LOCAL supporters raised £478 to help tackle global poverty with a soup and sweet lunch after a Christian Aid service at Launceston Methodist Church on Sunday, May 12 as part of fundraising events this Christian Aid Week (May 12-18), which this year has highlighted the situation in Sierra Leone, where ten mums a day die giving birth.

The lunch was organised by members of the Launceston Christian Aid committee, with money raised from both the lunch and a collection at the service.

Chris Gaunt, one of the organising team, said: “Mr John Wilmut spoke at the Christian Aid service in the morning. He highlighted the needs in Sierra Leone particularly the needs of women and childbirth. He spoke of his sponsored walk from Lands End to John O’Groats and then the other way round.

“After the service the local Christian Aid committee held a soup and sweet lunch which was enjoyed by all who attended. The event brought people together, which is what Christian Aid does, enabling us to reach out in solidarity to people across the world who are trapped in desperate poverty.

“Sierra Leone is the most dangerous country in the world to give birth in, by a long margin. It was still recovering from civil war when the Ebola crisis hit. The outbreak killed one in ten health care workers and left the country with significant debt.

“These can seem like impossible situations to tackle – but it is remarkable what can be done when we stand together. Over 20,000 churches take part in Christian Aid Week to support their global neighbour and we are delighted to be part of that movement.”

Churches across Cornwall raised £34,968 for Christian Aid week in 2018. As well as the choir concerts, churches in the region this year have organised door-to-door collections, hosted Big Brekkies and held a range of other fundraising activities.

Christian Aid is helping remote communities come together to build health clinics as well as training nurses to provide urgent care in communities and improving hygiene, so mothers and babies are more likely to fight off diseases.

Supporters are also being urged by Christian Aid to join its campaign to drop Sierra Leone’s IMF debt incurred during its fight against Ebola, in 2014-2016, the worst outbreak of the disease in history. Debt repayments are taking money away from desperately needed improvements to healthcare services.

Christian Aid’s regional coordinator for Cornwall, Katrine Musgrave said: “Christian Aid Week is an amazing celebration to change the world, through generosity, solidarity and action.

“We are grateful to everyone who made this event possible. We passionately believe that, when we come together, the almighty power of people can make a world in which dignity, equality and justice is experienced by everyone – and it can be fun at the same time!”

£60 could buy a starter kit for community health workers, which includes a bicycle, torch, rain coat and rain boots. Just £15 could buy a stethoscope or a bucket of paint for a community health clinic.

To find out how to get involved or to donate, visit caweek.org or call 08080 006 006, or text ‘GIVE’ to 70040 to give £5. Donations will support communities such as those featured and wherever the need is greatest.