Charity
Myanmar Earthquake Appeal
On Friday 28th March, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, one of the world’s lowest-income countries, followed by a 6.4 magnitude aftershock; homes were destroyed and people left in urgent need of drinking water, food and shelter. Even before this heartbreaking earthquake, conflict and displacement have left countless people in real need, and 1.2 million people have been displaced by the earthquake.
An urgent emergency response has been put into action. Christian Aid has been supporting trusted partner organisations in Myanmar for decades. They have years of experience working with the communities in central regions of the country, who've been most acutely impacted by these devastating earthquakes. Christian Aid has joined with other Disasters Emergency Committee charities in this urgent appeal to provide life-saving support to those affected.
Please give what you can to help those affected by this crisis. Every prayer and every gift will bring hope to people hit by disaster. Your gift will be doubled by the UK Government, who will match pound-for-pound up to £5 million donated by the public to this appeal.
Donations may be made online at www.caid.org.uk/HelpMyanmar.
Lent
Appeal 2025
The Bishop of Chelmsford's Lent Appeal 2025: Supporting the Christian charity Housing Justice in their work across England and Wales to alleviate homelessness.
Housing Justice works in partnership with churches, community and faith groups to help provide those experiencing homelessness with a safe and stable home. Its work is channelled through four main projects aiming to tackle homelessness at grassroots level:
Citadel – a volunteer-led homelessness prevention project supporting people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness to find or sustain their tenancies and establish a home.
Refugee Hosting and Lodgings Programmes – Housing Justice works with a pool of volunteer hosts who welcome vulnerable individuals into their homes. The Hosting project offers a lifeline to people seeking sanctuary and vulnerable migrants who have no safe housing options. Rita and her son (pictured below) were Ukrainian refugees for whom Housing Justice managed to secure a placement with a host who had a separate two-bedroom annex where the pair could live so long as they paid their own bills, which Rita was able to do with support.
Faith in Affordable Housing – Housing Justice works with churches of all denominations to release surplus land and redundant buildings for the creation of new affordable housing.
The Winter Night Shelter Network – Housing Justice has helped over one thousand churches to respond to homelessness in their local area by supporting them in setting up and operating winter night shelters for people who would otherwise be rough-sleeping.
With an estimated 3,898 people sleeping rough each night in England, the work of faith and community projects like Housing Justice is vital.
Speaking about this year’s Appeal, The Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, The Bishop of Chelmsford said: “The funds raised through the 2025 Bishop’s Lent Appeal will support Housing Justice in providing a community-driven and innovative response to homelessness and those in housing need, including in areas if Chelmsford diocese. Their approach gives individuals the opportunity not only to find suitable accommodation, but to create a home and a sense of belonging.”
You can read more about the Housing Justice on their website at https://housingjustice.org.uk/.
Making a Donation
Donations can be made online at www.chelmsford.anglican.org/lent-appeal. If you would prefer to donate by bank transfer please use the following details:
Chelmsford Diocese Board of Finance
Barclays Bank
Sort Code: 20-20-35
Account Number:
60269603
Reference: Lent Appeal 25
Donations will be accepted until 1 July 2025.
