Donors are being encouraged to give via Direct Debit
British long distance cyclist Mark Beaumont is lending his support to a new campaign by Mary’s Meals that moves regular giving up a gear by enabling recurring gifts to the global school feeding charity to go three times further this summer.
Anyone who sets up a new monthly Direct Debit to Mary’s Meals before 31 August this year will have their first three donations tripled, backed by supporters, including The Bishop Radford Trust.
The funding boost will enable the charity to reach more children with a daily school meal in 19 of the world’s poorest countries where it works.
Mary’s Meals is encouraging people to help it access all the available funding by setting up a Direct Debit soon. The extra funding also means that for those who already have a regular gift in place to Mary’s Meals and would like to increase their donation, every additional penny will be tripled.
Mark Beaumont, who holds a world record for cycling 18,000 miles around the globe in less than 79 days, and recently set another record time for cycling from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in 39 hours and 40 minutes, as part of a relay, is supporting Mary Meals’ new regular giving campaign.
He says: “This is a unique opportunity for regular donations from new and existing Mary’s Meals’ supporters to go the extra mile. It’s the perfect time to join Mary’s Meals as a regular giver, as each penny will go three times further for children in the world’s poorest communities.
“At the schools in the countries where Mary’s Meals works, like Malawi, Haiti and Ethiopia, each meal costs an average of 8p, so this summer’s funding boost will change the lives of many hungry children.
“I’m delighted to support this initiative, as it makes a little giving from individuals go a long way towards creating a brighter future for children in the world’s poorest countries, ensuring they have a daily nutritious meal at school and the chance to learn and flourish.”
Mary’s Meals was founded in Argyll in 2002 and has grown from feeding 200 children in Malawi, to now reaching more than 1.8 million around the world. The promise of a daily meal in school attracts impoverished children to the classroom, where they can gain an education that will one day be their ladder out of poverty.
The average global cost to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year is just £15.90.
Gillian McMahon, director of supporter engagement at Mary’s Meals, said: “We’re very excited to have this wonderful opportunity to access significant funding this summer to boost the impact of regular gifts to Mary’s Meals. We’re so grateful to our generous supporters for making this happen.
“The promise of a recurring donation, whatever size, gives us the confidence to plan future expansions and will give more hungry children the gifts of food, joy and hope. This funding boost will help Mary’s Meals move closer to the incredible milestone of feeding two million children worldwide.”
