Lent Appeal raises record £8 million
Pupils from seven Leeds schools raised over £5,000 after walking six miles along the canal bank from Granary Wharf to Kirkstall Abbey
CAFOD supporters have raised a record amount for our Lenten fundraising appeal. In our 50th anniversary year, your amazing efforts have broken the £8 million mark to help the millions of people around the world without access to clean water.
“Usually, we would aim to raise around £2 million from the Lenten appeal, so the level of support we have had this Lent has been overwhelming,” said CAFOD director Chris Bain. “Clearly, many people have been inspired in their efforts by the knowledge that the Government is matching their donations, but they have also responded with astounding compassion and generosity to the simple needs of those in the world without access to clean water.”
Your donations will make a massive difference to even more poor communities: building dams and boreholes, improving sanitation and hygiene, and ensuring that children can go to school instead of walking miles every day to collect water or suffering from waterborne diseases. We’ll be able to increase investment in our current programmes and support new projects. “It’s a tremendous tribute to the Catholic community in England and Wales,” Chris continued. “At a time when budgets are tight – our parishes and schools are making such a huge effort to help those in the world who have the least.”
Matching you pound for pound
Our Appeal has been significantly boosted by the UK Government’s commitment to match the donations received.
Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, said: “CAFOD is working to improve water access, sanitation and hygiene for some of the world's most vulnerable and neglected people, including those affected by war, climate change and disease. It is potentially life-saving work, tackling cholera, helping girls attend school rather than having to fetch water and ensuring that children know about hygiene and waterborne diseases.
"By matching pound for pound all public donations, the UK Government will help CAFOD double its impact, ensuring tens of thousands more families have access to clean water and sanitation and are provided with everything from water purification kits and soap to training in how to fix a broken borehole.”
Schools, parishes and individual supporters from all over England and Wales have been pulling out all the stops this Lent. Even before the impact of Match funding, every diocese has seen their usual Lenten fundraising totals at least doubled, while Leeds and East Anglia managed to quadruple their previous year’s totals.
We want to say a huge thank you to every one of you. We’ve been overwhelmed and inspired by the thousands of creative events and generous gifts that have contributed to this year’s massive appeal. You really are helping many thousands get access to clean, safe water – and through that access, to build a better life and a more hopeful future.
If you held any fundraising events between 17 February and 17 May, it's not too late to send us what you raised. Please send in your funds soon, so we can add them to the Lent total. We look forward to reporting back on the final appeal and Match Funding total, and how your support is making a difference, later this summer.
Thank you again for your amazing generosity.
