Live Below the Line for Oxfam

 

 

A lovely guy working in conjuction with Oxfam sent me a very interesting email yesterday asking if I would highlight their cause this week.  I am only more than happy to.

I worked for Oxfam, first as a volunteer in one of their shops in Cumbria, then 'rising through the ranks' to Donated Goods Manager and then Shop Manager and finally working in conjunction with my Area Manager of the time training other Shop Managers to run shops of their own.  I thoroughly enjoyed my years working with them.  It really brought home to me, through the various urgent appeals I was involved in and the work behind the scenes to make sure the money donated got through to the folks it was intended for in the best possible ways, the marvellous work that this charity does in the most poverty striken parts of the world.

I think my favourite part of the job was when customers would come in with their squares of knitted wool and we would pile them into bags, when we had enough one of my vounteers would take them home and sew them into warm cosy blankets ready to be sent to the huge storage facility at Bicester to be on standby to be sent to where they were needed most.  These were not just random squares of wool, they were love sewn into usable items, made with love, sent with love and received with gratitude and relief.  Well anyway this is beside the point but this shows how deep my respect for Oxfam is and why when they ask me for help I do what I can.

So all that I ask of you my wonderful Blog readers is that you take a minute to read this.

 

Oxfam Supports Live Below the Line 2013

In the world today, 1.4 billion people live below the poverty line. That’s 1.4 billion people who are forced to get by on less than an equivalent of £1 a day for living expenses.

This month, the Global Poverty Project’s Live Below the Line Challenge returns. From 29 April to 3 May, participants from the UK, Canada, Australia and the USA will get a taste of what it’s like to live below the poverty line by pledging to spend only £1 a day on food for 5 days. You can get involved too by visiting the webpage for Oxfam’s Live Below the Line and signing up for the challenge.

Other things you can do to get involved with Live Below the Line include:

-          Sponsorship – ask friends, family, colleagues and neighbours for donations

-          Shopping Bill – Donate the difference from a weekly shop

-          Get Creative – Host a ‘Come Dine with Me Below the Line’ evening and ask guests for a donation.

Oxfam has been fighting poverty and deprivation for 70 years across 94 countries. This year’s Live Below the Line Challenge sees it joining forces with 30 organisations in the UK alone. Oxfam is one of the many UK charities working to create a global movement around food and nutrition in 2013. With the world’s most powerful leaders meeting at the G8 summit this year, action must be taken to change the lives of the millions around the world who struggle with hunger every day of the week. No one should have to go hungry, and Oxfam is actively working to raise awareness and campaigning for change.

The Live Below the Line initiative began in 2009 as a result of a house share and the ensuing conversations about extreme poverty between Rich Fleming from the Global Poverty Project and nick Allardice from Australia’s Oaktree Foundation. 15,000 people worldwide took up the challenge last year, raising $3,500,000 for anti-poverty initiatives.

Visit Oxfam.com to sign up for the challenge. For further information, please email fundraising@oxfam.org.uk or call 0300 200 1300.

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He also included a few recipe cards  which I have copied here to help you if you are taking part in this weeks wonderful Live Below the Line Challenge or indeed if you are just trying to make your food go as far as possible.

If you click on them they should appear larger.

 

I'll be back to my normal Blogging tomorrow launching my Challenge for myself for the month of May.

 

I have a confession to make and I shall have to stand up and admit it, well I have to ..... there's evidence I have the pictures :-)

 

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For those of you who have been asking, and I apologise for not letting you know sooner, we did not buy either of the properties we were after at the auction last Friday.  These believe it or not were the ONLY two properties in the entire auction that went for way above their reserve prices AND we had made the decision that unless we could get either of them 'for a song' we were not going to bother as only the day before we had found a property we absolutely love the look and sound of complete with 20 acres of land ....... we have a viewing booked for this Sunday ...... in SOUTH WALES.

 

I know you will wish us luck, but I think it's time you uncrossed all your fingers, I think you will be losing all circulation in the poor little digits :-)

 

Sue xx