Help change lives around the world this Christian Aid Week

Christian Aid Week, the UKs longest established and most successful door-to-door fundraising week, is running from 9th to 15th May 2004. The theme of Christian Aid Week 2004 is We believe in life before death when the international development agency will be calling on people across the UK to help Christian Aid give desperately poor people all over the world the chance of a better future.

May 8, 2004--Backed by stars including comedian Harry Enfield, Coronation Streets Suranne Jones and actor and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah, the aim is to build on last years total - when more than 350,000 volunteers raised 14.3 million. The week will be supported by national print and television advertising calling on the public to Help people in the third world stand on their own two feet.

The week is easy to get involved in, whether it is by holding a sponsored event, making a donation in the famous red envelope or logging onto www.caweek.org to find out whats happening around the country or to raise sponsorship money. You can also log onto www.lifeswitch.org which allows you and your friends to find out what your life could have been like if youd been born in a different country.

The range of celebrities doing their bit to make a difference include:
Comedian Harry Enfield who said,
"I hope people up and down the country help raise as much money as they can for the world's poorest countries for Christian Aid Week."

Suranne Jones, Coronation Street's Karen Macdonald: "If everyone who watches Coronation Street, gave just a pound for Christian Aid Week, it could help millions. Christian Aid helps around the world, from providing water for communities, helping women to start up their own businesses and education programmes for children. Please do your bit."

Writer and star of Casualty Kwame Kwei Armah passed on his message of encouragement, You can do it! I dont think you can wake up in the morning and think I am going to change the world, but what you can say is Im going to do my bit and if I can do the best that I can do, and I do it right, people will follow I think we can all make a difference.

World-renowned ballet dancer, Carlos Acosta, winner of the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne and principal dancer for the Bolshoi, Royal Ballet and English National Ballet was particularly interested in an HIV/Aids project that Christian Aid supports in Ethiopia. The project uses dance to help educate children on the issues.

To see the projects Christian Aid does with dance is inspiring. Please do whatever you can to help the world's poorest countries this Christian Aid week. I hope you raise more money than ever.

By supporting Christian Aid Week you will be among millions of people who think poverty is a scandal that we do not have to accept. Your actions, commitments and contributions will help to bring about a better life for people living in poor communities by helping Christian Aid in its work with its 600 local partner organisations in more than 50 countries worldwide. We believe life is for living, not merely surviving.

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For more information about Christian Aid Week contact:
Kate Wills on 020 7523 2446 e-mail protected from spam bots or
John McKie on 020 7523 2417 e-mail protected from spam bots

Notes to Editors:
1.    To make a donation to Christian Aid Week please go to www.caweek.org or call 08080 006006.

2.    For more information about events around the country please go to www.caweek.org

3.    For the first time Christian Aid is encouraging people to raise sponsorship money online for Christian Aid Week via www.justgiving.com/caweek by setting up their own fundraising page and asking their friends and relatives to sponsor them.

4.    Christian Aid Week (9-15 May 2004) is the UKs longest running and most successful door-to-door fundraising week. Over seven million people get involved each year. It started in 1957. Last year more than 14.3 million was raised with the help of over 350,000 volunteers.

5.    Christian Aid is an international development agency working worldwide to fight poverty and injustice. It works with some of the poorest communities, helping people irrespective of race, religion, culture or background to get a better life.