For 1.1 billion people, having no access to a safe water supply is a daily reality.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 1.8 million people die every year from diseases transmitted through contaminated water and poor hygiene practices.

Turn on the Tap is committed to reducing waterborne disease, especially among vulnerable populations, through household water treatment and safe storage programs.

Through BioSand Water Filter projects, Turn on the Tap are providing communities access to safe drinking water through household water filters and have installed more than 70,000 BioSand Water Filters, bringing improved water to an estimated 560,000 individuals worldwide. Recipients of the filters are trained in filter use and maintenance, and basic health and sanitation principles.

The plan is to build, install, and maintain at least another 65,000 filters by 2010.

Last year, we held a community fun day to raise awareness and funds to purchase more water filters and further the work of Turn on the Tap. £1,300 was raised, resulting in approximately 32 water filters.

We are keen to keep working with Turn on the Tap and support this work. Please contact us if you’d like to be involved.

Since 1990, Operation Christmas Child has brought the joy of Christmas to more than 47 million boys and girls to children across Eastern Europe and Africa.

This annual project enables us to give gifts to hurting children by filling ordinary shoe boxes with small toys, school supplies, sweets etc which are then delivered, with the help of thousands of volunteers, to children in hospitals, orphanages, refugee camps, homeless shelters, and impoverished neighbourhoods.

The gifts are given regardless of nationality, political background or religious beliefs to children requiring nothing of them, their families or communities in return. Wherever it is culturally appropriate and in partnership with our local partners, a booklet with Bible stories is made available to children in their own language.

If you’d like to contribute by filling a shoe box, please follow the link www.samaritanspurse.uk.com to see the guidelines of what sort of gifts to include. Filled shoe boxes can be dropped off at the church anytime before November 20th

In order to reduce modern day slavery, we as individuals need to speak with our spending money. Companies will listen to how we spend. By buying fair trade products you can give a much needed voice to those who are being exploited in factories and fields across the world.

Traidcraft is one company that produces fair trade products and is available to purchase at the church. What is fair trade?

1. Focuses on trading with poor and marginalised producer groups, helping them develop skills and sustainable livelihoods.

2. Pays fair prices that cover the full cost of production and enable a living wage.

3. Provides credit when needed to allow orders to be fulfilled.

4. Encourages the fair treatment of all workers. Aims to build up long-term relationships, rather than looking for short-term commercial advantage.

Sales of fair trade products have been gaining momentum in the UK in recent years, and are now widely available.

Look out for the Fairtrade logo to identify products that meet the fair trade requirements.