Raising money to help others

The Christmas Appeal highlights how the charity can help retrain Mothers to use their gifts and learn new skills so they are able to help their families and change lives.

Yvonne Penn, the Charity's Regional Coordinator for Wiltshire says:

"Please think about involving your local school – a key message from our Christmas appeal is that the women we help are now able to afford to send their children to school. In some cases, no other member of the family has ever been educated."

Ideas that have been shared include:

A 'Big Sing' involving choirs, music groups, and casual singers.

A ticketed family Christmas Storytelling event – cosy with fairy lights, Christmas tree, festive refreshments and featuring a range of aid agencies invited to share stories from their work with families around the world, linking to Christmassy themes such as peace, gifts, love, or food.

A Crumble Competition (or possibly a Quiz and Crumble event) where people are invited to make their favourite crumble and a local (celebrity?) chef will judge the best one, with prizes and media fanfare. Different crumble categories could include seasonal fruits, savoury, or vegan.

Christmas Wreath-making with a local florist, where Christian Aid gets £10 per wreath, plus refreshments profit.

Carols With Your Pets and afternoon teas: invite a few friends for a seasonal morning, afternoon, or evening with simple refreshments and entertainment, such as the Christian Aid Christmas video (available here), and ask for donations.

24-hour Christmas Music, with your local uniformed group or youth group - or offer your church as a venue. Not everyone needs to do all 24 hours, they could get sponsored for as much they can do. Your church or local choir might be willing to help out for an hour or so.

A collecting box at your local shop or carol service.

Ask your school – would they do a Christmas sing afternoon, sponsored or with donations?

A stall at your church, village, or school Christmas market with an easy fundraising game (email for details), or dress up a teddy as an angel and guess his birthday, or a 'Map of the World' treasure hunt with Christian Aid facts around the edge - again, email for details.

Yvonne says:

"Ideas are endless! Please ask if you want help or support."

Moving into 2020, Yvonne has more ideas to help Christian Aid:

"How about a January Jaunt - a walk for CA? Could we do lots of January Jaunts around Wiltshire, inviting folk from neighbouring churches to join in, collect donations and/ or end up with a tea?

"Or use Candlemas (2nd February) as an opportunity to hold a fundraiser or prayer session?

"Whatever you decide to do, please let me know and please keep in touch – we can help with social media advertising. If you have a great idea, please email me."