zambia, came to Greenbelt 

Festival this summer to launch our 

Tax Justice Bus! 

Rev Matale has been involved with 

Christian Aid’s tax campaign for 

many years and is joining us in 

taking our tax justice message 

around Britain and Ireland. Here she 

explains why tax is such a vital issue 

in Zambia. 

‘Tax dodging in Zambia is a serious 

problem. It is strongly linked to our 

poverty levels. We have very rich 

minerals in our ground, we know the 

price of copper is at an all-time high 

and we also know the investors who 

have come are not paying the full 

value of tax to go to Zambians. 

‘We believe the G20 countries and 

parliamentarians in the West have a 

duty to ensure the investors from 

their countries are actually giving 

Zambia a fair deal. It is our role as 

the churches, and we are mandated 

by our faith, to bring out the voice of 

the voiceless. Our message from the 

Church in Zambia to the Church in 

the West and to Christian Aid is not 

to relent.’ 

Over 53 days, the tax bus will visit 

every region and nation. From Norwich 

to Chelmsford, Belfast to Bangor, the 

bus will be coming to a town near you! 

We will also be joined on the bus tour 

by our partner Church Action on 

Poverty. It brings a unique perspective 

on how tax dodging by companies in 

Britain affects those living in poverty 

here on our doorsteps. We hope that 

this collaboration will give churches the 

chance to come together and campaign 

on a crucial issue that affects people 

living in poverty both here and around 

the world. 

• We look forward to welcoming you 

aboard and taking you on an inspiring 

journey to help us end global poverty. 

To find out when the bus will be in 

your area, see pages 24-25 or visit 

christianaid.org.uk/tax-bus 

POWER 

TO YOU! 

OUR TRACE THE TAX campaign has 

had a huge impact on how UK-listed 

companies view tax, and has opened 

doors that were previously closed to 

organisations such as Christian Aid. 

When we started the campaign, who 

would have thought companies such 

as Unilever, Vodafone, TUI Travel and 

Intercontinental Hotels Group would 

sit down with Christian Aid to talk 

about how they can help the 

movement for global tax justice? 

But that’s what they have been 

doing, and it’s all thanks to your 

support. It’s taken four years, dozens 

of meetings, hundreds of actions and 

thousands of postcards, but we’ve 

persuaded these four UK top 

companies to engage with us on tax 

justice. While we will now take a break 

from our public campaigning to the 

four companies, the dialogue with 

them and with other companie s 

continues. Tax as a development issue 

is firmly on the agenda, and your 

perseverance has been crucial in 

achieving this. 

The Tax Justice Bus marks the 

launch of the next phase of our tax 

justice campaign. We’re taking the 

tax justice message across Britain and 

Ireland to build a movement that will 

turn the public anger at tax dodging 

into real change for the world’s 

poorest people. 

Christian Aid 

Actions such as this 

protest in London 

raised the profile of 

our tax message 


CAMPAIGNS 

We have the poWer to end 

the scandal of hunger 

This year and next offer 

major opportunities for 

governments to ease the 

plight of almost 1 billion 

people around the world 

who don’t get enough 

food. It’s time for major 

development organisations 

to step up the pressure on 

them to do so, say Christian 

Aid journalists Rachel Baird 

and Andrew Hogg 


A grimly fAmiliAr pattern reappeared 

this summer: poor harvests in major 

grain producing countries such as the 

US, russia and india, followed by food 

price surges and warnings that 

worsening global hunger will not be 

far behind. 

Higher food prices are devastating to 

families living in poverty, because buying 

food already takes up so much of their 

money. Here in the UK, Office for 

National Statistics figures show that less 

than 15 per cent of the average 

household’s spending goes on food and 

non-alcoholic drinks. But according to 

the United Nation’s food and Agriculture 

Organization, poor people in developing 

countries spend 60-80 per cent of their 

incomes on simply getting enough to eat. 

in fact, almost 1 billion people around 

the world don’t have enough to eat and 

go to bed hungry every night, even 

though the planet produces enough to 

feed everyone. fundamentally, they are 

hungry because they are poor. food is 

often for sale in the countries where they 

live – but at a price they can’t afford. 

Christian Aid believes passionately 

that it doesn’t have to be this way. 

governments have the power to end the 

scandal of hunger. And 2013 presents 

major opportunities for them to make 

progress. Debate is now under way 

about what new targets should be set 

when the current millennium 

development goals (mDgs) end in 2015. 

Halving the proportion of people who 

suffer from hunger is part of the first of 

the existing mDgs, but according to the 

World food Programme, this is a long 

way from being achieved in parts of Asia, 

the former Soviet bloc and sub-Saharan 

Africa. With Prime minister David 

Cameron a member of the UN panel 

looking at this issue, plans to tackle 

hunger are set to gain prominence. The 

UK government has already shown 

concern about the food crisis – 

exemplified by a global hunger event 

held in london during the Olympics. 

Next year, the UK will chair the g8 group 

of powerful countries, giving it an 

even greater opportunity to influence 

global priorities. 

Christian Aid is using this opportunity 

to join with other major development 

organisations in 2013 to campaign for a 

fairer global food system that works for 

everyone. 

An important part of the solution, we 

believe, is tax justice. Tax revenues help 

countries to help themselves, which is 

why it’s vital that multinationals and 

others pay what they owe in every 

country in which they operate. At 

present, we estimate that developing 

countries lose a staggering US$160bn 

a year due to tax dodging by some 

unscrupulous multinationals and other 

businesses trading internationally, who 

manipulate their accounts to reduce their 

tax liability. That is more than poor 


countries receive in aid each year. 

What, you may ask, has that got to do 

with global hunger? Well, tax pays for 

services such as health and education, 

which in turn support people’s ability to 

work and earn a living. tax also funds the 

infrastructure, such as roads and ports, 

needed by people and companies (who 

provide jobs) to get their goods to market, 

as well as funding other essentials such 

as police forces and justice systems. 

in addition, tax gives governments the 

means to invest in their nation’s 

agriculture, on which many millions of 

people in poor countries still depend for 

survival. it also pays for a social safety 

net to prevent people starving, while 

funding work to better prepare 

communities against disasters such as 

floods and droughts, which damage 

crops and fuel hunger. 

that’s why next year, with allies across 

the development sector, Christian aid 

will continue to campaign for reforms to 

help countries collect more of the taxes 

they’re due. specifically, we’ll continue to 

call on governments to end tax haven 

secrecy and require companies to be 

more transparent about the taxes they 

pay and the profits they make in every 

country where they work. 

We hope you will join us. look out for 

more information in the next edition of 

Christian Aid News and on the act now 

pages of our website. 

Government backs 

our carbon call 

Christian aid is delighted to 

announce that deputy Prime Minister 

nick Clegg, on behalf of the UK 

government, has committed to 

introducing measures that will oblige 

companies listed on the london stock 

exchange to report all of their carbon 

emissions. Christian aid has been 

calling for this since we launched our 

climate change campaign in 2007, so 

we are very glad that the government 

has finally backed this demand. 

Christian aid supporters (you!) have 

taken more than 60,000 actions on this 

key issue over the past five years. thank 

you for the time you gave to 

campaigning. it has paid off! 

nick Clegg has also acknowledged 

your role in this important work: 

‘it’s important that organisations such 

as Christian aid continue to push hard 

on these vital issues. the UK is blazing 

a trail by making all businesses listed 

on the london stock exchange publish 

full details of their greenhouse gas 

emissions, which will ultimately 

encourage them to operate more 

sustainably but also save them money 

by doing so. Your support for this 

makes all the difference when we’re 

making these decisions,’ he said. 

in 2007 Christian aid estimated that 

global investment from UK companies 

is responsible for 12-15 per cent of all 

carbon emissions. so getting 

businesses listed on the london stock 

exchange to report their UK carbon 

emissions is a great step forward in 

learning the true carbon footprint of UK 

companies. this will help civil society 

and government to hold businesses to 

account for the level of their carbon 

emissions, and is an important move 

towards reducing global emissions 

further. this is a timely boost for our 

campaigning at a crucial time. 

the world’s poorest are paying the 

highest price for climate change. they 

need rich countries to meet their 

responsibilities when it comes to their 

carbon emissions – and that must start 

with knowing for sure how much 

businesses are contributing. 

as the only international 

development agency to call for this we 

should rightly be very proud of our 

work – and we could not have done it 

without your support. thank you. 

Rio failS to nail SuStainability GoalS 

Campaigns journalist Rachel Baird reports on a disappointing 

outcome to the Rio+20 conference in Brazil 

We KneW that this summer’s rio+20 

conference on sustainable development 

was never going to solve the scandal of 

poverty or the global environmental 

crisis – but the outcome still left us 

disappointed. it was ‘stunning only in its 

lack of urgency’, according to Christian 

aid’s senior adviser on sustainable 

development, dr alison doig. 

‘We leave rio with a text that contains 

no deadlines for countries to take action 

and lamentably few other targets,’ she 

said, as the talks closed in late June. 

For instance, negotiators failed to agree 

on a target date by which everyone in 

the world should have access to 

sustainable energy – something that 

some 1.4 billion people currently lack. 

But there is still cause to hope that the 

rio talks will have a positive legacy. 

negotiators made important progress 

towards the creation of a new set of 

sustainable development goals (sdgs). 

these will help to set the direction of 

future development work after 2015, 

when the existing millennium 

development goals expire. 

‘the sdgs could help make global 

food production more sustainable 

and ensure that many millions more 

people can enjoy clean water and 

sustainable modern energy,’ added 

dr doig. ‘But this will only happen if 

citizens keep up the pressure as work 

continues on shaping the goals.’ 

People in the UK are especially wellplaced 

to influence things for the better, 

because the United nations has chosen 

Prime Minister david Cameron to cochair 

the panel that is working on the 

replacement for the Mdgs after 2015. 

another potentially important part of 

the rio outcome document – a 49-page 

tome called The Future We Want – is a 

section about major companies. it could 

help to increase the pressure on them to 

reveal publicly how their activities affect 

people and the environment. 

similarly, by far the best news of all in 

rio was also about big companies in the 

UK having to come clean about some of 

their contributions to climate change. 

See story ‘Government backs our 

carbon call’ above. 


FRONTLINE 

Stories from around the world 

showing how Christian Aid 

and our partners are working 

to empower people to shape 

a better future for themselves 

and their communities 

Photos: Christian Aid/Simon Williams 

One of the biggest protest marches 

India has seen will take place in 

October when 100,000 people from the 

country’s poorest groups will converge 

on Delhi. Christian Aid communications 

officer Sarah Filbey explains how the 

march will go ahead in the face of 

growing government pressure 

‘IF WE DON’T ACT NOW, 

THERE WILL BE NOTHING 

LEFT FOR THE POOR PEOPLE’ 

CHRISTIAN AID PARTNER Ekta Parishad 

is facing mounting pressure from 

political quarters to cancel its October 

land rights march. Meanwhile, shortages 

in food to sustain the marchers double 

the threat to this landless people’s 

campaign. 

Facing these challenges, Ekta Parishad 

says it is determined to ensure the 

potentially historic march is not 

compromised, stressing that even in the 

face of government opposition, the people 

must have their massed voices heard. 

Organising 100,000 people from across 

India to march together, as one, in a nonviolent 

protest was always going to be 

an extraordinarily challenging feat. 

The success of Ekta Parishad’s 

Janadesh march in 2007 helped tens of 

thousands of adivasi tribal people gain 

rights to their land. This has encouraged 

India’s poor, landless and displaced 

people to protest once more by 

preparing to join the Jan Satyagraha 

march this October. The march will call 

on the government to deliver on 

promises made five years ago. 

At least 80,000 people have signed up 

to march the 350km from Gwalior to 

Delhi, with at least 20,000 more expected 

to be joining through other Indian land 

rights organisations. This is four times 

the size of the 25,000-strong, 2007 


Main picture: supporters prepare for 

the Jan Satyagraha March for Justice. 

Inset, below: Ekta Parishad president 

Rajagopal addresses the crowds 

Janadesh march. The marchers, most of 

whom come from deprived tribal and 

dalit communities that continue to suffer 

severe discrimination in Indian society, 

have been saving precious grains for a 

year now to feed them on the march. 

These grains will be cooked by Ekta 

Parishad, but, worryingly, only constitute 

50 per cent of what’s needed. As Ekta 

Parishad appeals through its networks 

to meet the financial deficit, Christian 

Aid’s country manager Anand Kumar 

met with Ekta Parishad’s leadership 

at the start of August to see what could 

be done. 

Although Christian Aid gives a yearly 

£50,000-£60,000 to Ekta Parishad for its 

development work, Indian government 

legislation restricts international funding 

to people’s campaigns such as Jan 

Satyagraha, preventing us from helping 

to finance the march directly. 

With Ekta Parishad largely dependent 

on raising funds within the country, 

Anand, along with the heads of other 

international agencies based in India, is 

composing a letter urging Indian friends 

and contacts to respond directly. 

‘If the deficit is not met’, said Anand, 

‘Ekta Parishad believes the marchers will 

be prepared to continue on just one 

simple meal a day, rather than diminish 

their opportunity to be heard.’ 

Ekta Parishad continues to engage with 

Indian government representatives, and 

has also met with the heads of 

prominent industries involved in the 

question of land distribution. Even 

though the march is not in itself illegal, 

Ekta Parishad is being urged by some 

parties to cancel it, but influential Indian 

public figures such as political and social 

activist Aruna Roy are pledging support, 

aiding the team’s confidence to go ahead. 

‘Our leaders are willing to risk being 

arrested and taken to court, rather than 

cancel the march,’ said Ekta Parishad’s 

Ran Singh Parmar. ‘We want to walk with 

all who have been preparing for so long.’ 

The resolve of Ekta Parishad’s 

leadership does not surprise me, given 

my conversations with their president 

Rajagopal P V who I met 60 days into Ekta 

Parishad’s year-long preparatory journey 

across India. He spoke of the urgent need 

for poor people’s voices to be heard, with 

India’s unequally distributed wealth 

continuing to grow disproportionately, to 

the detriment of its poorest. 

Initially the government appeared to 

welcome Ekta Parishad’s campaign, 

sending two prominent MPs to meet the 

travelling team in January 2012. 

Yet, from the start, Rajagopal 

understood the potential political 

backlash. ‘When you resist, the 

government becomes very oppressive,’ 

he said. ‘Rather than listening to the 

voices of people, understanding why 

people are resisting, why people are 

protesting, the government is trying to use 

police and force to put down their voice. 

‘In a democratic country people should 

have the right to voice their dissent 

against any process of development, 

especially affecting their lives. That 

democratic space is shrinking every day, 

and as a result you will find thousands of 

non-violent struggles appearing. And 

because of this constant oppression by 

the state, many of these non-violent 

struggles are becoming violent.’ 

Determined that the Jan Satyagraha 

campaign will remain non-violent, Ekta 

Parishad will invite international 

delegates to a two-day peace conference 

in Delhi before beginning the monthlong 

march on 2 October, the 

anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s 

birthday. At this conference, Rajagopal 

will likely continue to call for shows of 

global solidarity with this and other land 

struggles taking place in Africa, Latin 

America and elsewhere. 

‘In a globalising world where large 

companies are coming to India, Africa 

and other countries to buy land, the 

government is forcing people to sell their 

lands in the name of mining, wildlife 

protection, infrastructure development 

and other projects – it’s become common,’ 

he said. ‘If we don’t act now, there will be 

nothing left for the poor people.’ 

Rajagopal explained that Ekta 

Parishad’s unique strength as an 

organisation lies in the support it enjoys 

from a great number of people, both 

within India and globally. ‘The success of 

Jan Satyagraha will be based on how 

much solidarity support we are able to 

get,’ he said. ‘We will prove that some 

struggles can succeed, and those 

successes will inspire more people, and 

that is how you build a better world.’ 

• If you want to show your support for 

Ekta Parishad’s marchers, Christian Aid is 

holding several solidarity Marches for 

Justice around Britain. To find out how to 

join one of these, visit christianaid.org. 

uk/marchforjustice-uk 

• To see more photos, watch videos and 

read a blog sharing insight on the 

campaign, visit christianaid.org.uk/ 

marchforjustice 

• And to listen to an audioboo on the 

march, go to http://bit.ly/QhM63E 

(An audioboo is a digital recording that 

can be played on computers.) 


FRONTLINE 

Christian Aid/Sarah Malian 

Christian Aid director Loretta Minghella explains how our 

vision to bring about an end to poverty can be achieved 

by working with others in a Partnership for Change – and 

highlights the part we can all play in making this happen 

THE POWER TO 

END POVERTY 


Building equality: Christian Aid partner 

AWEC helped teenage prisoner Nozeni 

Izatullah (centre) – convicted of a ‘moral’ 

crime – learn embroidery and literacy skills 

to help her find work upon her release 

Christian aid is ambitious and 

impatient for change. We know that the 

work we’ve been able to do in the past 

six decades has improved the lives of 

millions, but we also know that to 

achieve lasting change on the scale that’s 

needed, we must build an even bigger 

force for good. to do this we seek to 

strengthen our work through 

partnership. We know that it is by 

working together with others that we can 

achieve an end to poverty for the world’s 

poorest people. 

The time is now 

the world in which we operate is 

changing dramatically, and on so many 

fronts: economic power, available 

resources, ideologies, communications 

and climate. While some of these things 

may be used to help in the battle against 

poverty, they can also threaten the ability 

of vulnerable communities to claim their 

rights and gain equality. 

societies today are becoming 

increasingly unequal. Power is shifting 

to the fast-growing economies of the 

global East and south, while 

international institutions find themselves 

overwhelmed by the task of tackling the 

world’s economic problems. supplies of 

resources – from copper to water, food 

to fossil fuels – are getting tighter, and 

those with the greatest power often 

exploit it. new conflicts emerge. our 

insufficient care for our planet leads to 

more frequent natural and man-made 

disasters, and increased migration. 

and alongside all this, technology is 

transforming the way we interact, trade, 

create communities and build political 

movements. Globalisation certainly 

opens up opportunities but it can also 

undermine cultural diversity and local 

enterprise. 

in the face of these threats to the 

world’s poor, Christian aid believes it is 

essential that individuals and 

communities play an even stronger role. 

and that they come together to stand 

alongside each other – to use their 

influence to protect the rights of all and 

ensure the dignity of every person. 

Partnership with whom? 

Who are the partners with whom we 

seek to work? they are many and varied: 

the churches and other nGos, certainly, 

but also government and businesses. 

and we seek to build partnerships with 

individual supporters – all of you who so 

tirelessly organise and influence your 

communities: raising and giving money, 

praying, campaigning and building 

political pressure for change. Each of us 

lives within a network of relationships, 

which give us opportunities to influence 

others: within our communities and our 

churches, in our business dealings and 

with our shopping choices and our 

political actions – to name just a few. 

and each and every one of us can 

influence these relationships for good. 

in our churches and communities, we 

can raise awareness, give, act and pray 

in support of Christian aid. as voters and 

lobbyists, we can use our power to rouse 

the conscience of politicians by 

campaigning on issues such as tax 

justice and climate change. and as 

consumers and campaigners we can 

change the policies of business, large 

and small, through initiatives such as the 

trace the tax campaign. 

Christian aid is committed to growing 

and deepening relationships between 

individuals, communities and countries; 

between civil society, business, 

government, charities and churches; 

between people of all faiths and of none, 

in order to evolve and strengthen a vast, 

necessary and unequivocal movement 

for change. this is what we call our 

Partnership for Change. 

To seek what? 

Christian aid’s analysis of poverty is that 

at its root is a lack of power: the power, 

for example, to have your say and be 

heard, to know your rights and demand 

them, to have access to essential 

services, to share fairly in the world’s 

resources and to have the security of not 

just surviving, but also of thriving. 

rooted in our belief in a creative and 

loving God, Christian aid is clear that 

poverty can be eradicated through 

supporting and empowering individuals 

and communities to change their lives. 

We believe we can achieve this ambition 

by focusing our skills and experience 

where they can make the greatest 

impact. 

• The five examples outlined on the 

following page highlight those areas on 

which we will focus. Bless you and thank 

you for all that you do to partner with us 

to turn our new strategy into real and 

lasting change. 


FRONTLINE 

Power to change: villagers in 

Bajarangpura pledge their support 

for the March for Justice in India 

(see also story on page 16) 

Christian Aid/Sarah Filbey 

Tackling violence: Major Javier Bulambo 

is one of 492 high-ranking soldiers trained 

in civilian rights by our partner CBCA in 

the Democratic Republic of Congo 

Essential services: Rogers Ochieng 

Otieno distributes malaria nets in Kenya 

on behalf of Christian Aid partner 

Anglican Development Services 

Christian Aid/Elaine Duigenan 

Fair shares: Christian Aid partner 

Soppexcca has helped 22 communities in 

Nicaragua to set up coffee cooperatives 


Christian Aid/Ally Carnwath Christian Aid/Tom Pilston 

Our fOcuses fOr change 

Power to change 

institutions 

In 2007, the Bajarangpura community of 

the Sahariya tribe marched with 25,000 

other excluded people to hold the Indian 

government to account on its promise to 

listen to dalit and adivasi people’s claims 

to land rights. The march was organised 

by Christian Aid partner Ekta Parishad, 

and one of the results was that the 

Bajarangpura villagers, among an 

estimated 10,000 adivasis, won rights to 

the land on which they live. A second 

march, expected to number four times as 

many marchers as before, is planned for 

October 2012 and some of the 

Bajarangpura villagers will walk again, in 

solidarity with others who have yet to 

win rights to their land. See story on 

page 16. 

We want to see all people having the 

power to influence institutions – so that 

the decisions affecting their lives are 

made responsibly and fairly. 

The right to essential 

services 

Rogers Ochieng Otieno is a volunteer 

community health worker with Christian 

Aid partner Anglican Development 

Services, which runs the Rural Transport 

Network in Nyanza Province, Kenya, with 

Virgin Unite. Rogers is one of 12 volunteer 

motorbike riders in the province who 

provide access to health education and 

support. As well as educating families on 

malaria prevention, Rogers also supports 

people living with HIV, helping them 

collect essential medicines each month 

and providing food to ensure that they 

eat a balanced diet. Rogers also helps to 

fight HIV stigma within the community. 

We want to see all people able to fulfill 

their right to access the services 

essential for them to have a healthy and 

secure life. 

Fair shares in a 

constrained world 

Twenty-two communities in Nicaragua 

have been supported by Christian Aid 

partner Soppexcca to set up coffee 

cooperatives and a processing plant for 

the coffee they grow. The result for these 

cooperatives is far greater power to 

negotiate a good price for their beans 

and to plough additional money back 

into their communities. They are now 

exploring the possibility of also growing 

cocoa, which is more resilient to floods 

and a warmer climate. With an eye on 

the future, younger members of the 

communities are planting trees to help 

protect the environment, and the skills 

they have been taught for running the 

cooperatives will help them when they 

take over from older generations. 

We want to see all people able to have 

a fair and sustainable share of the 

world’s resources. 

Equality for all 

Nozeni Izatullah (pictured on previous 

page) was 15 when she was held captive 

by her boyfriend’s family for more than 

50 days, during which time she was 

raped and abused. She escaped by 

climbing out of a window, but was 

arrested and sentenced to five years in 

Maimana prison, in northern 

Afghanistan, for the ‘moral’ crime of 

running away with her boyfriend. 

Christian Aid partner AWEC helped 

Nozeni in prison, by teaching her 

embroidery and literacy. It provided her 

with skills to enable her to earn a living 

when released. In 2011 AWEC also began 

providing legal support to the women in 

the prison, which enabled Nozeni to 

apply for a presidential pardon. This 

led to an early release, halfway through 

her sentence. 

We want to see a more inclusive world 

where identity – gender, ethnicity, caste, 

religion, class, sexual orientation – is no 

longer a barrier to equal treatment. 

Tackling violence and 

building peace 

Major Janvier Bulambo was one of 492 

high-ranking Congolese soldiers to take 

part in civilian rights training organised 

by Christian Aid partner CBCA. He now 

spreads understanding of the need for 

army discipline, zero tolerance of rape, 

and the role the Congolese army can 

play in bringing peace to the eastern 

Democratic Republic of Congo. Since 

CBCA organised a reconciliation 

ceremony in the village of Kibati, soldiers 

and civilians have even begun singing 

together in the church choir, a step 

towards improved relationships. 

We want to see vulnerable people 

protected from violence and living 

in peace. 


liFe and 

soUl 

The way we lead our own 

lives can have a tangible 

impact in the fight to end 

poverty. By ‘doing the right 

thing’ we show we have a 

commitment to a sustainable 

lifestyle that places a high 

value on helping others 

Christian Aid believes that 

working with the private sector 

is key to eradicating poverty, 

so we seek out and work with 

ethical businesses that share 

our vision of a better world. 

One such firm is food producer 

the Good Little Company. Two 

years into our partnership with 

the company, Christian Aid 

corporate fundraiser Brendan 

Brosnan took its brand manager 

Craig Blaney to Malawi, to 

see the enormous difference 

the company’s contribution is 

making to the lives of some of 

the world’s poor. 

Millions of Malawians eat maize 

every day and would consider a meal 

to be incomplete without it. it’s such an 

integral part of their lives and culture that 

they have a picture of a stalk of maize on 

the back of the 1,000 kwacha note. 

But the months between December 

and March are known as the ‘hunger 

season’ because this is when Malawi’s 

poorest people run short of supplies, 

including maize. The effects of climate 

change have devastated the land, leaving 

people struggling to grow enough to eat. 

Two years ago, the Good little 

Company decided to help Christian aid 

combat this by offering proceeds from 

the sale of its food products to help 

vulnerable communities. 

now, every time someone buys a 

pack of Good little sausages, Meatballs 

or Burgers, 7p is donated to Christian 

aid so that people in need can access 

essentials such as maize seed. By 

combining this seed with new, more 

effective farming techniques, including 

the use of solar power to irrigate the 

land, communities are becoming more 

resilient to seasonal drought. 

in one of the communities benefiting 

Brendan Brosnan 

how a little 

good goes 

a long way 

from this work – a village called Mawale 

in the country’s Central region – Craig 

Blaney met Martin nkhoma, a farmer 

and a father of three. Three years ago, 

Martin became involved with Christian 

aid partner The Baptist Clinic, when it 

began working with his community to 

help it grow enough to eat. at this time, 

Martin’s family regularly suffered food 

shortages and poor health stemming 

from malnutrition. 

‘During the hunger season, the amount 

of food we used to grow was just not 

enough,’ says Martin. 

Donations from the Good little 

Company helped Martin and farmers 

like him to access the maize seeds they 

needed to grow enough food for their 

families and to sell at market. 

‘now we have a surplus that we can 

sell and can help our families get things 

that they need. They are healthier, they 

are happier; they are getting what they 

want,’ says Martin. 

Craig was overwhelmed to hear 

about the impact the partnership 

between Christian aid and the Good 

little Company is having on people. ‘it 

was incredibly moving to hear people’s 

experiences, with many of them having 

lived in constant fear of hunger. now 

they have a surplus to sell on and buy 

“luxuries” such as education for their 

children, better housing and newer 

clothes. Their lives are no longer just 

about survival and they look forward 

with hope, not fear for the future.’ 

• To find out more about the partnership, 

visit: christianaid.org.uk/sausages 

• The Good Little Company range is 

available in more than 200 Waitrose 

stores across Britain, and in selected 

Tesco stores in Northern Ireland. 


The Good Little 

Company’s Craig 

Blaney meets 

Malawian farmer 

Martin Nkhoma 

Will yOu be 

A FAir TrAder? 

ChrISTIAn AId and Traidcraft 

have thousands of supporters who 

regularly sell Christmas cards and 

Fairtrade products within their 

communities. 

Known as ‘fair traders’, they sell 

ethical goods in various places, 

including churches, schools, colleges 

or universities, through websites, at 

work and at farmers markets. 

This Christmas, you too can 

sell Christmas cards within your 

community. by doing this, you would 

be helping to ensure that people in 

developing countries achieve a fair 

price for their goods. Christian Aid 

receives a percentage of the total 

value of all Christmas cards sold 

through Traidcraft and other charity 

partners. 

Last year, Traidcraft donated 

£47,000 to Christian Aid as a result 

of our joint efforts, so get involved 

this Christmas and help us raise even 

more money for the world’s poor. 

• To find out more, call 0191 497 6563, 

visit traidcraft.co.uk/sellcards or email 

fairtrader@traidcraft.co.uk. 

Will Aid creAtes 

A legAcy of hope 

WILL AId IS bACK this november. 

If you don’t have a Will, or need to 

update your existing one, Will Aid 

presents an ideal opportunity for 

you to put your affairs in order while 

helping to raise money for nine Will 

Aid charities. 

during november 2011 charitable 

solicitors across the country helped 

to raise a record-breaking amount 

of more than £2m for charity. 

They encouraged people to have a 

professionally written Will and donate 

to the Will Aid charities instead of 

paying a fee. The money raised by 

Will Aid’s solicitors is used by the 

nine participating charities, including 

Christian Aid, making a real difference 

to those in need across the world. 

‘The support of the Will Aid 

solicitors is greatly appreciated by 

Christian Aid,’ says legacy manager 

Alison Linwood. ‘not only do we 

receive a significant amount in 

donations but the campaign also 

provides an opportunity for people to 

include a gift in their Will to Christian 

Aid. Legacy gifts are crucial. Last year 

our income from legacies could have 

more than paid for all our work in 

Latin America and the Caribbean.’ 

on a recent trip to India, Alison met 

Gita, a social worker with Christian 

Aid partner Sakhi Kendra. At age 

13, Gita was kidnapped and spent 

years as a slave, suffering abuse and 

starvation. When she finally escaped 

and returned home, her parents 

refused to take her back as they felt 

her experiences would bring shame 

on them and make it difficult for her 

siblings to find good marriages. With 

Sakhi Kendra’s help, Gita found a safe 

haven, completed her education and 

is now helping other girls through 

difficult times. 

‘because of Christian Aid and Sakhi 

Kendra, I’ve been able to come so far. 

It’s with the support from all of you 

that I can step forward into my 

future,’ says Gita. 

Please help us to help more young 

women like Gita by supporting Will 

Aid in 2012. 

• For further information about Will 

Aid, please contact the legacy team 

on 020 7523 2173, or visit christianaid. 

org.uk/legacies 

GIVING THANKS 

- A TIME TO 

REMEMBER 

on 6 november the Christian Aid 

Legacy and In memoriam team will 

be holding a thanksgiving service 

in London. A tenth of all our work is 

made possible by people who leave 

a legacy or give gifts in memory of a 

loved one, and the service will be a 

time for families and friends to come 

together and remember the lifetime 

achievements of supporters no longer 

with us. For those unable to travel 

to London, we will be streaming the 

service live online. 

• For more details, please contact 

Kerry McMahon on kmcmahon@ 

christian-aid.org or 020 7523 2173. 

IT’S All ABOuT 

THE GOAT! 

on television the meerkat is 

everywhere. but for Christian Aid 

supporters it is still all about the goat. 

Last Christmas the goat was our most 

popular Present Aid gift. but will that 

change when we launch our new 

Present Aid website in october? 

The site offers great new options for 

churches and other groups to select 

and purchase gifts together, as well 

as lots of new individual gifts. So 

will there be a new favourite this 

year? And with new print-at-home or 

e-cards added to our normal postal 

service, the new website will definitely 

offer the best virtual gift choice on the 

market. 

• Visit presentaid.org from October, 

or, if you prefer to order by post, ring 

0845 3300 500. 

©2011-JohnBurdumy/Getty Images 


Friday 12 October 

Marple, Knutsford, Crewe 

Saturday 13 October 

AROUND CENTRAL Bury, Bolton, Wigan, Chester ENGLAND 

The Tax Justice 

Bus is coming... 

with local decision makers will be held 

Days 30-31 East Midlands 

on board from 4-5pm. 

FINISHES 

Saturday 22 September 

HERE 

Leicester, On Sunday Nottingham23 September, the bus 

will 

Sunday 

stop 

23 September 

at Cliff College, in the Hope 

10 

8 

Calver, Buxton, Ashbourne 

8 

Valley, in the morning and then onto St 

9 

Thomas More School in Buxton, for an 

6 

Days 28-29 Oxford Area 

ecumenical lunch with the Bishop of 

1 

Thursday 20 September 

Derby. Bedford, Stevenage, It will finish St Albansits East Midlands leg 

Friday 21 September 

at Ashbourne, before moving back to 

2 

Oxford, Witney, Reading 7 

7 

the West Midlands. 

STARTS AT 

GREENBELT 

On Monday 24 September, you can 

5 

Days 26-27 East of England 

…to the east 3 of England and the catch it at Market Square, Stafford, 

Tuesday 18 September 

Midlands 

from Ipswich, 9-10.30am, Bury, Cambridge and in Stoke-on-Trent 

Wednesday 19 September 

Having already toured part of the (venue tbc), from 1-2pm, 6 

Peterborough, Norwich giving visitors 

West Midlands in August, the Tax a chance to hear stories from the UK 

Justice Bus returns to our area when and around the world. From 7pm the 

Days 17-25 London and South East 

it arrives in Ipswich town centre 

Sunday 9 

from 

September 

bus will be at the United Reformed 

Chichester, Bognor Regis, Worthing 

9-11am on Tuesday 18 September. It Church, Coleham Head, in Shrewsbury, 

Monday 10 September – Wednesday 12 September 

will then drive to Bury St Edmunds Brighton for giving the public time to look around, 

Days 13-16 12 South noon, West 


leaving there at 2.30pm to before a 7.30pm ‘Question Time’ on tax 

Horsham, Guildford, Central London 

Wednesday 

travel 

5 September 

on to Cambridge. The Friday bus 14 September will and poverty. 

Truro, Falmouth 

Central London, Ealing, Teddington, Streatham 

Thursday 6 be September parked in the centre of 

Saturday 

Cambridge 

15 September 

• To confirm details for the East 

Torbay, Exeter, Honiton 

Bromley, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, 

outside Eden Baptist Church, Fitzroy of 

Eastbourne 

England leg, please email 


Sunday 16 September 

Dorchester, Street, Poole, Salisbury from 6-7.30pm prior Bexhill-on-Sea, to a Dover, Canterbury, eastengland@christian-aid.org 

Rochester 


Monday 17 September 

Southampton, ‘Question Locks Heath, Time’ Portsmouth event 4 being held at the • To learn more about 5 the East Midlands 

Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester 

Unitarian Church in Emmanuel Road. leg, contact the Loughborough 

This will feature author, Guardian office on 01509 265013 or email 

columnist and tax campaigner Richard eastmidlands@christian-aid.org 

EAST OF ENGLAND (18-19 September) SCOTLAND (1-5 October) 

Murphy; Niall Cooper, the national • For information on the West Midlands 

Contact: Julian Bryant, 01603 620051/ 

Contact: Diane Green, 0141 241 6136, 

0752 820 coordinator 6865, jbryant@christian-aid.org 

for Church Action on dgreen@christian-aid.org 

stops – and confirmed venues – email 

OXFORD 

Poverty; 

AREA (20-21 

and 

September) 

theologian, author and birmingham@christian-aid.org or call 

NORTH WEST (6 October; 12-15 October) 

Contact: Jessica business Hall, ethics 01865 lecturer 246818, Richard 

0121 200 2283. 

Contact: David Hardman, 01925 582820, 

jhall@christian-aid.org Higginson. Other guests will include dhardman@christian-aid.org 

EAST MIDLANDS local MPs, (22-23 and September) the event is open to all. 

Contact: Judi On Perry, Wednesday 01509 265013, 

NORTH EAST (7-8 October) 

19 September the 

eastmidlands@christian-aid.org 

Contact: Judith Sadler, 0191 228 0115, 

bus will be in Peterborough Cathedral jsadler@christian-aid.org 

NORTH WALES Precincts (25-26 from September) 9-11am and will go on to 

Contact: Anna Jane Evans, 01248 353574, YORKSHIRE (9-11 October) 

aevans@cymorth-cristnogol.org 

Norwich arriving at 2.30pm at Norwich 

Contact: Lindsey Pearson, 0113 244 4764, 

(Anglican) Cathedral. We will be inviting lpearson@christian-aid.org 

IRELAND (27-30 September) 

Contact: David MPs, Thomas, church 028 leaders, 9064 8133, local councillors 

dthomas@christian-aid.org 

and local business people to join us christianaid.org.uk/tax-bus 

on 

board for briefings. Supporters are also 

welcome to look around the bus. 

On Saturday 22 September, the 

8/10/12 5:00 PM 

bus reaches the East Midlands. It will 

spend the morning in Leicester, parked 

outside St Martins House, where events 

will be held with local MPs and church 

leaders. It then goes to St Andrew’s 

Central region interns, 

with Castle Gate United Reformed 

Alice Cane, Oliver Fricker 

Church in Nottingham, where it will 

and Doug Owen aboard 

stay from 3-6pm, and another event 

the Tax Justice Bus 

4 

13 

14 

17 

15 

16 

Days 50-53 North West 

Sunday 14 October 

Lancaster, Garstang, Preston 

Monday 15 October 

Liverpool, Warrington, Manchester 17 

Day 32 West Midlands 


Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Shrewsbury 

9 

Christian Aid 

UK registered charity no. 1105851 Company no. 5171525 Scot charity no. SC039150 NI charity no. XR94639 Company no. NI059154 ROI charity no. CHY 6998 Company no. 426928 The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid © Christian Aid August 2012 13-189-J627 

Harry routs the record book 

AN 87-yEAR-OLD 

from Norwich 

broke all records 

recently when 

he became the 

oldest person 

to complete a 

Christian Aid sponsored canoe trip. 

Harry Rout paddled up the River 

Bure from Horstead to Buxton and 

back, undeterred by a powerful side 

wind blowing up spray. 

Harry was one of four members of 

Wroxham Road Methodist Church 

who took to the water, including 

the minister, Rev Nigel Fox, to raise 

money for Christian Aid partner the 

yMCA in Bethlehem, which helps to 

rehabilitate Palestinians crippled or 

maimed by violence in the region. 

Riders take to the water 

CONGRATULATIONS TO our intrepid 

team of cyclists who completed 

Christian Aid’s first ever one-day 

sponsored bike ride around Rutland 

Water in July. One rider who 

deserves a special mention is Chayne 

Adcock, below, who took part despite 

having a ‘fixed 

knee’ condition, 

which meant he 

had to cycle the 

19 miles using just 

one leg. Thanks 

to all. 

Welcome to the new 

Christian Aid interns 

WE’D LIKE TO SAy a huge hello to 

three new interns who have joined 

our regional offices and will be with 

us until June 2013. 

East Midlands welcomes Alice 

Cane, from Canterbury. Alice studied 

archaeology and anthropology 

at Cambridge University. West 

Midlands office welcomes lifetime 

Christian Aid collector Doug Owen, 

who is looking forward to expressing 

his passion for social justice, with 

Christian Aid. 

Joining the East of England team 

is Oliver Fricker. Oliver, who studied 

geography at Cambridge University, 

is currently an ‘eco intern’ at St 

Aldates in Oxford. 


AROUND NORTH ENGLAND 

TAX JUSTICE TOUR 

24 August – 15 October 2012 


2-4pm, Carlisle old Town Hall. 

6.30-8.30pm, St mary’s Catholic 

Church, Hencotes, Hexham. 


11am-1.30pm, St Nicholas’ 

Cathedral, Newcastle. 

3-4pm, Town Hall, durham. 

4.30-5.30pm, durham Cathedral. 


7.30-9am, Traidcraft, Kingsway, 

Gateshead (invitation only). 

11.30am-2pm, minster Church, 

Sunderland. 

6-8.30pm, St peter’s Church, 

redcar lane, redcar. 

Tuesday 9 October 

9-10am, Northallerton 

methodist Church, High Street. 

11am-12 noon, ripon. 

1.30-2.30pm, york minster. 

3-5pm, archbishop Holgate 

School, Hull road, york, and 

university of york, Heslington. 

7.30-9.30pm, Endsleigh Centre, 

481 Beverley road, Hull. 

Wednesday 10 October 

9-10am, doncaster minster. 

11am-12.30pm, rotherham 

minster. 

1.30-3pm, Barnsley Baptist 

Church, Sheffield rd, S70 1JJ. 

4-5pm; 7-9pm, Sheffield 

Cathedral. 

Thursday 11 October 

9-10am, Town Hall, morley. 

11am-12 noon, Huddersfield 

methodist mission, lord St. 

12.30-1.30pm, The piece Hall, 

Halifax. 

2.30-3.30pm, Saltaire united 

reformed Church, Bradford. 

7-9pm, leeds methodist 

mission, oxford place. 


11am-12 noon, marple. 

3-5pm, Knutsford. 

7pm, Christ Church, Crewe. 


9.30-11am, Bolton. 

12 noon-2pm, Holy Cross Six 

Form College, Bury. 

3-5pm, Wigan town centre. 

7pm, Chester. 


10am, lancaster methodist 

Church. 

2.30pm, lancaster university. 

3.30pm, FIG cafe, Garstang. 

5pm, Fulwood methodist 

Church, preston. 


8.30-10am, liverpool. 

11.30am-1pm, Warrington 

Town Hall. 

3-4pm, luther King House, 

Brighton Grove, manchester. 

7-9pm, albert Sq, manchester. 

ALL AbOARD fOR 

TAx jUsTicE! 

WaTCH ouT NExT moNTH as Christian 

aid’s Tax Justice Bus arrives in our 

region and stops off at a number of 

locations to spread our message on tax 

dodging. The red london routemaster 

double-decker will be a focus for 

briefings, campaign actions, debates, 

stories, meals, exhibitions, press 

conferences, stunts and services. 

according to Church action on 

poverty, our Tax Justice Bus partners, 

‘tax avoidance of all kinds … steals 

£35bn from the uK every year’. 

meanwhile, Christian aid estimates 

that tax dodging costs developing 

countries uS$160bn dollars every year 

– more than one-and-a-half times the 

global aid budget! 

The bus, which began its odyssey at 

the Greenbelt Festival near Cheltenham 

over the august bank holiday weekend, 

will have spent several weeks wending 

its way through England, Wales, 

Northern Ireland, the republic of 

Ireland and Scotland, before making its 

final stops in our region. 

To get involved, take a look at 

the dates on the left and see where 

your nearest event will be. For more 

detailed information contact your 

regional office, or visit the regional 

section of the Christian aid website at 

christianaid.org.uk/inyourarea 

Peace and Justice conference 

EvEry day pEoplE in 

Israel and the occupied 

palestinian territory 

(IopT) are forced to face 

the impact of injustice, 

including conflict, fear 

and poverty. In the midst 

of this complex situation 

are people from all the 

affected communities, who 

are prepared to confront 

fear and injustice and work 

towards peace. 

Christian aid supports 

those working for peace 

and development through 

Christian Aid 

Days 39-43 Scotland 


Borders 


Glasgow 


Edinburgh 


St Andrews 


13 

Inverness 

Days 37-38 Northern Ireland 

Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 September 

Belfast 12 

Days 35-36 Republic of Ireland 


Dublin 


Limerick 11 

Days 33-34 North Wales 


Wrexham, Llandudno 


Bangor, Holyhead 

Days 1-4 Greenbelt Festival 

Friday 24 August – Monday 27 August 

Greenbelt Festival, Cheltenham 

Days 6-7 West Midlands 

Wednesday 29 August 

Birmingham, Evesham, Sutton Coldfield 

Thursday 30 August 

Wolverhampton, Worcester, Lichfield 1 

Days 8-10 South Wales 

Friday 31 August 

Cardiff 


Carmarthen, Swansea, Neath 


Newport, Chepstow 

Days 11-12 West England 


Bristol, Taunton 

partner organisations. We 

want those with a concern 

for justice to have a better 

understanding of what is 

happening in this region, 

and how the churches can 

contribute to peace and 

justice there. That is why 

we are supporting the 

day conference ‘peace & 

Justice in the Holy land’ in 

Gateshead on Saturday 3 

November. 

With a range of speakers 

from organisations 

including Christian 

WEST MIDLANDS (29-30 August; 24 September) 

Contact: John Cooper, 0121 200 2283, 

jcooper@christian-aid.org 

SOUTH WALES (31 August – 2 September) 

Contact: Mari McNeill, 029 2084 4646, 

mmcneil@christian-aid.org 

WEST OF ENGLAND (3-4 September) 

Contact: Lydia Nash, 01454 415923, 

lnash@christian-aid.org 

SOUTH WEST ENGLAND (5-8 September) 

Contact: 01395 222304 or 023 8070 6969 or 

southwest@christian-aid.org 

LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST (9-17 September) 

Contact: Kate Parr, 020 7523 2376, 

kparr@christian-aid.org 

10 


Taunton 3 

13-189-J627-Tax map artwork amends v4.indd 1 

Day 44 North West 


Carlisle, Hexham 

11 

12 

FINISHES 

HERE 

STARTS AT 

GREENBELT 

2 Days 13-16 South West 






Dorchester, Poole, Salisbury 

aid, rabbis for Human 

rights, Kairos palestine 

and churches of several 

denominations, we hope 

that this event will lead to 

deeper understanding and 

positive actions on behalf of 

all people living in this part 

of the world that so many of 

us regard as holy. 

• For a leaflet and 

registration form, contact 

the Christian Aid office in 

Newcastle on 0191 228 

0115 or email newcastle@ 

christian-aid.org 

4 

13 

10 

14 

2 

14 

Days 45-46 North East 


Newcastle upon Tyne, Durham 


Gateshead, Sunderland, Redcar 15 

17 

EAST OF ENGLAND (18-19 September) 


0752 820 6865, jbryant@christian-aid.org 

OXFORD AREA (20-21 September) 

Contact: Jessica Hall, 01865 246818, 

jhall@christian-aid.org 

EAST MIDLANDS (22-23 September) 

Contact: Judi Perry, 01509 265013, 


NORTH WALES (25-26 September) 

Contact: Anna Jane Evans, 01248 353574, 



Contact: David Thomas, 028 9064 8133, 


15 

9 

1 

3 

16 


Southampton, Locks Heath, Portsmouth 4 

christian aid’s new north 

region interns, andrew 

forsyth, eleri Birkhead and 

thom flint board the 

tax Justice Bus 

7 

8 

5 

6 

Days 17-25 L 

Sunday 9 Septem 

Chichester, Bogn 

Monday 10 Sept 

Brighton 

Thursday 13 Sep 

Horsham, Guildfo 

Friday 14 Septem 

Central London, E 

Saturday 15 Sep 

Bromley, Seveno 

Sunday 16 Septe 

Bexhill-on-Sea, D 

Monday 17 Sept 

Basildon, Chelms 

S 

C 

d 

N 

C 

d 

N 

C 

js 

Y 

C 

lp 

c 


AROUND SCOTLAND 

Locations for 

the Tax Justice 

Bus public 

events are: 

monday 1 october 

1pm, northwest 

church, dumfries. 

7.30pm, Alloway 

Parish church. 

tuesday 2 october 

7.30pm, renfield 

St Stephens, 

Glasgow. 

Wed 3 october 

7.30pm, Augustine 

united church, 

edinburgh. 

thurs 4 october 

12 noon, St 

leonard’s church, 

St Andrews. 

7.30pm, inshes 

church, inverness. 

ALL AbOARD The TAx 

bUS AS iT ARRiveS 

iN SCOTLAND! 

the tAx JuStice BuS is coming to Scotland this 

october, and we have designed a programme of 

events that will take us through dumfries, Ayr, 

Glasgow, edinburgh, St Andrews, inverness and 

inverurie. 

We’re taking the message of tax justice on the 

road around Britain and ireland in a double-decker 

bus, meeting supporters and journalists, and 

hosting briefings about our tax justice campaign for 

politicians and senior church leaders. 

We’ll be joined on the bus by lidy nacpil from 

our partner Jubilee South, a network of anti-debt 

coalitions in more than 60 countries across Asia, 

Africa and latin America. 

We’ll also have a representative from church 

Action on Poverty on board to talk about how tax 

dodging affects lives and livelihoods in poorer 

communities in the uK. 

Friday 5 october 

inverurie (tbc). 

For up-to-date 

details and to get 

involved please 

gust – 15 October check: 2012 christianaid. 

org.uk/scotland 

or contact diane 



Green on 0141 241 


6136 or dgreen@ 


X JUSTICE TOUR 

3 Scotland 

ctober 

ctober 

3 October 

October 

ober 

8 Northern Ireland 

– Sunday 30 September 

12 

6 Republic of Ireland 

September 

ptember 

4 North Wales 

September 

andudno 

26 September 

head 

Greenbelt Festival 

ust – Monday 27 August 

stival, Cheltenham 

13 

11 

10 

West Midlands 

29 August 

Evesham, Sutton Coldfield 

August 

ton, Worcester, Lichfield 1 

12 

13 

Other events 

Friday 21 

FINISHES 

HERE 

11 

September/ 10 

9 

tuesday 2 october 

Take One Action 1 

Film Festival 

2 

edinburgh 

filmhouse. 

3 

Kathy Galloway 

STARTS AT 

GREENBELT 

will speak after 

4 

Surviving Progress 

at 8.15pm on 21 

September and 



Paul Brannen after 



We’re not Friday Broke 

7 September 



on 2 october 

at 8.30pm. See 

christianaid.org. 

uk/scotland 

Sunday jhall@christian-aid.org 25 

november 

Paisley Abbey 

Thank You 

6.30pm, Paisley 

Abbey. An dthomas@christian-aid.org 

ecumenical service 

of thanksgiving to 

supporters led by 

Kathy Galloway. 

14 






17 

15 

16 

7 

8 

5 

6 

Days 47-49 Yorkshire 


Northallerton, Ripon, York, Hull 


Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley, Sheffield 


Morely, Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford, Leeds 16 





Bury, Bolton, Wigan, Chester 







Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Shrewsbury 9 



Leicester, Nottingham 


Calver, Buxton, Ashbourne 8 



Bedford, Stevenage, St Albans 





Ipswich, Bury, Cambridge 


6 

Peterborough, Norwich 

South Wales 



gust 



eptember 

Brighton 

Swansea, Neath 

ptember 




epstow 




2 West England 

Bromley, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Eastbourne 

eptember 


on 

Bexhill-on-Sea, Dover, Canterbury, Rochester 

eptember 


3 


5 

COmings, gOings And winnings 


LANDS (29-30 August; 24 September) EAST OF ENGLAND (18-19 September) SCOTLAND (1-5 October) 

hn Cooper, 0121 200 2283, 


Contact: Diane Green, 0141 241 6136, 

ristian-aid.org 


ALES (31 August – 2 September) 

OXFORD AREA (20-21 September) 

ari McNeill, 029 2084 4646, 


hristian-aid.org 

ENGLAND (3-4 September) 

EAST MIDLANDS (22-23 September) 

dia Nash, 01454 415923, 


stian-aid.org 


EST ENGLAND (5-8 September) 


395 222304 or 023 8070 6969 or 


@christian-aid.org 


AND THE SOUTH EAST (9-17 September) IRELAND (27-30 September) 

te Parr, 020 7523 2376, 

Contact: David Thomas, 028 9064 8133, 

tian-aid.org 

map artwork amends v4.indd 1 

Christian Aid 


dgreen@christian-aid.org 

We’ve recently Welcomed our new youth 

NORTH WEST (6 October; 12-15 October) 

Contact: David Hardman, 01925 582820, 

intern, dhardman@christian-aid.org catherine Falconer, who will work with 


youth Contact: groups Judith Sadler, all 0191 228 over 0115, Scotland, exploring 

jsadler@christian-aid.org 

development YORKSHIRE (9-11 October) issues and inspiring young people 

Contact: Lindsey Pearson, 0113 244 4764, 

lpearson@christian-aid.org 

to take action to overcome poverty and injustice. 

christianaid.org.uk/tax-bus 

Apart from spending some time with our tax 

Justice Bus, catherine 8/10/12 5:00 will PM be visiting Zimbabwe 

in october, and afterwards will be happy to visit 

church and youth groups to share her experiences. 

Scotland youth intern, 

Catherine Falconer 

(second left) with other 

campaigners aboard the 

Tax Justice Bus 

We’re saying farewell to our youth officer, matt 

Grady, who is packing his bags to spend a year 

with the christian Aid team in Sierra leone. We 

wish him and his wife Allison all the best. 

• Well done to the winners of our Christian 

Aid Week paper quiz – Graham rees of dunkeld, 

elizabeth thomson of Kelso, and also a winner 

from dunoon. each received Fairtrade treats. 

Great work! 


AROUND THE SOUTH EAST 

Regional news and events in Beds, Berks, Bucks, Herts and Oxon 

Be inspired! Volunteer! 

Sarah Clay 

EVENTS 

Volunteer teacher 

Alban Macdonald 

SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER 

March for Justice 

Sponsored Walk 

10.30am, Bridge Street, 

Abingdon. 

Walk in solidarity with India’s 

landless farmers, 8.5 miles 

along the Thames Path. Contact 

Jess Hall on 01865 246818 or 


FRIDAY 30 NOVEMBER 

Advent Hope 

8pm, Christ Church Cathedral, 

Oxford. 

Advent gives us time to wait 

expectantly and to reflect on our 

journey with Christ. It is a time 

of preparation – so together 

we will make it a time of action 

too… a time when heaven 

touches earth. 

THERE ARE MANY amazing 

people who give their time 

and skills to volunteer for 

Christian Aid. Whether 

going into a school to give 

an assembly, organising 

a fundraising event or 

collecting door-to-door 

during Christian Aid Week, 

their efforts help us to 

achieve more. We really 

value our volunteers and try 

to support them as best we 

can. Here, two volunteers 

from this region tell us what 

motivates them… 

Margaret Burbidge from Berkhamsted is a volunteer 

teacher, who regularly goes into secondary schools to speak 

in assemblies or lead discussions in lessons. She says she 

volunteers because ‘I believe each generation of children 

and young people need to hear the Christian Aid message 

about poverty and working to eradicate it.’ She adds: 

‘Volunteering is a small, practical way of being a Christian.’ 

Alban Macdonald not only organises the Christian Aid 

Week collections where he lives in Sandy, Bedfordshire, but 

has also taken on the role of volunteer teacher. He says: ‘I’m 

driven by Jesus’ commandment to love one another. My 

faith drives me to volunteer. It’s a desire for justice for all and 

to do what I think God wants me to do. I believe the work of 

Christian Aid helps bring a little more justice to the world. ’ 

If you already help us make a difference – thank you for 

everything you do. And if you feel inspired and want to get 

involved, please get in touch with Sarah Clay in the regional 

office on 01865 246818, or email sclay@christian-aid.org 

Contact Steve Johnson on 

01865 246818 or 

sjohnson@christian-aid.org 

WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER, 

THURSDAY 5 DECEMBER 

The Big Christmas Sing 

6.30pm, Oxford Town Hall. 

Join primary schools from 

across Oxfordshire singing their 

hearts out in anticipation of 

Christmas. Tickets £4/£2. 

Contact Sarah Clay on 

01865 246818 or 

sclay@christian-aid.org 

Find news and events for our 

region at christianaid.org.uk/ 

oxford. Your Christian Aid events 

can be publicised there too – 

just send us the details. 

CATCH THE TAx J 

CHRISTIAN AID’S TAx JUSTICE BUS will be making a series 

of stops in the South East region over the coming weeks. 

Come and hear how tax dodging affects the lives of the 

world’s poorest communities and learn what Christian Aid is 

doing to bring about tax justice. We will be joined by fellow 

campaigners Church Action on Poverty, who will talk about 

how tax dodging also affects lives and livelihoods in the UK. 

See also stories on page 4 and Campaigns, page 12. 

Here’s where you 

can catch the bus as 

it tours our region 


Shirley, Croydon 

12-2pm, Shirley Methodist 

Church, Eldon Avenue, CR0 7PT. 

Soup lunch. 

Come and explore the bus. 

Tonbridge 

3.30-5pm, Tonbridge Methodist 

Church, Higham Lane, Tonbridge 

TN10 4GT. 

Afternoon tea. 

Eastbourne 

7.30-9pm, St Richard’s Church, 

Priory Road, Eastbourne 

BN23 7Ax. 

Cheese and wine evening. 


Bexhill-on-Sea 

9-11.30am, St Barnabas Church, 

Sea Road, Bexhill-on-Sea TN40 

1JG. Come and explore the bus 

before you head off to church. 

Dover 

1pm, St Mary’s Church, Cannon 

Street, Dover CT16 1BY. 

1-2pm for lunch and talk, and 

2-3pm drop-in to look at the 

exhibition on board the bus, 

which will be parked nearby. 

Canterbury 

3.30-5pm, Christ Church 

University Campus. 

Tax Justice tea party 

Rochester 

6.30pm, St Luke’s Methodist 

Church, City Way, Rochester 

ME1 2BQ. 

Tax justice church service. 


Basildon 

11.30am-2pm, Town centre square. 

Drop-in to look at the exhibition. 

Chelmsford 

3.30pm-5pm, Backnang Square, 

Meadows Shopping Centre. 

Drop-in to look at the exhibition. 

Colchester 

6.30pm, High Street (opposite 

Colchester Town Hall). 

Drop-in to look at the exhibition, 

followed by a prayer service at 

the Baptist Church at 7.30pm. 

For further information, contact 

Kate Parr, 020 7523 2376, kparr@ 



Bedford 

9am, 10am and 11am, 

Harpur Square MK40 2SR. 

Tax justice briefings. 

Stevenage 

2pm, 3pm and 4pm, 

Town Square SG1 1BP. 

Tax justice briefings. 

St Albans 

7.30pm, Vineyard Church, Brick 

Knoll Park, Ashley Road AL1 5UG. 

Tax dodging hurts the poor: 

panel event. 


Oxford 

11am-12 noon, New Road Baptist 

Church, Bonn Square, Oxford 

Ox1 1LQ. 

Tax justice workshop. 

Witney 

2.30-3.30pm, Market Square and 

Windrush Room, Langdale Hall, 

Witney Ox28 6AB. 


Reading 

7.30-8.30pm, Caversham Heights 

Methodist Church, Reading 

RG4 7BG. 


For further information, contact 

Jess Hall on 01865 246818 or 


Christian Aid 


AROUND THE SOUTH AND WEST 

HikiNg, bikiNg 

AND NOT TAlkiNg! 

Staff update 

christian Aid supporters 

in the south and west are 

finding many different and 

exciting ways of raising 

money and awareness on 

behalf of the world’s poorest 

communities 

Christian Aid/Nigel Quarrell 

2011 marchers gather at 

Tewkesbury Abbey 

ManY suPPorTers wiLL again be 

walking in solidarity with dalit and tribal 

people in india who are marching for 

their land rights in october (see page 16). 

This year the popular March for Justice 

in the severn Vale starts in Framptonon-severn 

and ends at gloucester 

Cathedral. on a smaller scale, supporters 

in wimborne will be walking between 

the town’s churches on a circular route. 

Details of both these walks can be found 

in the events panel, opposite. 

experienced walkers Jim hunter 

and Mark hoole from exmouth have 

been inspired to do their own March 

for Justice, taking on the 103 miles of 

the Two Moors way, over three days in 

october. To cover the distance of more 

than a marathon a day, they’ll need a 

combined effort of walking and running 

as they negotiate the rugged terrain 

of the moors. Congratulations to John 

wilmut, who completed his 1,084-mile 

challenge, walking from Land’s end 

to John o’groats three days earlier 

than planned, and raised more than 

£8,000 for Christian aid’s work in 

improving education. 

Meanwhile, on two wheels, Jane 

hough from winchester, who takes 

on a major cycling challenge each 

year to raise money for Christian aid, 

recently completed her grand Tour of 

great Britain, celebrating the Queen’s 

Jubilee. she managed 1,109 miles in 

just over two weeks and raised £1,105. 

Two members of our south west team, 

Charlotte Page and helen Burgess, are 

also taking to their bikes as part of the 

Cathedrals to Coast sponsored Bike ride 

– more details in the events panel. 

Christians Together, in Paignton, has 

been organising a sponsored silence for 

Christian aid for the past seven years 

and the amount raised over that time has 

averaged around £1,000 a year. This year 

it decided to focus on a specific project 

as an example of what the money could 

achieve. This was the installation of a 

solar thermal system at a hospital in the 

Kailahun district of sierra Leone. This 

meant that the silence, together with a 

coffee morning, raised £1,800. 

SEEiNg RED fOR TAx jUSTicE 

we are VerY PLeaseD that gill 

alexander (pictured left) will soon be 

returning to the west team following 

her maternity leave. gill comes 

back to work, on a half-time basis, 

at the end of october as regional 

coordinator for somerset. 

as a result, we are equally pleased 

that Lydia nash (pictured above, 

right) will continue, also on a halftime 

basis, as regional coordinator 

for greater Bristol. Lydia will also 

continue to be responsible for youth 

work in the west region. 

Louise eldridge has recently joined 

the west team on our internship 

scheme as student and youth worker. 

Louise comes from London and has 

been studying at warwick university. 

she will soon be visiting Christian 

aid partners in Zimbabwe and if you 

would like her to speak to your youth 

group, please contact the Bristol office. 

on a more solemn note, we were 

sorry to hear of the recent death 

of Cliff warren after a long illness. 

Cliff was responsible for the work of 

Christian aid in hampshire for more 

than 20 years until he retired in 2000. 

supporters in the county will hold 

warm memories of Cliff, and our 

condolences go to his wife Valerie, 

family and friends. 

There was a greaT response when 

Christian aid’s Tax Justice Bus toured 

the south and west at the beginning 

of september. supporters and 

campaigners joined church leaders, 

MPs and other civic figures to visit the 

bus when it stopped in their area. 

They heard our message of tax 

justice from expert campaigns staff 

and partners from around the world 

explained how tax dodging affects their 

lives and what they are doing to bring 

about change. 

The red London double-decker’s 

journey began at the greenbelt 

festival in Cheltenham on 24 august 

and after briefly visiting south wales, 

it made stops in Bristol, Taunton, 

Truro, Falmouth, Torquay, exeter, 

honiton, Dorchester, Poole, salisbury, 

southampton, Locks heath and 

Portsmouth. 

You can find photos and stories of 

the journey on the west and south west 

regional webpages and Facebook pages 

(see top of opposite page). 

Christian Aid 

South and West team 

members Anna Potts, 

right, and Louise Eldridge 

aboard the Tax Justice Bus 


AROUND WALES 

FROM PUDDINGS 

TO PRAISES 

Last winter’s edition of Christian Aid 

News featured a fundraising evening in 

west wales organised by two sixth-form 

students to raise money for the Christian 

aid east africa appeal. one of those 

who supported the evening was Geraint 

rees, a keen musician and local chapel 

organist. over the years Geraint has 

taken part in a number of ‘organathons’ 

to raise money for local charities, and he 

was so impressed with the efforts of the 

organisers of ‘Pwdin a Phaned’, that he 

decided the time was ripe to do another 

one for Christian aid. 

‘i have supported Christian aid through 

the chapel for many years,’ says Geraint, 

‘but had never done anything myself 

to raise money for it. when i saw what 

these two young girls had achieved, i 

felt that this was my opportunity to do 

something myself.’ 

the organathon took place on 

saturday 7 July from 10am-6pm, at 

rama Chapel near Carmarthen. Geraint 

played the organ for eight hours, with 

a friend stepping in to allow him the 

occasional comfort break. 

‘i played my favourite music and 

Geraint Rees’ 

‘organathon’ raised 

more than £1,100 

pieces that i was familiar with, and that i 

knew people who called in would enjoy. 

Mostly hymns, but also other popular 

works,’ he says. 

‘i teach a number of local children and 

young people to sing and had arranged 

for them to take part as soloists and in 

groups. i had also invited other people i 

know to come along and take part during 

the day, and of course people who came 

to listen joined in with the hymns and 

songs they knew. we are fortunate to 

have a lot of local talent, which added 

some variety to the programme.’ 

‘i think that what impressed me most 

was the fact that people were coming in 

throughout the day. some would stay 

for one or two items, while others were 

there for a long time. indeed, at one time 

in the afternoon, i counted at least 50 

people in the little chapel joining in with 

some of their favourite hymns!’ 

with sponsorship signed up 

beforehand and donations during the 

day and after the event, the organathon 

has already raised more than £1,100, 

which just goes to show how one good 

idea can spark off others. 

Alun Lenny 

BAGS FOR LIFE 

Christian aid in 

waLes is pleased 

to announce a 

partnership with 

Merched y wawr (the 

leading welsh-language 

organisation for women 

in wales) in a project for 2012/13, 

Beth am Gyfrannu – BaG (why not 

contribute a bag). 

during the year, members of the 

organisation will contribute and 

collect bags of all sizes, and for all 

uses and occasions, for Christian aid, 

culminating in a bag fashion show 

and grand bag sale at the national 

eisteddfod in denbigh in august 2013. 

in the past, Merched y wawr has 

taken part in two similar projects with 

other charities, collecting bras and 

shoes, both of which proved to be 

very successful. 

Merched y wawr hopes to persuade 

some prominent and well-known 

women in welsh media, politics and 

public life to contribute a bag, and 

will also approach some of its other 

partner organisations to take part in 

the project. in addition, it is inviting 

members of the public to donate 

a bag. 

all bags will be stored at the 

Merched y wawr headquarters in 

aberystwyth, and no bag will go to 

waste. any deemed not good enough 

for the sale will be sold to a bag 

recycling company. 

Merched y wawr president Gill 

Griffiths said that she is ‘very pleased 

to be working with Christian aid’, and 

that the idea of contributing a bag 

has already ‘fired the imagination 

of members’. there are, for 

example, plans to have a short story 

competition using the bag theme. 

she also felt that it was appropriate 

that ‘the money raised from the 

sale will go towards some of the 

many Christian aid partner projects 

supporting women in the poorest 

countries.’ 

it is hoped that Gill will be able to 

travel to see some of these projects 

during the year in order to promote 

the appeal with Merched y wawr’s 

local groups around wales. 


KEEp up tO datE With What’s happEninG aCROss yOuR aREa: lOG OntO yOuR lOCal WEBsitE at 

christianaid.org.uk/eastengland • christianaid.org.uk/eastmidlands • christianaid.org.uk/westmidlands 

Marching 

for Justice 

tHiS aUtUmN, Christian aid 

supporters can join several 

sponsored walks in solidarity 

with land rights marchers in 

india. (See story on page 16). 

• The Malvern march for 

Justice on Saturday 6 October 

will be a 10-mile sponsored 

walk across the malvern Hills 

from Ledbury to malvern. 

it will be followed by a 

celebration service in malvern 

priory. Contact Jill Stone 

on 0121 200 2283, or email 

jstone@christian-aid.org 

• peterborough’s march for 

Justice on the same day will 

kick off with a circular route 

around the city, bringing 

together different faith 

groups. We finish at about 

4pm, at St John’s Church 

in Cathedral Square, where 

there will be refreshments 

and children’s activities, 

followed by a service at 5pm. 

For more information, contact 

the East of England office 

on 01733 345755 or email 

eastengland@christian-aid.org 

• In Bury st Edmunds on 

Saturday 6 October, we start 

at 10.30am with a service in 

bury Cathedral, followed by 

a footprint trail around the 

building. at 12 noon there will 

be a picnic in Nowton park, 

and a sponsored walk around 

the edge of the park. 

• In norwich we will be 

walking on Saturday 29 

September. We will pray 

at six churches along the 

way, starting at St thomas’, 

earlham road, and finishing 

with evening prayers at the 

anglican Cathedral at 3.30pm. 

For more information about 

the norwich and Bury st 

Edmunds walks, call the East 

of England office in norwich, 

on 01603 620051, or email 

eastengland@christian-aid.org 

EVENTS IN CENTRAL ENGLAND 

East Midlands 


Good Will supper 

7pm for 7.30pm, edward King 

room, Lincoln diocesan Offices, 

the Old palace, minster yard, 

Lincoln LN2 1pU. 

tickets are £15 and include meal 

and entertainment. For details, 

please contact the east midlands 

office on 01509 265013, or email 


SatUrday 29 September 

Quiz supper 

7pm, Storrs road methodist 

Church, Chesterfield S40 3py. 

Quiz plus bring and share supper. 

donations to Christian aid. 

SUNday 30 September 

loughborough simple sunday 

lunch 

12.30pm, all Saints’ 

Church, thorpe acre road, 

Loughborough Le11 4LF. 

SatUrday 6 OCtOber 

Book sale 

10am-12 noon, the Civic Hall, 

dronfield S18 1pd. 

Giant paperback book sale for 

Christian aid. also includes Cds, 

tapes, dVds, bric-a-brac, cake 

stall, traidcraft goods, Christmas 

cards, food and refreshments. 

WedNeSday 10 OCtOber 

5th annual Christian aid Quiz 

and supper Evening 

7.15pm for 7.30pm start, the 

rothley Centre, Le7 7pr. 

100 questions plus a 

ploughman’s supper. teams of 

up to four people. Suggested 

donation from £5 per person. 

book places in advance (from 

September) with albert on 

0116 230 3500 or Helen on 0116 

230 4634. 


Once and For all 

6pm for 6.45pm start, the Grand 

Hall, St martin’s House. 

Complimentary drink (at 6pm), 

dinner, presentation and auction. 

tickets are £20. to book, email 

eastmidlands@christianaid.org 

or ring 01509 265013. 

SUNday 28 OCtOber 


lunch 

12.30pm, the Good Shepherd, 

Loughborough. 

SUNday 25 NOVember 


lunch 

12.30pm, trinity methodist, 

royland road, Loughborough 

Le11 2eH. 

SUNday 23 deCember 


lunch 

12.30pm, baptist Church, baxter 

Gate, Loughborough. 

WEst Midlands 


Once and For all 

7pm, Carrs Lane Church (UrC), 

birmingham b4 7SX. 

a thank you event with Nader 

abu amsha (from the ymCa 

in beit Sahour, bethlehem). 

a dynamic presentation of 

stories, music and images 

from around the globe. be 

inspired, challenged and thanked 

by a glimpse of what your 

fundraising helps achieve. 

For further information, please 

email birmingham@christianaid.org 

or ring 0121 200 2293. 


Event for the nuneaton churches 

7:30pm, St paul’s Stockingford, 

94 Church rd, Nuneaton CV10 

8LG. 

Christian aid middle east church 

partnership scheme. Headline 

speaker is Nader abu amsha, 

director of the rehabilitation 

programme at Christian aid 

partner the ymCa in bethlehem, 

which works with young 

people with disabilities in the 

West bank. For details, contact 

anne Vincent on 024 7635 

0737, or email pannevincent@ 

googlemail.com 


Malvern March For Justice 

solidarity Walk. 

See panel, left. 


Care for Creation – a Celebration 

10.30am-12 noon, 2-4pm, 

Lichfield Cathedral, Lichfield, 

WS13 7Ld. 

Come to all or some of a special 

day to celebrate our role in 

working for climate justice by 

caring for creation. a morning’s 

messy Church to celebrate ‘what 

a wonderful world’ followed by 

a picnic. the afternoon session 

will have two distinguished 

speakers, professor tim Gorringe 

(University of exeter) and 

isabel Carter (Operation Noah). 

Sunday morning worship at the 

Cathedral, the following day, will 

include liturgy available for use 

around the diocese. 

For more information on this 

exciting day contact Ruth 

Brooker (Mon and Weds). Email: 

tc@lichfield.anglican.org or 

tel: 01922 707864. 

Friday 19 OCtOber 

Once and For all – a thank you 

event 

7.30pm St philips Church, 

Church road, bradmore, 

Wolverhampton WV3 7eJ. 

a multimedia presentation 

of stories, music and images 

(with buffet supper). For details, 

contact the birmingham office 

on 0121 200 2283 or email 

birmingham@christian-aid.org 

1-30 NOVember 

Will aid 

Will aid presents an ideal 

opportunity for you to put your 

affairs in order while helping to 

raise money for the nine Will aid 

charities, including Christian aid. 

to find out more, please visit 

willaid.org.uk or contact your 

legacy and regional coordinator, 

pete Kelsall at 0121 200 2283 or 

pkelsall@christian-aid.org. 

SUNday 2 deCember 

On the Road to Bethlehem 

– nuneaton’s Big Christmas sing 

6.30pm, St John’s methodist 

Church, Nuneaton. 

Celebrate the approach 

of Christmas with choirs, 

musicians, a short puppet 

presentation for the youngsters 

and favorite carols. For more 

information, call anne Vincent 

on 024 7635 0737 or email 

pannevincent@gmail.com 

Friday 7 deCember 

Christmas Concert 

7pm, Small Heath baptist 

Church, 14 Jenkins Street, 

birmingham b10 0QH. 

the 4th annual young Strings 

project Christmas Concert to 

raise funds for Christian aid. 

For details contact dave on 0121 

200 2283 or see christianaid.org. 

uk/westmidlands 

6 JaNUary 2013 

Birmingham sponsored swim 

10am-6pm, University of 

birmingham. 

Join this fantastic event in its 

2nd year and take the plunge 

to end poverty. Last January 

swimmers from seven to 

76 raised more than £1,500. 

For more information visit 

christianaid.org.uk/swim 

East OF EnGland 


march for Justice 



march for Justice 



KEEP uP TO DATE WiTH WHAT’S HAPPENiNG ACrOSS YOur rEGiON: LOG ON TO YOur LOCAL WEBSiTE AT 

christianaid.org.uk/northeast • christianaid.org.uk/northwest • christianaid.org.uk/yorkshire 





Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley, Sheffield 


Morely, Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford, Leeds 16 












Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Shrewsbury 9 





Calver, Buxton, Ashbourne 8 



Bedford, Stevenage, St Albans 







6 


ondon and South East 

mber 

or Regis, Worthing 

ember – Wednesday 12 September 

tember 

rd, Central London 

ber 

aling, Teddington, Streatham 

tember 

aks, Tonbridge, Eastbourne 

ember 

over, Canterbury, Rochester 

ember 

5 

ford, Colchester 

COTLAND (1-5 October) 

ontact: Diane Green, 0141 241 6136, 

green@christian-aid.org 

ORTH WEST (6 October; 12-15 October) 

ontact: David Hardman, 01925 582820, 

hardman@christian-aid.org 

ORTH EAST (7-8 October) 

ontact: Judith Sadler, 0191 228 0115, 

adler@christian-aid.org 

ORKSHIRE (9-11 October) 

ontact: Lindsey Pearson, 0113 244 4764, 

earson@christian-aid.org 

hristianaid.org.uk/tax-bus 

EVENTS IN NORTH ENGLAND 

FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 

Bucket collection 

York Railway Station 

Any offers of help gratefully 

received 

Contact christianaidyork@ 



SATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 

Christian Aid Coffee Morning 

10am-12 noon, Hornsea Parish 

Hall, Hornsea. 

All welcome. 


Neston Quizaid 

7:30pm, Parkgate & Neston 

United Reformed Church, 

Parkgate Road, Neston. 

Tickets cost £7.50 and include a 

fish-and-chips supper. 

SATURDAY 22 SEPTEMBER, 


March for Justice 

Various venues 

A series of solidarity walks are 

being held in support of 100,000 

dalit and landless people in 

India, who are marching for land 

rights. Walks range from a short 

stroll to a day’s hike. 

Saturday 22 September – Rydal 

Hall Cafe, Cumbria, from 9:30am. 

Saturday 6 October – Ripon 

Cathedral, 10am. 

Saturday 6 October – Bede’s Way 

Sponsored Walk. 

For more information and to 

register, contact your regional 

office or visit: christianaid.org.uk/ 

marchforjustice-uk 

8/10/12 5:00 PM 

MONDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 

Volunteer training day 

10.30am-3pm, Bank Quay House, 

Sankey Street, Warrington 

WA1 1NN. 

For speakers and teachers, a day 

of inspiration looking towards 

Christmas. To book your place, 

contact the Warrington office on 

01925 573 769. 


Poverty Over Youth Event 

7-9.30pm, Durham Cathedral. 

An evening of free workshops, 

debate and worship for young 

people from Year 7 upwards. For 

information and booking, please 

contact Caroline Johnson on 

education@durhamcathedral. 

co.uk or 0191 374 4070. 


British Legion Band Concert 

7.30pm, St Mary’s Church, Thirsk. 

Contact Paul Rathbone 

paul2rathbone@btinternet.com 


Volunteer training day 

10.30am-3pm, Sandylands 

Methodist Church, Sandgate, 

Kendal LA9 6EU. 

For speakers and teachers, a day 

of inspiration looking towards 

Christmas. To book your place, 

please contact the Warrington 

office on 01925 573 769. 

SATURDAY 29 SEPTEMBER – 

MONDAY 15 OCTOBER, 

Poverty Over Exhibition 

Ripon Cathedral. 

Please contact the Yorkshire 

office for more information. 

SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 

Guisborough Boundary Walk 

Join Guisborough Christian Aid 

Group on sponsored walks 

around the parish boundary – 

several walks available between 

2.5 and 22 miles! 

For more information contact 

alwyn.jones3@ntlworld.com 

WEDNESDAY 3 OCTOBER 


10.30am-12 noon, Palm Court 

Hotel, St Nicholas Cliff, 

Scarborough. 

All welcome. 

More information contact David 

Bridge on 01723 362091 or 

davidgarnerbridge@googlemail. 

com 

FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER, THURSDAY 

8 NOVEMBER 

Once and For All 

A dynamic new presentation that 

unveils Christian Aid’s 

transforming work in developing 

countries and our vision of 

Poverty Over. For more 

information, contact the 

Warrington office on 

01925 573 769. 

Friday 5 October – 7pm, Formby. 

Thursday 8 November – 7.30pm, 

Murdishaw Church, The 

Ridgeway, Murdishaw, Runcorn 

WA7 6ER. 


Leeds Street Collection 

Contact the Leeds office to offer 

your help. 


Volunteer training event 

10.30am-3pm, Christian Aid 

North East Office, 42-44 Mosley 

Street, Newcastle. 

For volunteers and people 

interested in volunteering. 

Please register interest with 

Sarah Moon on smoon@ 


THURSDAY 11 OCTOBER 

Fashion show 

7-9pm, M&Co, Prince Street, 

Bridlington. 

Tickets £5, to include a glass of 

wine/soft drink and nibbles, 

available from the store. 

For more details, contact Janet 

Padwick, janet@padwickbrid. 

orangehome.co.uk 


Harrogate Band Concert 

7.30pm, Holy Trinity Church, 

Ripon. 

Tickets £6 adults, £4 children. 

Optional candlelit meal (£10) 

at 6.30pm. 

For more information or to book, 

contact Michael Montgomery on 

01765 605276 or email 

littlethorpe@btinternet.com 


Fundraising Day 

St Crux, York. 

Including refreshments, bric-abrac, 

books. Any offers of help 

gratefully received. 

Contact christianaidyork@ 


SUNDAY 21 OCTOBER 

Bungee off the Bridge! 

Transporter Bridge, 

Middlesbrough. 

Fancy trying an adrenalin-filled 

bungee jump to raise money for 

Christian Aid? 

For more information, please 

contact events@christian-aid.org 

or 0207 523 2127. 

FRIDAY 26 OCTOBER – 


Sanctuary Youth Event 

7.30pm-7am, Blackburn 

Cathedral. 

An all-night event for young 

people, including workshops, 

drama, arts and inflatables! 


Haiti Evening 

7:30pm, Tithe Barn, Carlisle. 

The evening includes a 

Caribbean buffet, live music and 

a talk from the Bishop of Carlisle. 

Tickets cost £7.50. For more 

information, contact the Carlisle 

Tourist Information Centre or 

phone 01697 473556. 

SATURDAY 3 NOVEMBER 

Peace & Justice in the Holy Land 

10am-4pm, St Joseph’s Parish 

Centre, Gateshead. 

£6 (£3 concession) See story, left. 

For more information or to book, 

please contact the Newcastle 

office on newcastle@christianaid.org 

or 0191 228 0115. 


Sing for your Supper 

7.30pm, Holy Cross Church, 

Timperley. 


Doris Robinson on 0161 973 2882. 



8.30am-12 noon, Town Hall, 

Market Place, Richmond. 

Cake stall, tombola, Christmas 

stall. All welcome. 

TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 

Cathedral celebration 

7pm, Carlisle Cathedral. 

Join the Carlisle Transition Choir 

to celebrate the end of ‘Home for 

Haiti’ project. 


Beck Hurst on 01925 582 829. 

SUNDAY 2 DECEMBER 

Santa Dash 

9am, Pier Head, Liverpool. 

Join 8,000 Santas in a 5K run 

through Liverpool City Centre. 

For more information contact 

Karen on 01925 582 825 or text 

Santa to 07414 829 744. 

SUNDAY 2 DECEMBER 

Advent Hope Service 

7pm, Methodist Church, Wesley 

Avenue, Sandbach. 

For more information contact the 

Warrington office. 

SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER 

Sheffield Carol Sing 

10.30am-4.30pm, 

Sheffield City Centre. 

Collectors and singers needed. 

For details, contact Sara Millard 

on 0114 2864427 or cello67@ 

hotmail.com 


Carol singing/Big Christmas Sing 

11am-12noon, Thirsk Market Place. 

Contact Paul Rathbone at 

paul2rathbone@btinternet.com 

MONDAY 24 DECEMBER 

Carol singing and bucket 

collection 

York Railway Station. 

Musicians, singers and collectors 

wanted. 

Please contact christianaidyork@ 


SATURDAY 26 JANUARY 2013 

Christian Aid Quiet Day 

10.30am-3pm, St Antony’s Priory, 

Durham. 

With Kathy Galloway, director of 

Christian Aid Scotland. Please 

register interest with Sarah 

Moon on smoon@christian-aid. 

org or 0191 464 4782. 


Keep up to date with what’s happening across your area: log on to the christian aid 

scotland website at christianaid.org.uk/scotland 

Keryn’s mission 

Keryn BanKs, from the 

scotland team, will be heading 

off to Israel and the occupied 

Palestinian territory to 

volunteer with the ecumenical 

accompaniment Programme 

in Palestine and Israel (eaPPI). 

eaPPI is a World Council of 

Churches programme run 

by Quaker Peace and social 

Witness on behalf of churches 

in Britain and Ireland. It sends 

volunteers to Israel and the 

occupied Palestinian territory 

to monitor human rights 

violations, witness the suffering 

of ordinary Palestinians and tell 

their stories when they return 

home. Christian aid has been 

partnering with the Quakers to run this programme since 2002. 

Keryn, who will be in the field from september to December, will be 

blogging to share some of her experiences while she is there. Her blog 

will be on the Christian aid scotland website during this time – please 

check christianaid.org.uk/scotland for updates. On her return, in 2013, 

Keryn will be available to come and speak to your church or community 

group. Please get in touch with the Glasgow office on 0141 221 7475 or 

email Keryn directly on kbanks@christian-aid.org 

Jen Clark 

calling all musicians 

are yOu MusICally talented and do you enjoy performing the work 

of Johann sebastian Bach? If so, we need you for our Bach 2 Bach 

Marathon on saturday 4 May 2013 at st Mary’s Cathedral, edinburgh. 

From 9am-12 midnight the Bach Marathon will host up to 30 unique 

performances of Bach and we are looking for volunteers to book a slot 

to perform a Bach classic of their choice, in their own way, either solo 

or as part of a group. For more information contact amy Menzies at 

amenzies@christian-aid.org or go to christianaid.org.uk/bach2bach 

SHORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN 

More poetry, 

less poverty 

Bring Burns night to your church, workplace, 

school or local community next January by 

taking part in Christian aid’s Burns supper! you 

can order a free fundraising pack that contains all 

you need to help you organise a Burns supper, 

including recipes, poems and new ideas on how 

to make your Burns supper one for all to enjoy. 

you don’t have to do a full traditional Burns 

supper. Instead, why not have a soup-andsandwich 

lunch with cock-a-leekie soup and 

haggis sandwiches? Order the free fundraising 

pack to give you some inspiration and get in 

touch with us at Christian aid for lots more ideas. 

Join us all in saying nO to poverty and yes to 

poetry. see christianaid.org.uk/burnssupper 

Marching for justice 

in Inverness 

In October 2011 Christian aid partner ekta 

Parishad began a year-long series of land rights 

rallies and marches to mobilise marginalised 

dalit and tribal people from across India to 

take part in a month-long march to lobby the 

government in October 2012. (see page 16.) 

This autumn Christian aid scotland is 

marching in solidarity with those in India. 

access and rights to land are vital for rural 

communities to support themselves and their 

families, and could potentially lift hundreds of 

millions of Indians out of extreme poverty. 

This year, to coincide with ekta Parishad’s 

main 100,000-strong march from Gwalior to 

Delhi, Christian aid has been organising March 

for Justice walks across Britain. 

In scotland we’ll be holding an event in 

Inverness on saturday 6 October, which will take 

participants on a tour of the city churches, with 

exhibitions about our work on land rights in 

India and around the world. 

The long… 

and the short! 

Gathering support for 

the march in India 

We’d like to say a special thanks to the Rev Ranald Gauld, from Keith, who 

recently raised nearly £1,200 by having a sponsored haircut for Christian Aid 

Christian Aid/Simon Williams 


KEEP uP tO dAtE WitH WHAt’S HAPPEning ACROSS YOuR REgiOn: LOg On tO YOuR LOCAL WEbSitE At 

christianaid.org.uk/oxford • christianaid.org.uk/london • christianaid.org.uk/southeast 

Regional news and events in london, essex, Surrey, Kent and Sussex 

uStice BuS 

welcome to 

the team 

HeLLO tO Our NeW student and 

youth interns – geography graduates 

david (who supports exeter and 

loves kayaking) and Lisa (a selfprofessed 

adrenalin junkie who also 

likes movies and ice cream). and we 

are also welcoming miriam, who 

will be working nationally to support 

young people from united reformed 

Churches. 

during their 10 months with us, the 

interns will visit our partners overseas 

(probably in Zimbabwe) and then work 

to get students and young adults in 

our region to join in the fight against 

poverty! this can be through bible 

studies, debates, campaign stunts, 

films, creative ideas, such as the 

disgusting Flying toilet challenge, or 

sponsored abseils off church towers! 

So email LSe@christian-aid.org to 

invite them to pay your church youth 

group a visit. and while you are at it, 

check out our new website for young 

people: christianaidcollective.org 

We love it and we are sure you will too! 

London and South East region 

interns, Chris Bright, Miriam 

Webb, Lisa Douglas, rear, Joanna 

Callender, and David Millar 

aboard the Tax Justice Bus 

EVENTS 

a ‘wheel’ challenge 

Hannah Peterson 

Hannah will always 

have Paris 

on 18 July, Christian aid’s London 

regional coordinator, Hannah Griffiths, 

and 32 other Christian aid supporters 

set off on a mammoth four-day, 

312-mile bike ride from London to 

paris. the route took them through the 

poignant Somme area and, eventually, 

to the eiffel tower in paris. Hannah 

says that although challenging, it was 

an incredible experience, topped off 

with the chance to see bradley Wiggins 

winning the tour de France! as a group, 

the cyclists have raised a fantastic 

£60,000 for Christian aid’s work with 

the world’s poorest communities. 

If you’re looking for an exhilarating 

challenge, why not join team poverty 

on one of our sponsored bike rides, 

treks or runs? to find out more, visit 

christianaid.org.uk/events 

For more information about 

any of the events below, please 

contact the London and South 

East office on 020 7523 2105 or 

email LSE@christian-aid.org. 

You can also visit our regional 

web pages (see top of page). 


Richmond Park March for Justice 


this harvest, Christian aid 

supporters will be raising 

money for the world’s poorest 

communities by taking part in 

the richmond park Sponsored 

Walk. We will also be walking in 

solidarity with 100,000 people in 

India who are marching for land 

rights this October (See page 16). 

the walk is family-friendly and 

open to all. take part in a three- 

or six-mile walk. 

• Registration: 10am at the 

Cambrian Centre, Cambrian 

road, richmond tW10 6SN. 

• Walk start time: 10.30am. 

WedNeSday 17 OCtOber 


Launch event, 5.15pm for 6pm, 

Chelmsford Cathedral. 

a sculpture and photographic 

exhibition challenging our 

responses to those living in 

poverty and highlighting our 

work around the world to end 

injustice. the exhibition will be 

on display until 26 October. 

FrIday 26 OCtOber-tueSday 

13 NovembeR 


rochester Cathedral. 

ThuRsday 1 NovembeR 

Campaigns evening 

5.30-9pm, 35 Lower marsh, 

London Se1 7rL. 

Learn more about tax justice, be 

inspired by our partners and get 

equipped to take action in your 

church and community. 

tueSday 4 deCember 

Advent Hope, Carols by 

Candlelight 

7.30pm, Lancing College Chapel, 

near Worthing. 

a special candlelit service with 

music from Worthing Choral 

Society. tickets free but on a firstcome, 

first-served basis. 

Saturday 8 deCember 

Hope in this Holy Land: an 

Advent Retreat 

1-5pm, King’s College Chapel, 

Strand, London WC2r 2LS. 

an afternoon of stories, prayer 

and reflection exploring Christian 

aid’s peace and reconciliation 

work in Israel and the occupied 

palestinian territory. 

ThuRsday 31 JaNuaRy 

Annual supporters’ evening 

2-4.30pm or 6-8.30pm, Inter- 

Church house, 35-41 Lower 

marsh, London Se1 7rL. 

a great opportunity to find out 

more about 2013’s Christian 

aid Week materials, to meet 

other volunteers and to hear 

about a very important year 

for campaigning. as with last 

year, we are running the session 

twice, once in the afternoon and 

once in the evening. 


KeeP uP TO DATe WITh WhAT’S hAPPenIng ACROSS YOuR AReA: lOg On TO YOuR lOCAl WeBSITe AT 

christianaid.org.uk/southwest • christianaid.org.uk/west 

Loretta picnics with supporters 

Stephen Dominey 

CHRISTIAN AID DIRECTOR 

Loretta Minghella joined a 

celebration picnic to launch 

the Poverty Over exhibition 

at Winchester Cathedral in 

June. The sun shone and 

the band played as Christian 

Aid supporters from across 

Hampshire joined Loretta 

in the Dean of Winchester’s 

garden. 

The picnic followed a 

Christian Aid-themed service 

Loretta Minghella 

addresses supporters 

in Winchester 

at the Cathedral, at which 

Loretta preached. In her 

sermon, Loretta shared the 

moving story of her own 

journey with Christian Aid. 

and her own experiences 

of rediscovering her faith. 

Loretta also talked about her 

visit to partner organisations 

in Sierra Leone, this year’s 

focus country for Christian 

Aid Week. 

At the garden party, 

Loretta paid tribute to the 

dedication of local Christian 

Aid supporters and their 

commitment to our work to 

eradicate extreme poverty. 

The picnic’s party atmosphere 

was enhanced by Portchester 

Community School’s Panjazz 

International steel band, 

which played at the invitation 

of the Very Rev James Atwell 

and his wife, Lorna. 

Christian Aid’s Poverty 

Over Cathedral Exhibition, 

with its stunning sculpture 

centrepiece, Eye of Poverty, 

has also visited Salisbury 

Cathedral and will come to 

other cathedrals in the region 

over the coming year. 

Loretta will be also be at the 

West team’s annual supporter 

event at Manvers Street 

Baptist Church, Bath, on 

26 March 2013. 

YOUR LOCAL OFFICE 

BRISTOl OFFICe 

(Bristol, Gloucestershire, 

Somerset, Wiltshire) 

57 High Street 

Thornbury 

Bristol 

BS35 2AP 

01454 415 923 

west@christian-aid.org 

facebook.com/ 

ChristianAidWest 

exMOuTh OFFICe 

(Cornwall, Devon) 

35a The Parade 

Exmouth 

Devon 

EX8 1RH 

01395 222 304 


SOuThAMPTOn OFFICe 

(Channel Isles, Dorset, 

Hampshire, Isle of Wight) 

Isaac Watts Church 

Winchester Road 

Southampton 

SO16 6TS 

023 8070 6969 


EVENTS IN THE SOUTH AND WEST 

SATURDAY 22 – SUNDAY 

23 SEPTEMBER 

Cathedrals to Coast Sponsored 

Bike Ride 

Starting at Esher Common and 

taking in Guildford, Winchester 

and Salisbury cathedrals, 

Mottisfont Abbey and the New 

Forest, before reaching the 

Jurassic Coast at Christchurch 

and finishing in Weymouth. 

Contact Helen Burgess on 01395 

222308 or email 

hburgess@christian-aid.org 


Weymouth Bridge Afternoon 

1.45pm for 2pm, St Andrew’s 

Church Rooms, Church Road, 

Preston, Weymouth. 

An afternoon of bridge with tea, 

cost £6.50 per person. 

Contact Julia Moore on 

01305 776138. 


March for Justice – Severn Vale 


A 12-mile walk in solidarity with 

dalits and tribal people who are 

marching for land rights in India. 

The route is from Frampton-on- 

Severn to Gloucester Cathedral 

through beautiful countryside 

along the Severn Way and 

Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. 

Register at christianaid.org.uk/ 

walks or call 01454 415 923. 


Yate Sponsored Swim 

6-7pm, Yate Leisure Centre, 

Kennedy Way, Yate. 

A sponsored swim for Christian 

Aid using both pools so all ages 

and abilities can take part. 

Contact Gus Smith at gus. 

smith@o2.co.uk 


Purton Christian Aid Concert 

7pm, Bradon Forest School, The 

Peak, Purton. 

Concert featuring the Wessex 

Male Choir, the Jubilate Choir 

and a guest women’s choir 

from London. 

Contact Anna Potts on 01454 

415923 or email apotts@ 



Once and for All 

6.30pm, Teignmouth Methodist 

Church, Somerset Place, 

Teignmouth. 

Find details of this multi-media 

event at christianaid.org.uk/ 

churches 

Contact Exmouth office on 01395 

222308 or email exmouth@ 



Make Your Money Count 

Conference 

9.30am-3.30pm, Council House, 

College Green, Bristol. 

Christian Aid joins with other 

agencies to bring you an array 

of expert speakers at this 

conference on ethical finance. 

Cost £15 (£10 concessions). 

Contact Lydia Nash on 01454 

415923 or email 



Wimborne March for Justice 

A short walk around Wimborne 

in solidarity with dalits and 

tribal people who are marching 

for land rights in India. The 

walk starts and finishes at St 

Catherine’s Church and stops for 

short reflections at various town 

centre churches. 

Contact Southampton office 

on 023 8070 6969 or email 


FRIDAY 19 OCTOBER 

Once and For All 

7.30pm, Cullompton Community 

Centre, Pye Corner, Cullompton. 

Find details of this multi-media 

presentation and event at 

christianaid.org.uk/churches. 

Contact Exmouth office, 

as before 


Isle of Wight Sponsored Abseil 

Find out more about our 

sponsored abseils at 


Contact Helen Burgess, 

as before. 


World AIDS Day Abseil and 

Reflective Service 

Plymouth. 

Find out more about our 

sponsored abseils at 


Contact Helen Burgess, 

as before. 

FRIDAY 7 DECEMBER 

Truro Big Christmas Sing 

7.30pm, Truro Cathedral, Pydar 

Street, Truro. 

Find details of our Big Christmas 

Sings at christianaid.org.uk/ 

events 

Contact Exmouth office, 

as before. 



Day conference for youth 

workers 

10am-4.30pm, Hope Community 

Church, Newtown, Powys. 


Diwrnod i’r Brenin 

10.30am-4pm, Royal Welsh 

Showground, Builth Wells. 

A day of celebration and faithbuilding 

for the churches of the 

Union of Welsh Independents 

and the Baptist Union of Wales. 

Worship, workshops, speakers, 

music, various stalls, activities 

for children and young people 

and a Christian Aid presence. 

Full details available on 

annibynwyr.org and buw.org.uk 

SADWRN 6 HYDREF 

Diwrnod i’r Brenin 

10.30am-4pm, Maes y Sioe, 

Llanelwedd. 

Diwrnod o ddathlu a dysgu i 

eglwysi Undeb yr Annibynwyr 

Cymraeg ac Undeb Bedyddwyr 

Cymru. 

Addoliad, gweithdai, siaradwyr, 

cerddoriaeth, stondinau, 

gweithgareddau i blant ac 

ieuenctid. Bydd staff Cymorth 

Cristnogol yno gyda’r adnoddau 

diweddaraf. 

Manylion pellach ar gael yn 

www.annibynwyr.org a buw. 

org.uk 


Bangor Diocesan Conference 

Coleg Meirion Dwyfor, Dolgellau. 

JOHN ROWLANDS, who 

took part in Christian Aid’s 

2007 Cut the Carbon march, 

recently dusted off his 

walking boots to support us 

once more. John, who is an 

elder with the Presbyterian 

Church of Wales, decided to 

raise money for the ¡Viva 

Guatemala! Denominational 

Appeal for our work in 

Guatemala. What could be 


Borders 


Keep up to DAte with whAt’S hAppeninG ACroSS 


wAleS: loG on to 

Glasgow 


Edinburgh 

christianaid.org.uk/wales 

Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 September 

Belfast 12 

EVENTS IN WALES DIGWYDDIADAU YNG NGHYMRU 

Christian Aid stall with all the 

latest resources. 

Full details from the Bangor 

office on 01248 353574 or 

bangor@christian-aid.org 


St Asaph Diocesan Conference 

Llangollen Eisteddfod Pavilion, 

Llangollen. 

Guest speaker: David Pain, 

associate director of Christian 

Aid. Christian Aid stall with all 

the latest resources. 

Details from the Bangor office, 

as above. 

GWENER 12 – SUL 14 HYDREF 

Carreg wrth Garreg 

Coleg Trefeca, Talgarth, Powys. 

Penwythnos blynyddol Eglwys 

Bresbyteraidd Cymru, sy’n 

gyfle i glywed am waith 

partneriaid Cymorth Cristnogol 

ar draws y byd. 

Manylion pellach gan Catrin 

Roberts ar 01269 871871 neu 

catrinrob@btinternet.com 

FRIDAY 12 OCTOBER – 


Stone by Stone 

Trefeca College, Talgarth, Powys. 

Organised by The Presbyterian 

Church of Wales, this popular 

weekend conference is an 

opportunity to learn about the 

work of Christian Aid partners 

around the world. For further 

details and registration contact 

Catrin Roberts on 01269 871871 

or catrinrob@btinternet.com 

more fitting than another 

walk? This time he only had 

to cover the 177 miles of 

Offa’s Dyke over 14 days – a 

mere stroll compared to the 

1,000 miles he walked in 80 

days back in 2007, but just as 

important for John. 

‘The need is great in 

Guatemala, with more than 

half the children under 

five suffering from acute 

malnutrition,’ he says. 

John, a keen walker, began 

his trek on 6 September 

in Chepstow and has 

been holding services in 

Presbyterian churches along 

the way. He hopes to reach 

Prestatyn on 19 September. 

Days 39-43 Scotland 



St Andrews 


Inverness 13 

Days 37-38 Northern Ireland 

Days 35-36 Republic of Ireland 


Dublin 


SUNDAY 18 NOVEMBER 

Limerick 11 

Christian Aid Service 

Days 33-34 North Wales 

6pm, Arrarat Church, 


Whitchurch, 

Wrexham, Llandudno 

Cardiff. 

Wednesday 26 September 10 

Bangor, Holyhead 

Organised by the Amicus 

youth group. Theme: tax justice 

and conflict minerals in the 

Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Guest speaker: Days Jeff 1-4 Williams, 

Greenbelt Festival 

Friday 24 August – Monday 27 August 

head of Christian Greenbelt Aid Festival, Wales. 

Cheltenham 

Days 6-7 West Midlands 

Wednesday 29 August 

Birmingham, Evesham, Sutton Coldfield 

Thursday 30 August 

Wolverhampton, Worcester, Lichfield 1 

EICH SWYDDFA 

Days 8-10 South Wales 

Friday 31 August 

Cardiff 

LEOL – YOUR 


Carmarthen, Swansea, Neath 


LOCAL OFFICE 

Newport, Chepstow 

Days 11-12 West England 

BAnGor (gogledd Monday 3 September Cymru/ 

Bristol, Taunton 

north wales) 

106 Stryd Fawr, Bangor, 

Gwynedd 

LL57 1NS 

Tel/Ffôn: 01248 353574 

WEST MIDLANDS (29-30 August; 24 September) 

Contact: John Cooper, 0121 200 2283, 

jcooper@christian-aid.org 

SOUTH WALES (31 August – 2 September) 

Contact: Mari McNeill, 029 2084 4646, 

mmcneil@christian-aid.org 

bangor@christian-aid.org 

WEST OF ENGLAND (3-4 September) 

Contact: Lydia Nash, 01454 415923, 

CAerFYrDDin/CArMArthen 


(de orllewin a’r canolbarth/ 


south west and mid wales) 

75 Heol Dwr, Contact: Caerfyrddin/ 

Kate Parr, 020 7523 2376, 

kparr@christian-aid.org 

Carmarthen 

SA31 1PY 

13-189-J627-Tax map artwork amends v4.indd 1 

Tel/Ffôn: 01267 237257 

carmarthen@christian-aid.org 

SOUTH WEST ENGLAND (5-8 September) 

Contact: 01395 222304 or 023 8070 6969 or 

LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST (9-17 September) 

CAerDYDD/CArDiFF 

(Cenedlaethol/national office) 

5 Station Road, Radyr, 

Caerdydd/Cardiff 

CF15 8AA 

Tel/Ffôn: 029 2084 4646 

cardiff@christian-aid.org 

John’s offa again for ¡ViVa guatemala! 

John Rowlands 

John 

trains for 

his walk 


Taunton 3 

If you would like to 

sponsor John, contact the 

Cardiff office for details 

or visit justgiving.com/ 

johnmrowlands. 

• Young people from Salem 

Canton Chapel in Cardiff 

got together recently to 

boost the appeal, by cycling 

the distance between 

Guatemala’s east and west 

coasts – some 450km – using 

exercise bikes. Without 

moving from the vestry, they 

had completed their task by 

midnight! More than £700 

in sponsorship has been 

raised. This is one of several 

events the church is holding 

for this worthy appeal. 


11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

Christian Aid 

14 

Tax Justice Bus 

16 

hits north 17 Wales! 

FINISHES 

HERE 

tueSDAY 25 

10 

8 

SepteMBer 

9 

8.30-9.30am, 6 

1 

Glyndwr 

2 university, 

7 

STARTS AT 

GREENBELT 

wrexham. 

5 

3 

Breakfast briefing for church 

leaders, with Ricardo Quezeda, 

from 4Guatemala, a senior 

research economist for ICEFI, 

the Central American Institute 

Brighton 

of Fiscal Studies. 



9.30-10.45am 



Arrange 

Friday 7 

to 

September 

meet your MP or 



AM on the bus to discuss tax 


justice, in the company of 

Ricardo Quezeda. 







EAST OF ENGLAND (18-19 September) 



11am-1pm, OXFORD AREA Yale (20-21 College, 

September) 


wrexham. jhall@christian-aid.org 

Discuss EAST tax MIDLANDS justice, (22-23 September) with your 


MP/AM eastmidlands@christian-aid.org 

and Ricardo Quezeda. 




4-6.30pm, Gloddaeth united 


Church, Contact: Gloddaeth David Thomas, 028 Street, 

9064 8133, 


llandudno. 

Arrange to meet your MP/ 

AM on the bus to discuss tax 

justice, with Ricardo Quezeda. 

7pm, Gloddaeth united 

Church. 

A public meeting with 

speakers Ricardo Quezeda, 

and a representative from 

Church Action on Poverty. 

weDneSDAY 26 SepteMBer 

9-10am, Bangor town Clock. 

Discuss tax justice with your 

MP/AM and Ricardo Quezeda. 

11.15am-12.15pm, St Mary’s 

Church, holyhead. 

Discuss tax justice with your 

MP/AM and Ricardo Quezeda, 

from Guatemala. 

Contact Anna Jane Evans 

on 01248 353574 for further 

details of times and locations. 

Below: Wales team members 

Anna Jane Evans and Mari 

McNeil with the Tax Justice Bus 





Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley, Shef 


Morely, Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford 









Liverpool, Warrington, Manchester 

Day 32 West Midland 


Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Shre 

Days 30-31 East Midl 




Calver, Buxton, Ashbourne 

Days 28-29 Oxford Ar 


Bedford, Stevenage, St Alban 


Oxford, Witney, Reading 

Days 26-27 East of En 














Bromley, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Eastbourne 


Bexhill-on-Sea, Dover, Canterbury, Rochester 


5 


Christian Aid 

SCOTLAND (1-5 October) 

Contact: Diane Green, 0141 241 

dgreen@christian-aid.org 

NORTH WEST (6 October; 12-1 

Contact: David Hardman, 01925 

dhardman@christian-aid.org 


Contact: Judith Sadler, 0191 22 

jsadler@christian-aid.org 

YORKSHIRE (9-11 October) 

Contact: Lindsey Pearson, 0113 

lpearson@christian-aid.org 

christianaid.org.uk/tax- 


INPUT 

Inspired? Enraged? 

Send your views to: The Editor, Christian Aid News, 35 Lower Marsh, 

London SE1 7RL or email canews@christian-aid.org 

DEVELOPMENT: THE BEST 

CONTRACEPTIVE? 

Thank you for the fact that you have 

permitted, even encouraged, discussion 

of population growth in your letters 

column. Other organisations are not 

so accommodating. It is heartening 

too that the large majority of your 

correspondents on this subject express 

concern about population growth. 

However I have one or two minor 

gripes about Ray Hasan’s Comment 

column (Input, Issue 56). He remarks that 

poor people often make very rational 

choices to have many children: quite so, 

but noone can be said to have exercised 

choice in the absence of the knowledge 

or means to make a different choice. 

Indeed he seems to make that point 

himself in the paragraph mentioning 

the 215 million women who have no 

access to family planning, and he could 

at that point have made reference to the 

42 million women who seek abortions 

annually, of which some 20 million are 

unsafe, with a large number of deaths or 

permanent disabilities resulting: these 

abortions speak loudly of the absence of 

proper family planning. 

Similarly, he scarcely needed to 

reject the notions about ‘the poor’, and 

‘population control’ being a universal 

panacea. Noone thinks like that any 

more: nor do they advocate ‘coercion or 

imposition from outside’. 

Roger Plenty, Stroud 

On reading the letters on Population and 

Fertility (Input, Issue 56) I was moved by 

Elizabeth James’ comments about the 

powerlessness of many women, and 

the links between educated girls and 

small family size. Yes, education of girls 

empowers them, giving them choices 

and sometimes enabling them to break 

away from their family’s lifestyle, and 

seek well-paid work. 

There is an old saying that 

‘development is the best contraceptive’. 

In many developed countries the fertility 

rate is very low, sometimes below 

‘replacement level’. In the developing 

world, where there is no social security 

or pensions and limited healthcare, 

children provide security for their parents 

in old age. They can also help the family 

unit by doing chores and they often 

work from a very young age to help the 

family budget. Such families are unlikely 

to reduce their birth rate until they feel 

confident that their children will survive 

into adulthood. 

Margaret Coombs, Chepstow 

Human beings, as well as being spiritual, 

are biological creatures and as such are 

governed by the laws of biology and 

evolution. We know from studying other 

species that if their environment is 

trashed or reduced too much and their 

numbers exceed their food supply, the 

population crashes. What makes us think 

that we are so different? Because of our 

brain power and ability to make and 

exploit various sorts of tools, we can 

ameliorate some of the adverse effects 

but ultimately our options run out. Will 

we ever realise this? 

Neil Hancox, Abingdon, Oxon 

ETHICAL CHOICES AND 

BOYCOTTS 

In his letter in the recent Christian Aid 

News, headed Power to the People 

(Input, Issue 56), Maurice Vassie asked 

where he could get information to help 

him make ethical choices. He and your 

other readers should use the information 

gathered by Ethical Consumer. 

They research many factors of 

products and services so that consumers 

can make their own choices on 

what to buy – or not. They publish a 

magazine and a website, at reasonable 

subscription rates. For more details, 

go to ethicalconsumer.org or call 

0161 226 2929. 

Jill Hathaway, via email 

The letter from Maurice Vassie is one 

with which I heartily agree. Consumer 

boycott is, I think, the best and possibly 

only way of really making an impact. As 

Mr Vassie so rightly says, ways to avoid 

complying with legislation can always 

be found, but it would be impossible to 

avoid the effect of a consumer boycott. 

Perhaps it is time for us to use this 

powerful weapon in the fight against 

such greed and injustice. 

Mrs P Forbes, via email 

TAX AND CORRUPTION 

I read with interest your article 

mentioning tax dodging (Campaigns, 

Issue 56). I suggest it would be a good 

idea to: 

• name the ‘unscrupulous companies’ 

that do this 

• contact them and challenge them on it 

• encourage us to write and protest to the 

major companies involved. 

Don Hinson, via email 

The Campaigns team replies: ‘A key 

reason we don’t currently campaign 

directly to unscrupulous companies 

about their tax dodging is that it is very 

difficult and time-consuming to put 

together definitive evidence of corporate 

tax dodging, due to the lack of financial 

transparency both within companies 

and in tax havens that hide companies’ 

and individuals’ financial dealings. The 

whole system needs to change so that 

CALLING CHRISTIAN AID 

Main switchboard: 020 7620 4444 • Supporter enquiries: 020 7523 2225 • Donations: 020 7523 2269 

Regular giving queries: 020 7523 2046 • Wills and legacies: 020 7523 2173 • National events: 020 7523 2248 


COMMENT 

all companies are required to be more 

transparent – not just the ones that we 

might name and shame.’ 

I much enjoyed the summer issue 

of Christian Aid News – it contained 

a lot of interesting information. I 

am supportive of the aims of the 

tax justice campaign, but there is 

one aspect which is almost never 

mentioned in your articles, and that 

is the creaming off and corruption 

on the part of officials in many of 

the countries to which aid is being 

directed. I realise that you, along with 

many other charities, try to circumvent 

that by working with projects in the 

community. I also recognise that it is 

no help if Christian Aid workers are 

expelled from a country because of 

unfavourable comments about its 

leaders. However, when making the 

general case for tax justice, I think you 

should at least acknowledge that the 

problem is not confined to corporates – 

there is tax dodging and manipulation 

within the countries themselves that 

contributes to the poverty of the 

general population. That’s not an 

argument for not giving aid – but it is a 

factor that should be recognised when 

assessing why so many people remain 

in an extreme state of poverty around 

the world. 

Lesley King, via email 

The Campaigns team replies: ‘While 

Christian Aid actively works to ensure 

more accountable governance in 

developing countries, it is important 

not to assume that all developing 

country governments are corrupt and 

that state funds will automatically 

be used fraudulently. However, 

the secrecy of our financial system 

currently provides cover for tax 

dodgers and corrupt officials alike. Our 

tax justice campaign calls for greater 

transparency and an end to tax haven 

secrecy which, as well as ensuring 

governments receive the taxes they’re 

due, would mean that it would be 

much harder for ill-gotten gains to be 

hidden away from view.’ 

VALUE FOR MONEY: 

A BALANCE 

BETWEEN RESULTS 

AND RESOURCES 

When you donate to Christian Aid, you rightly expect that your 

money will be put to the best possible use. Amanda Farrant, 

donor communications advisor, explains how we go about making 

sure that is exactly what happens 

Christian Aid/Elaine Duigenan 

WHEN ANDREW MITCHELL became 

UK Secretary of State for International 

Development, he committed to targeting 

taxpayers’ hard-earned cash where it 

can do the most good and provide the 

best value for the world’s poorest people. 

Christian Aid aspires to see an end to 

poverty, and to get there we also need 

to achieve the most impact by getting 

the most value out of our supporters 

and donors’ contributions. Unarguable 

aspirations. 

The conundrum, however, is how 

to know where our money does the 

most good and where it achieves the 

most value. Who’s to say that spending 

money on a maternal health project 

does more good or provides better 

value than spending it on an agriculture 

programme? 

Some might perceive value for money 

as a project that costs less, but going for 

the cheapest option can risk sacrificing 

lasting impact for short-term savings. 

Others could argue that development 

funds are best spent on helping citizens 

to hold governments to account over 

policies or spending, which ultimately 

In Kenya’s urban slums, Christian Aid 

partner Maji na Ufanisi trained young people 

to lobby their local government for regular 

rubbish collections. As a result, 60,000 

people have been benefiting from fortnightly 

collections since 2009 and slum conditions 

have improved enormously 

benefits more people, permanently. 

Others still might feel that value lies in 

an emotional and personal connection 

between donor and recipient. 

Christian Aid recently hosted an event 

in London with the UK Department for 

International Development, the Overseas 

Develop ment Institute and others to 

discuss ways to improve value for money 

in development. Most agreed that value 

needs to include the results achieved for 

poor people, not just savings on costs per 

item or per individual. Daniel Jones, head 

of Programme Innovation and Learning 

at Christian Aid, believes that value for 

money is about management, not 

measurement. ‘There’s no magic wand. 

It’s about making better decisions – it’s 

about always working for the best 

balance between results and resources.’ 

Christian Aid believes that we will get 

most value for money by bringing about 

the most lasting and far-reaching change 

for as many of the world’s poorest, most 

marginalised people as possible. This 

is why we invest in campaigns such as 

Ekta Parishad’s land rights fight in India 

(see page 16) and the global tax justice 

campaign; why we support vulnerable 

communities to become resilient to crises 

and disasters, and why we invest in 

learning about what we do well. 

Christian Aid’s approach is outlined in 

our new Value for Money briefing paper 

and case studies, on the Christian Aid 

website. See christianaid.org.uk/valuefor-money 


EVENTS 

We work with some of the 

world’s poorest communities. 

They face huge challenges 

every day, so why don’t you 

challenge yourself? Have fun 

while fighting poverty: join 

one of our events or do your 

own fundraising 

ARE YOU 

‘UP’ FOR THE 

CHALLENGE? 

Bungee off the Bridge 

in Middlesbrough 

UK Bungee Club 

IT’S BEEN A HUGE YEAR for Christian 

Aid’s Team Poverty – and it’s not over yet! 

So far in 2012 we’ve trekked across the 

country and through the night, we’ve run 

26.2 miles in London, Brighton and 

Edinburgh and we’ve just pedalled an 

incredible 300 miles from London to 

Paris. Most importantly though, along 

with developing blisters, making our 

knees ache and having massive amounts 

of fun, Team Poverty has been raising 

funds and awareness to give some of the 

world’s poorest people the tools they 

need to build the lives they deserve. 

This autumn will see supporters up 

and down the country face their fears to 

support Christian Aid. On 21 October, 

those brave enough can take part in our 

first ever Bungee off the Bridge in 

Middlesbrough! By raising a minimum 

of just £100 sponsorship you can take 

part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience 

and bungee 160ft off the famous 

Transporter Bridge. A true adrenalin hit! 

For those looking for a slightly slower 

descent, why not take on the challenge of 

a Christian Aid sponsored abseil? Abseils 

are taking place at St Mary the Virgin 

church in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, in 

October, and on the Isle of Wight on 

4 November. On Saturday 1 December, 

Christian Aid is holding a special abseil 

followed by a reflective service in 

Plymouth to commemorate World AIDS 

Day. If you’re up for a challenge, go to 

christianaid.org.uk/abseil – why not rope 

in some friends to face their fears too? 

Next year, we continue our essential 

work with more challenge events, 

including another London to Paris Bike 

Ride and more treks. We could not 

continue to fight poverty without our 

fantastic runners, cyclists and trekkers 

and we’d love you to be one of them! 

You can sign up on our website for 

everything from a Santa Fun Run to 

a full marathon – just visit 


PIT YOUR WITS 

FOR QUIZAID 

THIS SEPTEMBER, 

people across 

Britain and Ireland 

are pitting their 

wits against 

friends and 

family and raising funds to help 

Christian Aid challenge poverty – 

by hosting a Quizaid. 

If you haven’t signed up yet, don’t 

fret! You can hold a Quizaid whenever 

it suits you and we have fundraising 

packs available, complete with quiz 

questions and answers and other 

resources to ensure your event gets 

top marks. To those who have already 

registered, thank you and good luck! 

• For a free fundraising pack or to 

order or download extra resources, 

visit christianaid.org.uk/quizaid 


✁ 

march 

for 

justice 

JOIN huNDrEDS 

of Christian Aid 

supporters in 

Britain who are 

walking in solidarity 

with 100,000 

landless tribal and 

dalit people in 

India. Christian Aid 

partner Ekta 

Parishad has been 

mobilising people 

across India taking 

part in a monthlong 

350km walk to 

demand a fairer 

share of land and 

resources. You can 

take part in one of 

the solidarity 

marches in Britain, 

being organised in 

Severn Dale, 

Malvern, Norwich, 

Peterborough, 

London, Oxford, 

Yorkshire, Inverness 

and Bedes Way. 

• See page 16, your 

regional pages or 

visit christianaid. 

org.uk/walks to 

find out more. 

What a way to 

do it your way! 

WE’vE hEArD SOME wonderful stories 

about how some of Christian Aid’s 

fantastic supporters have been ‘doing it 

their way’ to raise vital funds for our work. 

In Berkshire, David Smith took on the 

challenge of a 100-hour sponsored 

silence, raising an amazing £1,479. 

This involved attending school governor 

meetings, making train journeys, ordering 

lattes and doing the supermarket shop 

with his mouth taped shut! 

In London, Luke Fowler shaved off the 

dreadlocks he’d had for five years, and 

raised a brilliant £1,581. And teenagers 

from Ashbourne Methodist Church 

bounced the night away to raise more 

than £600 in a 24-hour trampoline-athon! 

Jonny and Joel are ‘doing it their way’ 

in the extreme, hoping to raise £10,000 

by crossing Europe on rollerblades. 

Check out: skatejourney.com 

If you’ve been inspired by the stories 

you’ve heard, why not hold your own 

event for Christian Aid. visit our 

website for more information at 

christianaid.org.uk/yourway 

We’ve got some fantastic new 

resources for you to download, including 

posters, flyers, invitations and how-to 

guides for a variety of events. Whether 

you are growing plants to sell, cooking 

IT MAY ONLY BE September, but now’s 

the time to begin planning your festive 

fundraising. There are a variety of ways 

you can get in the festive spirit and 

achieve that warm glow from supporting 

Christian Aid at Christmas. 

The Big Christmas Sing will be taking 

place throughout December in school 

halls, churches, pubs and at Christmas 

parties nationwide. It’s a great 

opportunity to spread Christmas joy to 

those in your area and to some of the 

world’s poorest communities with 

whom Christian Aid partners work. 

When you register for the Big 

Christmas Sing you will receive your 

free fundraising e-pack, including song 

sheets and a guide to holding your 

up a storm for a bake sale or going all 

out and holding a concert for Christian 

Aid, we can offer support, whatever you 

decide to do. 

• For advice, support and extra reources, 

contact the Christian aid events team on 

020 7523 2019. 

it’LL Be ChriStMaS Before you KNoW it! 

Catherine Green 

Teenage supporters in Ashbourne 

braved the elements to stage a 

sponsored trampoline-athon 

event. You can register at christianaid. 

org.uk/bigsing 

On the other hand, if you fancy 

something more active, join hundreds 

of Christian Aid supporters who will be 

putting on their Santa suits this 

December to take part in Santa Dashes 

up and down the country. A Santa Dash 

is like no other fun run, with a special 

atmosphere the whole family can enjoy. 

This year Christian Aid will have teams 

in Glasgow, Liverpool, Loughborough, 

London and Marlow, but you can run in 

an event nearer home and still fundraise 

for Christian Aid! 

• For more information, email 

events@christian-aid.org or contact 

your local Christian Aid office. 

EvEnts 

Fundraising 

CalEndar 

2012-2013 

Quizaid 

10-16 September 

2012 

BuPa Great 

North ruN 

16 September 2012 

CathedraLS to 

CoaSt BiKe ride 

22-23 September 

2012 

royaL ParKS haLf 

MarathoN 

7 October 2012 

SaNta daSh 

5K fuN ruNS 

December 2012 

BiG ChriStMaS 

SiNG 

December 2012 

BurNS SuPPer 

21-28 January 2013 

SPoNSored 

aBSeiLS 

February/March 2013 

SuPer SouP 

LuNCh 

29 March 2013 

BriGhtoN 

MarathoN 

14 April 2013 

VirGiN LoNdoN 

MarathoN 

21 April 2013 

BuPa Great 

MaNCheSter ruN 

20 May 2013 

ediNBurGh 

MarathoN 

26 May 2013 

hoLy iSLaNd 

NiGht hiKe 

Summer 2013 

hadriaN’S WaLL 

WeeKeNd treK 

Summer 2013 

LoNdoN to PariS 

BiKe ride 

17-21 July 2013 

Visit christianaid. 

org.uk/events to 

find out more.

LAST WORD 

A reflection on playing a part 

in the fight against poverty, 

and living life in the wider 

family of Christian Aid 

Christian Aid trustee Charlotte 

Seymour Smith recently visited 

Ethiopia to see how our partners 

there are responding to huge 

development challenges – 

and opportunities 

LISTENING TO 

COMMUNITIES IS KEY 

TO LASTING CHANGE 

SINCE THE 1970s, Ethiopia has been 

firmly fixed in the global public 

consciousness as suffering drought after 

drought, and famine after famine. 

Arriving in Ethiopia’s capital and 

travelling to the country’s far south, it 

became clear, however, that the reality 

was more complex. 

Leaving Addis Ababa’s outskirts we 

drove along the roads that connect 

Ethiopia’s main towns and cities, passing 

new shops and blocks of flats in various 

stages of completion, and roads being 

maintained and upgraded. Major 

investments are planned or underway, 

including for hydro-electric power, dams 

and irrigation. These projects have 

enormous potential, but must carefully 

consider the needs of the poorest if they 

are to deliver improvements in the lives 

of people across Ethiopia. For example, 

in the Rift Valley there are a number of 

commercial growers of flowers and fruit 

for export, who use the water from the 

nearby lakes. Noone would deny that it is 

important for Ethiopia to get vital export 

earnings. Yet neighbouring tenant 

farmers lack any improved water supply 

and struggle to get enough water to 

grow crops for subsistence or for market. 

Is this water justice? 

Certainly, for Christian Aid’s partners in 

Ethiopia, ensuring that communities – 

including the most vulnerable – drive 

their own plans for development work is 

critical. By doing so, partners are 

ensuring that supporters’ money delivers 

lasting results, whether it is donated for 

an emergency response or for longerterm 

development work. It was 

heartening to see that the community 

and government in Ethiopia’s 

Arsi-Negele District continue to take 

responsibility for managing and 

maintaining a water project eight years 

after it was handed over to them by 

Charlotte (centre) visiting a shallow well in 

Hamer district with the Christian Aid team 

and partner Action for Development 

partner Centre for Development 

Initiatives. And because they listened, 

when the project was designed, to those 

responsible for providing water for their 

families – the community’s women – 

they have seen transformational results. 

These include an increase in girls’ 

enrolment in primary school in the area, 

from four per cent to 46 per cent, in part 

because girls no longer need to travel six 

hours a day to fetch water. 

In South Omo, which is home to the 

Hamer, the Dasenech and other 

pastoralist communities and which was 

particularly badly affected by the drought 

in 2011, I met men and women working 

together to identify the risks their 

communities face and how they can 

address them. While they are 

traditionally excluded from making 

decisions in the public sphere, women 

like Bola were speaking up about the 

needs of their communities and were 

evidently taking real ownership of 

imp lementing projects that should 

reduce the impact of future droughts, 

from digging boreholes to diversifying 

their means of earning a living. 

We may not know precisely when, but 

we may be certain that Ethiopia will face 

drought again. In this context, we hope 

that our support allows partners to 

improve conditions in a country that 

remains one of the poorest in the world. 

Yet it is gratifying to hear that these 

partners regard Christian Aid as more 

than a funder – as a genuine partner, a 

leader, and an organisation prepared to 

invest in helping them improve. And it is 

touching, too, to hear from the people 

supported by these projects, who would 

like to pay Christian Aid back one day 

for the help they have received to break 

the cycle of hunger, poverty and 

vulnerability. 

Our trustee 

Charlotte Seymour Smith is a 

member of Christian Aid’s board of 

trustees, having joined in November 

2007. She is the author of the 

Macmillan Dictionary of 

Anthropology and she has worked 

with the UK Department for 

International Development and the 

Foreign and Commonwealth Office 

in Mozambique, Brussels, Delhi 

and London. 

Binyam Bekele 


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To make a difference, call free on 0800 0302 302 

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Contact us for your 

free guide to Wills 

and legacies 

There is a time to love. There is a time to act. 

When we think about our Will, we think with love of family, friends and causes we care 

deeply about. And from that love comes the inspiration to act: it reminds us that we actually 

need to write or update that Will. 

Write your Will with a Will Aid solicitor during November and instead of paying the 

solicitor’s fee, you will be invited to make a donation to the Will Aid charities. It’s the 

perfect time to think about whether your Will can reflect your love and desire for a more 

just world. 

By including a gift to Christian Aid in your Will, you can extend your support for the people 

you are already doing so much to help in your lifetime. Please use Will Aid this November. 

It is always time to love. Now is the time to act. 

To find out more about Will Aid and the caring power of Wills, complete and return the form 

below, or contact Kerry McMahon: kmcmahon@christian-aid.org or 020 7523 2173. 

Please send me information on legacy giving and the Will Aid scheme 

Title: First name: Surname: 

Address: 

Postcode: 

Email: 

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Telephone: 

Once completed please return to: Christian Aid, PO Box 100, London SE1 7RT 

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