Scottish Government funding for Comic Relief projects across Africa
Ensuring women and girls in Africa are safe, equal and respected is a key focus on Red Nose Day.
Funding of £200,000 this year brings the overall Scottish Government match funding for Comic Relief to £2.7 million since 2017. This funding has supported a number of projects aimed at tackling lack of education, poverty and violence against women and children in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia.
To build on this work, a Women and Girls’ Fund will be established later this year as part of a new international development Equalities Programme announced in the 2021/22 Programme for Government. This fund will be created for community organisations in the three African partner countries, with women’s rights groups invited to design the fund.
International Development Minister Neil Gray said: “We are proud of our collaboration with Comic Relief. Our partnership has helped ensure women and girls are safe, equal and respected, and our investment continues to support them to reach their full potential.
“Our funding for Comic Relief’s Levelling the Field Programme uses sport to tackle some of the key issues faced by women and girls in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. As a powerful tool for driving long-term positive social change, sport is able to challenge stereotypes and increase opportunities for education, employment, training, and leadership.
“The success of our partnership with Comic Relief is enabling us to establish a fund for Women and Girls in Africa where women’s-led organisations will have an opportunity to determine funding priorities.”
Chief Executive Officer of Comic Relief Samir Patel said: “We are incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with the Scottish Government.
“Through our Levelling the Field programme, local organisations in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia are using innovative Sport for Change approaches to challenge gender injustices and inspire women and girls to reach their full potential.”
The Scottish Government has supported Comic Relief over five years with a total of £2.7 million:
£1.2 million for Levelling the Field I (2017 – 2020)
£1.5 million for Levelling the Field II (2020 – 2023)
School feeding charity is asking people to clock up miles this April to feed hungry children
Mary’s Meals is calling on people in Edinburgh to help feed hungry children in some of the world’s poorest countries by signing up to its new fundraising challenge, From Dalmally to Malawi.
The charity feeds more than 2.4 million children every school day in 18 countries including Malawi, Kenya and Syria. The promise of a nutritious meal encourages children into the classroom where they can gain an education and hope for a brighter future.
This April, people can join its virtual challenge from Dalmally, the village in the Highlands of Scotland where Mary’s Meals was founded, to Malawi, where the charity served its first life-changing school meals in 2002.
Participants can take part in From Dalmally To Malawi in any way they choose from walking, running to swimming. The money raised by sponsorship from friends and family will help to feed desperately hungry children in school.
Those signing up to the challenge will receive a free Mary’s Meals T-shirt and will be invited to join an exclusive From Dalmally To Malawi online community where they’ll receive inspirational video messages and stories from Mary’s Meals.
Dan McNally, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, says: “With Spring around the corner, April is the perfect time for setting a personal active challenge.
“Whatever miles you pledge, taking part in From Dalmally to Malawi allows you to follow the Mary’s Meals journey while helping us to reach the next hungry child. I hope as many people as possible join our challenge this April to show the true generosity of people in Edinburgh!”
By signing up to the challenge, people in Edinburgh will be helping children like Prisca from Malawi. Thanks to Mary’s Meals, she eats a mug of vitamin-enriched porridge every day that fills her empty stomach and gives her energy to learn.
Prisca says: “Mary’s Meals porridge helps me to excel in my studies and realise my dream of becoming a teacher. I do not feel hungry when in class and I listen attentively during lessons.”
To sign up to the From Dalmally to Malawi challenge, please visit:
The celebrity mum is supporting the international aid charity this Mother’s Day
Musician and celebrity mum Izzy Judd says she has been swept off her feet by international aid charity Mary’s Meals.
The mother-of-three – who is married to McFly star Harry – is encouraging families across the UK to support the charity by giving a Mother’s Day gift that will help to feed children living in the world’s poorest countries.
She says: “As a mother to Lola, Kit and Lockie, I know how important it is for children to be happy, healthy, and well-educated. And that’s what Mary’s Meals is all about. Its life-changing school meals attract little ones into the classroom, where they can learn their way to a better future.
“I have been swept off my feet by this incredible charity – and you should be too!”
Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals to children living in some of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of a good meal attracts hungry children into the classroom, where they can gain an education that that can be their ladder out of poverty.
The charity feeds more than 2.4 million children every school day – and it says this simply wouldn’t be possible without the love and dedication of mothers all around the world.
Dan McNally, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, explains: “Here in the UK, we are lucky to be supported by amazing women, like Izzy, who fundraise and volunteer so that we can feed desperately hungry children.
“And in the countries where we work, it is most often mothers who volunteer to prepare, cook, and serve the food. They do this so that their children, and the children in their communities, can have the chance of a better life.”
To mark Mother’s Day [Sunday, 19 March], Mary’s Meals is offering a range of beautiful gift cards. Priced from just £19.15, each of these special cards will feed a hungry child with Mary’s Meals every day for a school year.
Izzy continues: “I will be dropping some hints to my children for a Mary’s Meals gift, and I will also be giving one of these lovely cards to my own mum, Gill.
“I think she will be thrilled to know that, together, we are ensuring that a child is in school, with a full belly, ready to learn.”
It costs just £19.15 to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a full school year.
To find out more and to purchase a Mother’s Day gift card, please visit:
“He will live in our memories as one of the kindest, most talented, humble people to enter this world…”
Following the news that the body of Christian Atsu’s body has been recovered in Turkey, Arms Around The Child (AATC) , have today issued a statement:
Christian was an ambassador for the AATC helping to build schools in Senya, Ghana and visited the children and projects several times.
Paying tribute to Christian a spokesman for the charity said yeaterday (SUNDAY FEB 19): “It is with immense pain and disbelief that we have to write these words. We have held onto the hope that Christian would survive and be found in the rubble of the tragic earthquake to hit Turkey and Syria.
Like the many friends, families and people impacted by this disaster, we are still struggling to accept what has happened and feel tremendous sadness at the devastating loss of life. We empathise with all those grieving for their lost ones. Our deepest condolences are with Christian’s family, wife, children and many friends and lives that he touched.
“Christian Atsu was a truly unique and wonderful man, and his legacy will live on through the many hundreds if not thousands of lives he has helped. He will live in our memories as one of the kindest, most talented, humble people to enter this world. A young boy from poverty in Ghana who followed his dreams had an incredibly successful footballing career and used his talent and platform to help others.
“Arms Around The Child were fortunate to have known Christian and will treasure his support for the children we look after, especially the children in Senya Beraku where Christian was building a school in the local community. Christian believed in giving children a brighter future and the opportunity to succeed.
“He never forgot his own roots and didn’t want to see any more children abused, imprisoned, affected by HIV, trafficked or sold. He was determined to use his prominence as a footballer to prevent this. He had also been supporting The Crime Check Foundation in Ghana with their work paying fines for petty crimes which had resulted in incarceration, and helping people reintegrate into society and get back on their feet.
“Christian has been the global ambassador for Arms Around The Child since 2016. During that time, he visited the children at our home in Senya Beraku, Ghana on many occasions. He regularly organised for gifts and football equipment to be sent to the home and developed a very close relationship with the kids.
“In 2018 Christian and Arms Around The Child launched a campaign to build a new school in Senya to benefit orphaned children and the local community. Together Arms Around The Child and Christian organized the Black Star Gala, a special fundraising event at the Hilton Hotel in Gateshead, Newcastle, to kickstart the fundraising effort for a new school.
“Whenever Christian visited Senya, the children and the community were always so happy to see him. They would welcome him like a hero, but also like a father, uncle or brother as everyone felt such a close affection for him. He greeted everyone with smiles and hugs, making each individual, child and adult, feel important and that they could dream and succeed in life. Christian loved the children and would always throw his shoes off to play barefoot football with them, something he loved to do whenever he visited.
“The children looked up to him, he showed them that they can have dreams for a better future and that through education, dreams can be achieved. This is why Christian was so passionate about building a school, he believed in education for all, especially as a way to solve problems and give kids a brighter future.
“Christian was the main benefactor of the new school buildings in Senya. He always wanted to know how the children were doing and we would regularly update him on the progress of the school, which after years of building is finally nearing completion.
“On Saturday 4th Feb 2023, just one day before his final game in which he scored a last-minute winning goal, he responded ‘Thank you for the update. I will arrange some money so that we will be able to complete it fast, I am very happy with the progress. Later in the day, he emailed again to say that he would come to open the school in June and bring his Black Star friends.
This was our last correspondence with Christian; as always, he was thinking about the children and what he could do to help others.
Director of one of the homes Christian supported, in Senya, Beraku, Seth Asiedu said: “Our hearts are broken by the news regarding our beloved bro, Christian Atsu. We always felt the impact of his presence and were soaked with joy any time he visited us.
“The happiness he brought to so many will leave a painful void, but we will always remember his kind heart and his beaming, infectious and joyful smile. Thank you Christian, we love you.”
Survivors of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria will be receiving vital emergency supplies thanks to a £60,000 grant from the Freemasons to the British Red Cross, UK for UNHCR and UNICEF who are leading the relief effort on the ground.
More than 16,000 people are reported to have died in the two quakes which have devastated large areas of south west Turkey and across the border in Syria. The death toll is certain to rise significantly as more bodies are found.
Tens of thousands of survivors are sleeping in the open in temperatures which have fallen well below zero. Snow is falling in some parts as the region experiences colder than average winter weather that is also hampering rescue efforts.
Damage from the quake has affected at least seven provinces in Turkey as well as areas across northwest Syria. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, displacing families, and schools, hospitals, and other medical and educational facilities will have been damaged or destroyed by the quakes. Potential damage to roads and critical infrastructure will also complicate search and rescue efforts and the wider humanitarian response.
The grant comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.
Luke Tredget, Head of Emergencies from the British Red Cross, said: “We’re very grateful for this generous grant which will allow us to provide immediate emergency relief to people who are in desperate need.
“This disaster has devastated vast areas of both countries and left millions of people in urgent need of help.”
Les Hutchinson, Chief Executive of the Masonic Charitable Foundation, said: “I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help the Red Cross, UNICEF and the UNHCR with their relief effort following this terrible earthquake.
“Many thousands of people are in very urgent need of assistance and I’m proud that Freemasons are providing essential support to charities on the ground working with survivors.”
Mary’s Meals is helping communities affected by this week’s devastating earthquakes
MARY’S Meals have launched an emergency appeal to deliver much-needed food aid to children in Syria, following two earthquakes on Monday, 6 February.
We have been working in the city of Aleppo since 2017. With our local partner Dorcas, we usually serve nutritious meals to children at school – many of whom are experiencing trauma caused by more than a decade of civil war.
Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “The updates we are receiving from our partner on the ground are simply heart-breaking. After more than a decade of civil war, Syria has been plunged into this new crisis. Many people have lost their loved ones and their homes, and they have very little access to food and shelter. They now face yet another a fight for survival.
“Conditions in and around Aleppo are very difficult – roads have been destroyed, and our partner organisation has seen heavy damage to its buildings. Despite these challenges, we are already reaching many children with essential food supplies.”
Mary’s Meals serve school meals in some of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of food attracts hungry children into the classroom, giving them the energy to learn and hope for a better future.
In addition to this important work, the charity provide effective, expert support through emergencies – including delivering food aid to thousands of people affected by Ebola in Liberia and supporting communities impacted by the earthquake in Haiti in 2021.
Daniel continues: “With our partner, we are working around the clock to feed hungry children in Aleppo. But there’s so much more we can do to help the communities that have been devastated by these earthquakes – and we stand ready to expand our emergency response as funds allow.
“Time and time again, we have seen people across the UK give generously to help those facing desperate and frightening situations. I urge you to give what you can today – no donation is too small – so that we can bring hope to the people of Aleppo.”
Walk for Autism is returning in 2023 with a spring in its step
Walk for Autism 2023 will be one of the most successful campaigns in its history. The annual fundraising campaign invites participants from up and down the country to walk 10,000 steps per day for eight days wherever they choose.
The walking week begins on March 26 and ends on World Autism Awareness Day, April 2.
In 2022, the campaign saw over 3,800 walkers step up to the Walk for Autism challenge. Together, they raised £407,448.48 and totalled 211.6 million steps. The money raised from Walk for Autism helps to fund autism projects across the UK and Ireland, along with funding for specialist staff.
Last year’s campaign provided funding for a Health and Wellbeing Lead, who runs wellbeing groups ranging from football sessions, to cycling and hiking. Thanks to these projects, autistic people attending the groups have developed stronger social connections, built self-confidence, and felt the benefits to their mental and physical health.
Walk for Autism Fundraising Manager, Liz Oakley said: “This campaign is so close to our hearts, as we see how much of an impact it makes every year. It really helps to improve the quality of life of the people we work with, and allows us to create communities for people who need them.
“Taking part is also a brilliant opportunity to spend time outdoors and improve your health and wellbeing. It’s important to us that the challenge is inclusive to all abilities, so whether you opt for short walks each day, walking the dog, or take on longer hikes, the challenge can work around you.
“Walk for Autism also includes steps from everyday activities, such as pottering in the garden or walking upstairs. Every step counts and makes a difference.”
The 2023 campaign has been further boosted by the support of Bridgerton and Emmerdale star Simon Lennon, who will once again be stepping out in support of the Walk for Autism campaign.
Simon said: “I’m delighted to take part in Walk for Autism again this year because it’s really important to get everyone in the UK walking and talking about autism and it’s fun too.
“Many people taking part have a special connection to autism and they are doing their bit to help raise funds for autism projects around the UK and Ireland.”
The team are encouraging walkers to complete their steps by walking and talking with family and friends, at their own pace. Those who sign up and raise their first £20 will be sent a free ‘Walk for Autism’ t-shirt to assist in their fundraising.
Liz added: “Autism affects more than 700,000 people in the UK and Ireland. It’s amazing to see the difference that our walkers make each year, and essential that we continue to help as many people as possible through our fundraising efforts.”
Walk for Autism is a campaign led by Autism Initiatives Group, a national charity committed to improving the lives of autistic adults and children and their families across the UK and Ireland. Founded in the 1970s, the charity recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Mary’s Meals feeds 2,429,182 hungry children every school day
Mary’s Meals has warned that the cost of feeding children in the world’s poorest countries has risen by an unprecedented 20% – and that it faces significant challenges in delivering its international school feeding programme in 2023.
The charity, which was founded in a shed in Argyll, serves nutritious school meals in 18 countries, including Malawi, Yemen and Haiti. The promise of food attracts hungry children into the classroom, where they can gain an education that can be their ladder out of poverty.
Increases in prices for commodities – such as grain, fuel and fertiliser – mean the cost to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a school year has increased from £15.90 to £19.15. This is the largest increase in the charity’s 20-year history.
Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “An uncertain year lies ahead, with the escalating cost of living causing much pain for both the children around the world who eat our school meals and those here in Scotland who make our work possible.
“Simply put, our income is not growing at the same rate as the cost of feeding children.”
Mary’s Meals feeds 2,429,182 children every school day. Alongside the cost of living crisis, many of the countries where the charity works are impacted by conflict, climate change and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which are increasing levels of hunger and poverty.
Daniel adds: “There has never been a better – or more urgent – time to support our work. Until 31 January 2023, donations to Mary’s Meals will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million. This means that any donation, no matter the size, will have twice the impact and help even more desperately hungry children.
“The relentless kindness and generosity of people here in Scotland have helped us to grow from feeding just 200 children in Malawi in 2002 to more than 2.4 million children around the world today. It is because of these people that we approach the many challenges we face in 2023 with a deep sense of hope.”
Until 31 January 2023, donations to Mary’s Meals are being doubled by a generous group of supporters – up to £1.5 million. To find out more about the Double The Love campaign, visit marysmeals.org.uk
PDSA, the vet charity for pets in need, is appealing for animal lovers to support its vital veterinary work by donating unwanted Christmas gifts to its charity shops.
PDSA’s shops play a pivotal role in helping to fund its 48 Pet Hospitals which provide a lifeline to owners who would otherwise struggle to afford veterinary treatment if their pet unexpectedly becomes ill or gets injured.
With inflation at a 40-year high and millions of households already facing extreme financial hardship, demand for PDSA’s services is expected to rise, meaning donations to its shops are more important than ever.
In 2021, PDSA treated over 370,000 pets and saved the lives of 134,000 animals – ultimately keeping furry family members united with their owners. As day-to-day prices continue to soar and households are hit by increased financial pressures, the charity expects demand for its services to grow.
The 2022 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, conducted in March, found that nearly a third of pet owners surveyed are worried about affording veterinary costs – leaving them facing potentially heart-breaking decisions should their pet require treatment.
The results follow shocking statistics from the 2021 PAW Report which revealed a staggering 930,000 pets were at risk of being put to sleep if their owners were hit with unexpected vet bills.
PDSA Head of Retail and Buying Lloyd Hughes said: “PDSA receives no government funding and relies solely on public support to fund our vital work. Without the money raised in our shops and donations given to us by kind-hearted members of the public, we wouldn’t be able to fund the life-saving treatment we provide in our 48 Pet Hospitals.
“By donating unwanted Christmas gifts, that may otherwise sit in a cupboard or even be thrown away, to our charity shops, people can make a real difference to the lives of pets and their owners, keeping families together.”
No pet owner should be faced with losing a beloved pet because they can no longer afford to pay for treatment. For many vulnerable pets, PDSA is there to help when there is nowhere else for their owners to turn.
PDSA encourages all supporters to sign up for Gift Aid* if they are a UK tax payer, to help their donations go even further. Gift Aid allows PDSA to claim an additional 25 per cent of the value of each item sold.
Spread ho-ho-hope with Aled Jones’ recipe for Gingerbread Snowpeople
School feeding charity Mary’s Meals and classical singer Aled Jones have teamed up for a Christmas baking challenge.
Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals in 20 of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of food attracts hungry children into the classroom where they can gain an education and hope for the future.
Singer and presenter Aled, who shot to fame at the age of 14 with his version of Christmas classic Walking In The Air, has donated his recipe for Gingerbread Snowpeople to the charity’s fundraising campaign, Raise Some Dough, in a nod to the song’s association with the animated film, The Snowman.
Aled says: “This Christmas, I’m hoping people will have fun baking my favourite biscuit recipe while helping to spread festive joy and hope to some of the world’s poorest children who depend on Mary’s Meals.
“Now has never been a better time to dig out your rolling pin and get baking to raise money for the charity’s Raise Some Dough campaign, especially when donations will go further this winter towards transforming the lives of hungry children by giving them hope of a better future.”
Aled is just one of the famous faces supporting Mary’s Meals this winter. Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Taylor, Great British Bake Off winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno and actors Joanna Lumley and Tamzin Outhwaite have all shared their favourite biscuit recipes in the charity’s free fundraising pack – which includes a mug-shaped cookie cutter. It is available online from marysmeals.org.uk/raise.
Donations made to Mary’s Meals until 31 January 2023 will be doubled by a generous group of supporters, up to £1.5 million, with the charity’s Double The Love campaign. There is no better way to spread ho-ho-hope this Christmas!
Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon and pour into the bowl of a food processor.
Add the butter and blend until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar.
Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together, add to the food processor and pulse until the mixture clumps together. Tip the dough out, knead briefly until smooth, wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180° C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.
Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using cutters, cut out the gingerbread people shapes and place on the baking tray, leaving a gap between them.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown.
Leave on the tray for 10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
When cooled decorate with the writing icing and cake decorations, if using.
Finally… make a pot of tea or coffee or pour a glass of your favourite tipple and sit back and enjoy!
