WITH the drought crisis currently unfolding in East Africa, local Christian group Just Living are trying to raise money to help the situation with a unique fundraising tactic.
Christian Aid's Appeal for Africa is looking for donations to help the relief effort. If you donate money on Saturday July 16 at St James' Chapel, the members of Just Living will personally match your donation from their own pockets. You can make donations in cash, or with a cheque made payable to Christian Aid.
Just Living is an active group of people in the Okehampton area directed and inspired by Christianity. They focus on ending the poverty in which people in the developing world live by supporting those who need it to work and trade their way out of poverty.
The group does not generally appeal to the public for donations, but the current crisis has prompted it to seek wider help.
The Rev David Muir is hoping the tactic will attract people to donate to Christian Aid: 'We would reckon to give some money to the charity in a time of need, anyway.
'We're hoping that the chance for people to double their donation will attract them to give something.
'We're taking something of a chance. We may have to dig deep into our pockets, but that's the sort of problem we would like to have. We hope as many people as possible can donate something.'
The group holds a market stall for fairtrade products at St James' Chapel on the third Saturday of each month to coincide with the farmers' market.
In July it will be detailing what fairtrade fruit juices are available for purchase in Okehampton, with the opportunity to sample some of them.