What is the Poverty and Hope Appeal?
The Diocese of Rochester Poverty and Hope Appeal is our annual fundraising opportunity to express our Christian belief in justice for the poor. Through the appeal, we show our commitment to tackling the causes and effects of poverty in different parts of the world.
The 2019 Appeal raised £29,200 for the Appeal’s chosen projects.
Poverty and Hope Appeal – 2020
Following a delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 Poverty and Hope Appeal has now been launched. Bishop James writes “Here in our Diocese our annual Poverty and Hope Appeal is one way that we seek to see God’s justice done in our world. I am always inspired by the generosity of people across our communities”.
The Appeal continues to support projects in Burundi, Sri Lanka, Syria, Zimbabwe and Kent, UK. They are summarised in our 2020 brochure, and explained in more depth in the detailed projects information note – follow the links.
You can download a display poster - or click on the image to the right. Restrictions in response to the pandemic mean we all have to seek new ways to worship and communicate. To help you, we have also prepared an article for your parish magazine or website, which you are welcome to tailor to your needs, a piece to send to members of the Church, and a short presentation for use in a service, whether in person or virtual.
Follow this link to find out how to make a donation and, if you wish, gift aid it.
The projects are:
- SRI LANKA:advocacy, intervention and rehabilitation for children who have been traumatised through experiences of exploitation and abuse. Support began in 2018, and the project builds on our diocese’s three year programme to help the Church of England’s work to support victims of modern slavery and exploitation.
- SYRIA: providing education, training and support for young people whose lives have been affected by the conflict in Syria. Supported since 2019.
- KENT: exploring with young people global crisis issues linked with poverty, injustice and climate change, working through Commonwork at Bore Place, an educational charity. Commonwork also works with young people with disabilities and learning difficulties to develop their skills and confidence, and with schools in high deprivation areas to tackle the rise in obesity. Receives long-term support.
- ZIMBABWE: tackling HIV/ Aids stigma across four dioceses in Zimbabwe, including our companion diocese of Harare. Supported since 2018.
- BURUNDI: providing horticultural training for marginalised groups in Burundi. Supported since 2019.
The project in Syria will receive matching funds from the EU which means that for every £1 you give, the project will receive £10. This matched funding will continue for the duration of our support for the project, notwithstanding the continuing uncertainties surrounding the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
How does it work?
The Appeal has been raising money since 1977 to help eradicate poverty in the UK and abroad.
It aims to do this by supporting national and international projects that focus on core issues that lie at the heart of poverty:
- agriculture
- education
- empowerment of disadvantaged people and communities, and
- healthcare.
It also seeks to foster education about these issues in the Diocese, working with schools on issues of global citizenship and encouraging churches, schools and communities to learn more about the causes of poverty and how it can be tackled around the world.
An Appeal starts in May each year and we make a distribution to the projects supported in the July or August of the following year. We had to delay the launch of the 2020 Appeal until July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How we support projects
Projects are usually supported for three years, to help them grow and become self-sustaining. They are funded through partner charities with which we work to identify suitable opportunities, and which provide checks that the funds are properly applied.
We are currently working with Christian Aid, Church Mission Society, USPG and Commonwork.
Projects like the USPG initiative tackling HIV and AIDS stigma in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is one of the countries hardest hit by HIV and AIDS globally. This is Deborah's story:
 
Supporting the Poverty & Hope Appeal
 We are very grateful for the support given in 2019 by 69 parishes to the Poverty and Hope Appeal. We hope that this support will grow in 2020 as we continue to help the most disadvantaged and give them the opportunities and assistance to move out of poverty, even while we all face the difficulties and uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic.
You can support us financially by giving to the Appeal and encouraging your church to give – details below. And we would be very grateful for your support in prayer, for the projects, the organisations that run them and the communities they support. You can use these prayer points.
We are, unfortunately, unable to provide speakers for churches, church groups or school assemblies at the moment, but will be delighted to do so once restrictions ease. Similarly, the 2020 Appeal is being run as internet only, and we cannot provide hard-copy resources.
Make a donation
We know that the pandemic has greatly affected many members of our communities and that you yourself may be struggling. However, if you are able to do so please support the Poverty and Hope Appeal in whatever way you can. We have broadened the ways you can donate.
E-banking: You can make a donation by e-banking to following account: Rochester Diocesan Society and Board of Finance, sort code 20-54-29, account 90760099.. In the reference box, please put P&H so we can correctly allocate the money to the Poverty and Hope Appeal, and something to identify your church (or nothing if you wish your donation to be given anonymously). Please email povertyandhope@gmail.com if you need more details.
Give.net: You can donate by card via https://www.give.net/povertyandhope/fundraising. You can also gift aid your donation if you are a qualifying UK taxpayer. Give.net is part of Stewardship, a Christian charity that supports Christian giving.
Cheques: please make out to ‘Rochester DBF’ with ‘Poverty and Hope Appeal’ on the back and send them with any completed gift aid envelopes to: Finance Team Rochester Diocese, St Nicholas Church, Boley Hill, Rochester ME1 1SL.
You may increase the value of your giving by gift-aiding your donation. This allows us to reclaim the tax relating to your gift. Please download and fill in the attached form and return it with your donation to the Rochester Finance Team at the address above. If you would like to receive details of the gift aid scheme or how to make your donation by standing order please do contact us at povertyandhope@gmail.com.
Contact Us
Debbie Cooper,
Appeal Coordinator, Poverty and Hope
6 Calverley Park,
Tunbridge Wells,
Kent TN1 2SH
Tel: 01892-527611
Email: povertyandhope@gmail.com
News & Updates
We have updates on various project that have been supported by the Poverty and Hope Appeal. Follow the links to the 2019 project updates ( Burundi, Sri Lanka, Syria, Zimbabwe ) 2018 updates, 2017 updates, 2016 updates, 2015 updates and 2014 updates. There is a short video about the India project here. It was supported between 2014 and 2017.
A report outlining the Poverty and Hope Appeal’s financial position and a breakdown of its distributions to projects can be found following this link.
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