The Bishops’ have an appeal every year during Lent, traditionally to raise money for charitable causes.
In previous years:
2024
The Bishops were delighted that the Bishop's Lent Appeal 2024 raised £35,000.
Bishop Martin is hugely grateful to all those who donated to the appeal in aid of supporting our link diocese in Kagera. This is making a huge difference to those people who benefit from the projects we support. The 2024 campaign was all about ‘Faith in action - Transforming Lives in Kagera’ and the appeal is support farming initiatives, training at Kagera Christian Theological College (KCTC), and resourcing of pastors in their parishes, as well as continuing our support for healthcare in the region through the Diocesan hospital.
2023
During Lent 2023, Bishop Martin and Bishop Mike encouraged us to reflect as well as to give, raising money for our link Diocese of Kagera in Tanzania. All over Suffolk people did wonderful work to support local communities as many struggle with the cost of living. With food banks, warm spaces and many more creative ideas you are truly loving your neighbours. And our global neighbours needed support too. Churches across Kagera work hard to empower communities to find their own solutions to problems, and not just to look for handouts. Through the 2023 Lent appeal we helped Kagera Diocese continue this vital work. The theme was
‘Empowering and equipping subsistence farmers, doctors, priests and evangelists on the road to self-sufficiency.’
In April 2023 the Bishops' said thank you for raising over £25,000.
2022
In February, the Bishops’ Lent Appeal was set up in partnership with World Vision to receive our donations as we responded to the crisis in Ukraine. Since then, an incredible £83,735 (dated June 2022) has been donated to World Vision. This will make a life-changing difference to those who have fled this devastating conflict by providing children and families searching for a safe haven with hygiene kits, protection and psychosocial support - including child friendly spaces. World Vision is part of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), whose appeal is supported by the UK Government.
2021
We are delighted that together we raised the magnificent sum of £45,000 in 2021. Thank you so much to all who worked so hard to support our brothers and sisters in Kagera. Here’s how your support helped. You helped subsistence farmers survive the climate emergency.
The Church and Community Mobilisation Process (CCMP) changes mindsets. It gives people the skills and motivation to become self-sufficient and lift themselves out of poverty. Subsistence farmers have been taught to:
- diversify and plant new crops
- plant drought-tolerant varieties
- cultivate in ways to make the most of limited rain
- build rainwater tanks using local materials
- diversify into other activities like animal husbandry and beekeeping
- empowered 18 trainers to broaden the reach of CCMP to neighbouring villages
- established 12 tree nurseries across the diocese to provide avocado and other fruit seedlings as well as saplings for wood. They have also provided other materials to farmers and communities
- helped build 25 rainwater tanks
- supplied 60 foot operated water pumps to individuals and groups
- established poultry and pig breeding with four groups
- bought and distributed 100 pigs and 500 chickens – the main beneficiaries being widows
- bought and distributed beehives to 21 community groups
You also helped the Diocesan Hospital provide more specialist treatments and secure its future. Murgwanza Hospital was established by the Diocese of Kagera to bring vital healthcare to the people of the region. To secure its future, it needs to employ specialist doctors and become a referral hospital. With other funding partners, we are enabling Murgwanza hospital to travel towards that goal.
With money from the 2021 Lent Appeal, we were able to sponsor training in surgery for Dr Christian Ruzige, and also to purchase specialist equipment, including a new operating table.
Dr Christian has now returned to Murgwanza, where he’ll be able to perform 60 operations every month, as well as undertaking outreach work in villages to spread awareness of what can be achieved locally.
Murgwanza Hospital is owned by The Anglican Church of Tanzania, Diocese of Kagera and is situated in Ngara District which has a population of just over 402,000 people. CMS Missionaries a small dispensary in the 1930’s has grown to become a hospital with a 210 bed capacity. The nearest hospital providing specialised services is 400 kms away from Murgwanza, which results in many people being unable to access lifesaving treatment. Murgwanza Hospital is seeking to increase its capabilities in all medical specialisms. WIth your support, more specialists are being trained to provide quality healthcare to the people of Ngara and surrounding districts, including people from neighbouring countries, Burundi and Rwanda.
Finally, you helped priests lead their people out of poverty. In Kagera priests and evangelists lead their people not only spiritually but in practical ways. Kagera Christian Theological College, KCTC, provides a sound theological education. It also works closely with CCMP to give training and experience in practical skills, including new cultivation and irrigation methods, honey harvesting and animal husbandry.
With money from the 2021 Lent appeal we continued to support KCTC by funding student bursaries and staff salaries as well as development and refurbishment work. We also supported the purchase of 16 motorbikes to enable priests to travel the huge distances round their parishes, to spend more time working and less time walking.
2019
The Bishops would like to thank all those who contributed to the 2019 Lent appeal for our Link Diocese, Kagera. “We are delighted that you raised "£30,529" to support our brothers and sisters within our link diocese” said Bishop Martin.
2018
In 2018 the appeal was for local communities and 36 different parishes or benefices donated a total of £11,213 to 47 different charities, a very generous effort and we encourage you to continue this generous support of your local community.
