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How Storm Emma helped me gain a new perspective on Family Fast Day

March 6, 2018

Elouise Hobbs from our media team shares how empty shelves during Storm Emma has given her a new perspective on Family Fast Day.

On Friday 23 February, I marked Family Fast Day like thousands of others across the country by enjoying a simple meal of soup and bread.

And, although through my simple soup meal I was able to reflect and felt solidarity with those who do not have enough to eat, the feeling was short lived – I knew that when I got home I had a fridge full of food and could eat whatever I wanted.

Get involved with Family Fast Day today

It wasn’t until an experience last Friday that really inspired me to take a new perspective on Family Fast Day.

Continue reading “How Storm Emma helped me gain a new perspective on Family Fast Day”

My vegan Lent so far

March 3, 2018

Since 13 February Susy, who works in our theology team, has been vegan. She was already a pescatarian but is now not eating fish, milk or eggs. She tells us what’s been tough so far, and what has been a surprising discovery.

It has been a few weeks now since I decided to go vegan for Lent and I would like to share with you some reflections on how it has been so far. I have had a mix of reactions from people. They range from from very supportive and offering practical advice, to incomprehension and defensiveness.

On the supportive side, one friend suggested I should try Oatly barista ‘milk’. This was after I complained that I was not enjoying my morning Earl Grey tea as so many milk-substitutes just tasted watery. It was a good suggestion and my tea does now taste better! Another friend suggested I make my own cashew milk by buying a nut bag, but I have yet to follow that recommendation.

Watch Susy’s vlog about her vegan Lent and share your vegan recipe suggestions with her:

Going vegan for Lent

Susy assures us her vegan lunch is tastier than it looks…would you try a soy fish finger?Got any recipes she could try to make her vegan Lent challenge more exciting?

Posted by CAFOD on Wednesday, 28 February 2018

Continue reading “My vegan Lent so far”

Tell Sainsbury’s their “fairly-traded” tea isn’t Fairtrade

March 2, 2018

Last December Sainsbury’s met a group of Fairtraders to talk about tea. Vin Allerton, a long-time Fairtrader in Salford, was one of CAFOD’s delegates. Here he tells us about how the meeting went, and what his next plans are.

Telling Sainsbury’s not to ditch Fairtrade

My wife and I have been Salford Diocese Fairtrade activists for over 20 years, supplying Fairtrade goods in our own parish. In the last 10 years we’ve also provided Fairtrade items to other local parishes, schools and at CAFOD events. This is why, with over 150,000 other people I signed a petition asking Sainsbury’s not to stop the Fairtrade mark on its own-brand Red Label tea. The reaction of Mike Coupe, Sainbury’s Chief Executive, to the petition was not positive. But Sainsbury’s did later go on to agree to a meeting, possibly after seeing the size of the opposition.

And so last December, a group of us met Judith Batchelar, Director of Sainsbury’s Brand, to discuss our concerns. Continue reading “Tell Sainsbury’s their “fairly-traded” tea isn’t Fairtrade”

How a vegetable garden changed my life

March 1, 2018

This Lent you may have heard about Tawanda from Zimbabwe and how hungry he was as a child. You may have heard how CAFOD helped Marian to plant a vegetable garden and how Tawanda’s little brother Svondo grew up with plenty of good food. But what happened to Tawanda?

Can you introduce yourself?

I’m Tawanda. I’m 21 years old and I live in Gokwe North District with my mum, dad, two brothers and little sister.

What was your childhood like?

When I was younger, I remember being so desperate, we’d eat anything. We ate roasted groundnuts with sadza. It’s not something I’d recommend. It’s like eating salt.

What are you doing now?

I have my own vegetable plot at the community vegetable garden. I farm the plot so I can sell vegetables to buy things like clothes and shoes. I enjoy working on the plot – it’s my only way of earning money.

Donate to CAFOD so more people like Tawanda can have the chance to plant their own vegetable garden in Zimbabwe

Continue reading “How a vegetable garden changed my life”

Can £28 really stop a family going hungry?

February 28, 2018

Sally Kitchener, from CAFOD’s communications team, recently visited Zimbabwe. She tells us how hearing a mother’s story about hunger affected her. She also shares some good news about vegetable gardens and invites you to help tackle malnutrition by donating to the CAFOD Lent Appeal.

A few months ago, I met Marian Magumise in her home in rural Zimbabwe. After packing the children off to school just after dawn, Marian invited me to sit in her cooking hut. The embers from the fire were still warm and the smell of porridge hung in the air.

Marian told me that she hasn’t always been able to give her children a meal before school. In fact, there have been countless times – months on end – when she has had not an oat or a grain to feed them.

Donate to CAFOD’s Lent Appeal

Continue reading “Can £28 really stop a family going hungry?”

Stopping shopping for Lent

February 26, 2018

Jeremy, from our Hallam volunteer centre, has never considered himself a ‘shopaholic’. But a shiny new camera lens and a letter from the bank led him to wonder – is there more he could be doing to fight back against the culture of consumption?

I had a shock a few weeks back. For once it wasn’t the emptiness of my bank account, though that was the catalyst. Instead, I was surprised, and a little dismayed, by my powerful attachment to possessions.

A vulture in flight photographed from below by Jeremy Cain — One of Jeremy’s photos – he calls this one ‘a vulture hovering over my bank account’

Let me explain. I’m an occasionally keen amateur photographer and, as we’re planning to visit Mull after Easter, I thought it would be a good idea to buy myself a zoom lens. We’re mostly going for the birds of prey and I had dreams of getting the perfect shot of a sea eagle plucking a fish out from the water. I’d spent days scouring the internet and was on the verge of clicking the buy-it-now button when the bad news from the bank came through. Just for a moment, I was tempted to click anyway but the thought of having to explain to the kids why we had no food to eat held me back. They can be quite aggressive when they’re hungry.

Continue reading “Stopping shopping for Lent”

My Lenten digital detox – giving up Netflix for Lent

February 25, 2018

Fr Tim Byron SJ, from Stamford Hill is taking a digital detox and has given up Netflix for Lent. He updates us on his #GiveItUpChallenge.

So far so good. It has been surprisingly easy to wean myself off Netflix in the evening and I’m no longer suffering from excessive binge-watching.

Share your Lent challenge on Twitter

However, having allowed Lent to interrupt a couple of my favourite dramas, I do find myself wondering how Jimmy McGill is going to get himself out of his most recent pickle in Better Call Saul. Or when Carrie Mathison is going to be reunited with her daughter in Homeland. Continue reading “My Lenten digital detox – giving up Netflix for Lent”

Fast to go slow: how fasting can transform you this Lent

February 22, 2018

Susy works in the CAFOD Theology team. Although she hasn’t always looked forward to fasting, this year she is going vegan for Lent. Here she tells us how she thinks fasting for Lent can transform her, and her relationships.

Fasting. The word doesn’t fill most people with joy. I know for me there has often been a slight dread about fasting. It is not something to look forward to, is it? Eating less, maybe giving something up that we enjoy. A sacrifice – surely it will be painful?

Follow CAFOD on twitter for tips on how to keep going with your Lenten fast.

I think though, like anything else, how we view fasting, how we approach it, makes an awful lot of difference to the experience. When I was much younger there was a short time in my life when I fasted on bread and water once a week. I would get splitting headaches and I was always very relieved when the day was over. I saw it as perhaps helping in my relationship with God, but I don’t remember making any connections with those who struggle to have bread and water every day.

Having worked at CAFOD for fifteen years now, I see fasting in a different light. I also have a much more positive attitude towards it – it is actually something I can look forward to! Why? For four main reasons. I feel fasting can help transform me in four areas – in my relationship with God, in my relationship with others, with creation and with myself. Here’s how I see it:

Continue reading “Fast to go slow: how fasting can transform you this Lent”

Give it up: my caffeine fast

February 22, 2018

Charlotte Atkins is a youth leader from Bristol taking the give it up challenge this Lent. Charlotte works in the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle with the Youth Ministry Team.

“Why on earth are you giving up coffee for Lent? Are you brave or foolish?”

Charlotte is fundraising for CAFOD this Lent as part of the give it up challenge — Charlotte is taking the give it up challenge this Lent

Coffee is a common item to give up for Lent, considering how many people drink some sort of hot beverage, whether that be coffee or tea, every single day. It becomes a part of our everyday lives. We get up, get ready and have a cup of coffee with breakfast. Or, if you’re anything like me, get up and go straight to the kettle. It becomes ritualistic, a need to wake up and to get through the day. I have decided to give coffee up to get myself out of this routine, and to also have a think about what is truly important in our everyday lives.

Donate to CAFOD’s Lent appeal

I want to think about what we need versus what we want. Coffee is definitely not something I need, despite what I often think. If more of us were to take these steps into thinking what do we need and what do others really need, I believe we could take these small steps to making an impact in the world.

Continue reading “Give it up: my caffeine fast”

Telling Sainsbury’s not to ditch Fairtrade

Can you introduce yourself?

What was your childhood like?

What are you doing now?

Why I am taking this challenge