TRANSFORM

Commitment for Life

Commitment for Life is the world development programme of the United Reformed Church.

It works with Christian Aid and the World Development Movement to enable some of the poorest people in the world to build a more secure future for their families and communities.

Recently we have changed our Commitment for Life Partner from Silveira House in Zimbabwe to the Palestine Agricultural Relief Committees.

Christian Aid

House to house collections and lunches are held during Christian Aid Week in May.

Later on in the year an Autumn Fair takes place.

These events are organized by a committee representing local churches.

Collections are made from time to time in response to emergency appeals.

Fair Trade

We are working towards becoming a Fairtrade church by encouraging our folk to buy goods which carry the Fairtrade logo and by gradually increasing our use of such goods in the life of the church.

A monthly stall is set up on Sundays to sell a wide range of Fairtrade products.

These guarantee a better deal for Third World Producers.

Local Charities

Beneficiaries may change from year to year but at present support is given to:

• St. Andrew's House, which is the local free church residential home for the elderly
• Coventry Day Centre for the Homeless (Norton House). We are on a rota with other churches to provide and serve Sunday lunches. This relieves the regular staff
• Dudley Lodge, which is a family centre
• Coventry Refugee Centre
• Myton Hospice
• Global Care. This is an international Christian charity providing care, relief, development, education and other programmes for some of the world's neediest children and young people
• John Moore's Bequest. Together with two trustees from West Orchard URC, three members are trustees of this local charity who, out of the income of this bequest set up in 1729, distribute gifts at Christmas to people of the City who are on hard times

Proceeds from the Harvest Festival, the Advent Gift Service and the Benevolent Fund are distributed to both individuals and to charities.