Page last updated 27 October 2008

As a Church we have committed ourselves to setting aside a significant sum of money every year to support the work of Christian and other charities. This year the PCC has voted to give 20% of our budgeted income for this purpose. Major awards are made for a period of 3 years.  Minor awards are for one year only.

At the meeting in  September 2008 the PCC voted to make awards to the following charities in the next financial year:

New Major Award for 2008:

ROPE - Relief for Oppressed People Everywhere

ROPE helps the poor in 85 countries through local partners or 'ROPEholders'. It digs wells, provides seed capital for self help businesses and supports orphans, widows, homeless, aged, sick, refugees, prisoners and addicts. ALl money donated is used in the field. Local Champion: Philip Derbyshire.

www.rope.org.uk

Continuing Major Awards

The Bridge Project (granted in 2007)

Part of the work of the Church Army, this charity is developing a Christian community to help homeless women in central London develop their self-esteem and skills and become part of a supportive network. Last year's donation to the Church Army has been used to help support this new initiative. Local Champion: Paul Fiske.

www.the-bridge-project.org.uk

The Christian Blind Mission (granted in 2006)

The CBM is an independent, interdenominational Christian aid organisation serving eye patients, blind and otherwise disabled people in the developing world, irrespective of nationality, race, gender or religion. CBM provides medical care (preventing or curing blindness), rehabilitation and integration of disabled people into society.

This major award will be made for 3 years. Local Champion: Michael Hoey

www.cbmuk.org.uk

Minor Awards :

Minor awards for one year have been awarded to the following charities:

The Children's Society

www.the-childrens-society.org.uk

The Iain Rennie Hospice at Home

www.irhh.org

Helen and Douglas House

These two hospices provide respite and end of life care for children, young adults and their families. Helen House was built 26 yeraas ago with the support of the churches in the Oxford Diocese. Local Champions: Frances Ibell, Gladys Page, Jennifer Hinton

More information at www.helenanddouglas.org.uk

Hamlin Fistula UK

This charity supports the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia. Women travel for days to reach this centre which offers curative surgery for incontinence which results from obstructed labour. WIthout this, they are lifelong outcasts from their communities. Prevention and training are also a major part of their work. Local Champion: Kaye Lillycrop. More information at www.charitynet.org/~hccif

FOCUS - Families of Children United Support

This is a community group initiative set up to support Saunderton Lodge. They aim to:

1. encourage understanding of child develoment and positive parenting
2. promote confidence and self-esteem in parents
3. provide support through personal visits and group meetings.

Local Champions: Denys Williams ( Chairman of FOCUS) and Sarah Smith (Secretary of FOCUS).

Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships exists as a compassionate response to a world in need. On ships and land bases, dedicated volunteers bring their wide-ranging skills to promote health and well-being by serving the urgent surgical needs of the forgotten poor and empowering developing communities. More information at www.mercyships.co.uk

The Gideons

Gideons International (also known as Gideon's Bible) is an evangelical Christian organization dedicated to distributing copies of the Bible in over 80 languages and more than 180 countries of the world to those who might not otherwise encounter it. For more information see their website www.gideons.org.uk