Friends raise £3,000 for Christian Aid Week
Cotteridge Meeting’s alternative fundraising activities have raised over £3,000 for Christian Aid Week
Members of Cotteridge Meeting in Birmingham have said they were ‘amazed’ when their week of alternative fundraising activity raised thousands of pounds in support of Christian Aid Week.
Quaker John Cooper told the Friend: ‘Covid-19 restrictions meant traditional fundraising, via a hand-delivered envelope, wasn’t possible. Instead, members of all ages created their own challenges and activities which they asked for sponsorship to complete. Everyone shared the same fundraising page and the total raised currently stands at over £3,000. The nationwide appeal had a special Covid-19 focus to reflect the charity’s research, indicating it was the poorest communities who will be hardest hit by the medical and economic impact of the pandemic.’
Different members of the Meeting held a wide range of activities for the week, from 10-16 May, including a virtual fundraising breakfast and a quiz. One Friend ran a marathon, and another recorded a lullaby, while someone else sold homemade face masks. Children also got involved, with one boy, James, running around his garden 100 times, and a girl called Natasha doing a twenty-four-hour fast. Sisters Rose and Bethan held a bake sale on their drive.
Arthur Cooper, aged seven, who cycled fifty miles over the course of a week, said: ‘I wanted to help people and set myself a challenge. It was fun to go out on my bike every day. Thank you to everyone who donated online – it’s amazing!’
Judith Jenner, Christian Aid organiser for Cotteridge Meeting, said: ‘With Covid-19 affecting poor communities around the world it was important we raised at least the same as last year’s total. I was amazed by the creativity and generosity of everyone’s response. By the end of the week we’d raised over three times last year’s amount!’
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