Christ Church has a policy of giving 5% of its income to overseas charities and 10% of non-specific legacies to local charities. We always choose smaller charities to which some member of the congregation has a personal link, and usually support them for around three years. In addition we have an emergency fund that we can use to respond to urgent appeals.
These are the overseas charities we currently support:
- Freedom from Fistula Foundation, a new charity that supports African women who need treatment for fistulas
- Healthlink360, providing medical and psychological care to those working in health care outside of their home countries
- Lisule, Malawi
- Opportunity International, provides micofinance and training to the working poor in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Ghana
- Medical Mission Hospital, Vellore, India – Palliative Care Unit
- Papua New Guinea – Empowering women
- Sabeel is a charity supporting Christians living in very difficult circumstances in Palestine.
- 500 Miles is a Scottish based charity facilitating the making and provision of artificial limbs in Zanzibar, predominantly for victims of cerebral palsy.
Overseas projects to commence in 2013 are:
- William Clark School, Inpur, Nagaland, India – a Christian school serving a wide catchment area.
- Cameroon Student Support Fund - a charity enabling women to acquire an education
These are the UK charities we currently support:
- Fresh Start
- St Catharine’s – click on The Homeless Project
- L’Arche
New UK projects for 2013 are:
- Craigmillar Castle Project - a charity devoted to helping those with alcohol and drug addiction problems
- Every Child – a charity helping exploited, vulnerable children including those endangered by human trafficking
- Grassmarket Comunity Project
Christmas Charities for 2012 are:
- Concerned with mental health - VOCAL (Voice of Carers Across Lothian)
- Concerned with children - Every Child
- Concerned with homeless - Salvation Army