Press release – 30 April
Children from 8th Salisbury Cubs and Beavers have been raising funds for the disaster relief charity ShelterBox. The community group, which has announced ShelterBox as its charity of the year for 2024, kickstarted their year of fundraising by sleeping out at the local Church hall. The sleepover raised hundreds of pounds for the Westcountry-based charity as part of its Tent for Lent Appeal.
The campaign encourages people to pledge to give something up, take on a challenge or host a fundraising event during Lent, donating the money saved or raised to help fund ShelterBox projects around the world.
As well as sleeping out, the Cubs made rope from twisted wool for friendship bracelets and held a cake sale at a congregation of Salisbury Methodist Church’s uniform groups.
Cub Leader, Beverley Turner says: “At 8th Salisbury we like to have a sleepover for our Beavers and Cubs on a Saturday night in Lent. The church has a team of lovely people who cook breakfast for anyone who would like to come and share fellowship after the early morning 8am communion or before the main service at 10.30am.”
The Cubs and Beavers told the congregation about Tent for Lent and showed them a ShelterBox film called ‘In the Cold Night’. The film features Imelda Staunton reading a story by author Sarah Tagholm, based on people who lost their home through disaster, and has illustrations by Karen George.
Beverley added: “The Beavers and Cubs had a great sleepover, ate lots of yummy food, though there wasn’t too much sleeping!
“We raised £360, and we hope that our efforts will help a family in the future to feel a bit more settled.”
ShelterBox specialises in emergency shelter, supporting people who have been uprooted from their homes because of conflict or disaster. It has helped more than 2.5 million people in around 100 countries since it was founded in 2000 with different combinations of emergency shelter, support, and essential household items.
Community Fundraising Assistant at ShelterBox, John Stanbury says: “Through their incredible fundraising efforts, the 8th Salisbury Cubs have helped to provide the shelter and essential items like blankets, solar lights and water filters that give warmth, light and clean water to help people to begin to recover after disaster.
“We think the Cubs and Beavers are amazing, and we are so grateful to all the group leaders, family members and members of the congregation who so warmly supported and enabled their fundraising. Together we make a difference.”
The charity is currently supporting displaced people across the world, including in Malawi where thousands of people have been displaced by severe flooding in a cycle of disaster that is devastating the country.
It’s also responding in Gaza to support some of the 1.7 million people who have been displaced by the conflict. ShelterBox has an urgent appeal for the response in which it will be working with local partners and Rotary to support thousands of people with tents and essential items like sleeping mats, blankets, and water carriers.
To find out more about where ShelterBox is working, how to fundraise, or join its book club, people can visit shelterbox.org.
ENDS
For more information contact the press office at ShelterBox via [email protected].
Notes to Editors
· Images and captions included