In our last page, we told you that in 2003, the Church donated, from Pledged Giving, more than £6000 to charity. This year, we will be supporting 4 charities but the money will only come from the Church's fund raising activities. Below, you will find information about these charities, which we hope will encourage you to give generously at the various events being organised this year or when visiting our 'Church by the Bridge'.

Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance

This Charity, within the Chiltern area of Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, offers patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, specialist nursing care, support and advice, in their own homes, allowing them to enjoy the best possible quality of life. It also helps the relatives and carers during the illness and bereavement period.
The Hospice at Home service is offered free of charge to patients and their families and it therefore relies heavily on donations for most of it's income.

The President of the Organisation is Moira Rennie, wife of the first patient to be helped, in 1985, by the Hospice that now bears his name. A second patient was referred to the group of nurses whilst they were still nursing Iain, and these five nurses, along with their families and friends, formed a formal committee and eventually registered with the UK Charities Commission in 1987 as "The Iain Rennie Hospice at Home".

More information can be found on their web site at www.irhh.org/home/

A child dies every 15 seconds from water-related diseases, but just £15 provides someone with safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.
WaterAid is an international NGO dedicated exclusively to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene education to the world's poorest people.
WaterAid works by helping local organisations set up low cost, sustainable projects using appropriate technology that can be managed by the community itself.

WaterAid also seeks to influence the policies of other key organisations, such as governments, to secure and protect the right of poor people to safe, affordable water and sanitation services.
WaterAid works in both rural and urban areas, and currently has programmes in 15 countries in Africa and Asia .
WaterAid is independent and relies heavily on voluntary support.

More information can be found on their web site at www.wateraid.org.uk

LIGHTHOUSE MARLOW 2005

LIGHTHOUSE is an amazing holiday club for children for one week in the summer holidays. Great Missenden have run a Lighthouse week for 17 years and others have been run out of Hazlemere and Burnham. It will be run by Christians from all the local churches as part of Churches Together in Marlow and with help from the Hambleden Valley churches. The aim is to introduce children aged 5 to 10(+), to God, to explore the Bible with them and to help them to look to Jesus as their special friend. Children from all backgrounds are welcomed.

The Lighthouse format is simple and fun. At the start and finish of the day everyone gathers in the big tent for lively songs, comedy and competition. For the rest of the day the children are in small groups " Lighthouses" under the supervision of a Lighthouse Keeper assisted by two younger helpers, "Lamplighters". The programme includes games, drama and craftwork plus a year group session to explore the day's theme that is Bible based. An individual Lighthouse teaching session develops this further.
Lighthouse is run entirely by volunteers and costs about £10:00 per child for the week. No charge is made, but donations are warmly welcomed according to what parents can afford. The rest depends on fundraising and generous donations from local sources, churches businesses and the local community. Any offers of help and sponsorship would be greatly appreciated.

Marlow Lighthouse does not currently have a web site but click here to see a typical Lighthouse project www.lighthousemissenden.org.uk .

The previous Missionary Giving page can be found here...