UK churches get their wellies on to Give Hunger the Boot this Harvest

29 July 2014

Farm Africa’s annual Harvest Appeal, Give Hunger the Boot, has gone from strength to strength in recent years as churches embrace an appeal which fosters a very real sense of connection between their UK congregations and families in need thousands of miles away in Africa.

To increase the sense of connection further, Farm Africa is introducing prayers and blessings from Kenya this year for clergy to use in their Harvest services. These new blessings will complement a vibrant range of resources made available to churches and Sunday Schools through Give Hunger the Boot, including: ideas for sermons; parables linked to seeds and growth for Sunday School; and videos and photos that illustrate the difference Farm Africa’s work is making on the ground. 

Just one of the hundreds of churches to have helped Farm Africa to Give Hunger the Boot at Harvest in recent years is St Peter’s Church in Frimley, Surrey. Describing the hugely positive impact of the appeal on the congregation at St Peter’s, the Head of the Church Mission Team, Matthew Sleap, said:

 “This campaign fitted into our harvest festival perfectly as Farm Africa promotes good practice in both livestock and arable farming for the long term in eastern Africa. The speaker, Rosie, was fantastic and achieved the balance of appealing to a very young audience whilst introducing the more subtle issues to the congregation in a completely captivating way. She described the ingenious ways that Farm Africa increases food production using techniques that are within the grasp of individuals and communities. We’re delighted to have been able to contribute to this good cause.”

An appeal with impact

And the great news is that the increasing numbers of churches taking part in Give Hunger the Boot is helpingFarm Africa to extend its life-changing work to end hunger. Last year the charity achieved the milestone of reaching one million people directly with its work to end hunger. But there are still many more that need help. Which is why Farm Africa is encouraging churches again this year to to help Give Hunger the Boot.

Congregations get their wellies on to make sure they Give Hunger the Boot

And to ensure that everyone at church can have a huge amount of fun while at the same time helping to Give Hunger the Boot, Farm Africa’s appeal will call on everyone to get their wellies on at Harvest time.

Welly-themed activities are designed for everyone at church to enjoy, from Sunday School toddlers decorating their welly boots to the vicar using his or her wellies to take the collection. Welly boots can replace the normal vases for the church flowers and congregations can collect sponsorship by taking part in church ‘welly-walks’.

To find out more about how churches can help African farmers to Give Hunger the Boot this harvest, or to download your fundraising pack today, visit www.farmafrica.org/ghtb .

Or churches can contact the community team at Farm Africa to request a fundraising pack through the post:

Email: community@farmafrica.org 

Telephone:  020 7430 0440

Downloadable and captioned images of Give Hunger the Boot activities at churches in 2013 are available at: http://resources.farmafrica.org/?c=559&k=29f15db567

 Ends

 Notes to Editor:

Farm Africa press office:

Matt Whitticase,    020 7067 1237 / mattheww@farmafrica.org

Ngaio Bowthorpe, 020 781 5156 /   ngaiob@farmafrica.org

About Farm Africa

Farm Africa believes that Africa’s farmers can feed Africa’s people. It provides solutions before hunger becomes an emergency, investing in farmers to give them the tools and skills they need to feed their families. It also trains farmers’ groups in how to market and sell what they farm so their families see change not just for this harvest but for years to come.

About Give Hunger the Boot

Give Hunger the Boot is Farm Africa’s annual appeal that encourages schools, churches and communities to raise funds for the charity’s life-changing work in eastern Africa. It does this by encouraging everyone taking part to ‘get their wellies on’ and participate in a wide range of really fun activities with one common goal: to Give Hunger the Boot. This can take the form of offices encouraging employees to raise sponsorship by wearing their wellies to work; schools taking part in the Great African Welly Walk; or churches using their Harvest services to Give Hunger the Boot with a whole range of welly-themed avtivities, including sponsored welly decoration at Sunday School and taking the collection in a welly boot.

You can find out much more about how schools, churches, offices, communities and individuals can get involved in Give Hunger the Boot at: www.farmafrica.org/ghtb