One million refugees have left Syria and half of them are children. Many are living in makeshift refugee camps with nothing to their names. A Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) has been launched and OXFAM through UKPAC has asked every club to help in any way they can. SIGBI have made a donation of £2,000.00. It only costs £20.00 for OXFAM to provide two single bed mattresses to sleep on; the alternative is, more often than not, a freezing cold and wet floor. This is only one of the many problems facing these people. £10.00 could help provide shelter for families and £50 a set of winter clothes for a family
Past President Chris Corless thought a fitting way to raise money for this appeal was for Lichfield Club members to take part in the Global Poverty Project and live below the poverty line on £1.00 per day for 5 days. Some members took part and donated the money they would have spent on food and other club members supported with donations. The result was that we raised £242.00 which will be sent to Oxfam for forwarding to the DEC.
Those that took the challenge acknowledged that it had made them more aware of the cost of basic foods and that it is one thing living on £1.00 per day from choice but quite another for the millions who have no choice.