Nuns on the run in Liverpool raising money for families facing water poverty overseas

SISTER MaryAnne Francalanza and Sister Lynne Baron from the St Hughes and St Clare's Parish in Liverpool, have gone the extra mile this Lent by collectively taking part in UK charity, CAFOD's 'Walk for Water' fundraiser, to raise money for vulnerable families facing water poverty overseas.

44 year old Sister MaryAnne who is originally from Malta, says that she was taught the value of water from a young age:- "In Malta we don't always have access fresh water. Most water is from Reverse Osmosis plants that turn sea water into drinking water, and this makes water a very expensive commodity. My parents were always finding ways to save water. When I was young, we had a well in our house to gather rainwater in the winter. My mother always focused on not wasting resources."

Adding why the Walk for Water campaign is close to her heart, Sister MaryAnne says:- "The thought that someone in this day and age has to walk so far to get what we take for granted, is hard to believe, but it is the reality for many people living in communities that do not have a readily available water for their daily needs. We are linking with our parish of St Clare and St Hugh to do this together; it is a positive way that the parish can come together to support others. This year, the connection that we have with others in the UK and thousands of miles away is more important than ever before."

Taking up CAFOD's challenge to walk 10,000 steps every day over the 40 days of Lent, and having raised over ₤300 so far, along with members of St Hughes and St Clare's parish, Sister MaryAnne and Sister Lynne are in the final week of their challenge.

CAFOD's local representative in Liverpool, Colette Bryne concludes:- "It is so inspiring to hear Sister MaryAnne's story, CAFOD says a big thank you to St Hughes' and St Clare's parish, and the thousands of supporters who are in their final week of their 'Walk for Water' challenge. This Lent they will be transforming lives. Our years of knowledge and the experience of local aid workers tell us, that when families have availability to clean, safe water, people's lives can be transformed. We will be working with local experts and communities to find the best solutions in each place where we work; whether it's a well, a piped system or rain harvesting, we will be setting up local water committees, allowing communities to take ownership and keep the water flowing."
 

Interview with Alexandra Molton a 1st Time Marathon Runner who has raised money for communities both home and away

A 1st time Marathon runner, Alexandra Molton, has raised ₤1,059.50, and counting, for charity by taking on an incredible fitness challenge to support fragile communities in the UK and overseas.

Alex, who is 23 and from Southport, set herself the ultimate challenge of running a Marathon with just 3 weeks of training to raise money for CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) and The Big Help Project. She told us that she had taken on this challenge after starting work at The Big Help Project in 2020 and also signing up as a volunteer for CAFOD.

However, Alex’s challenge is far from over as she joins people across England and Wales in doing 10,000 steps a day as part of CAFOD’s Walk for Water challenge.

The money raised throughout the Lenten season will contribute to the work of overseas development charity, CAFOD, by helping communities access water, as well as providing appropriate tools and training to maintain this vital life source.

For further information about Alex’s Marathon or to donate online, head to:- UK.VirginMoneyGiving.Com

Please do check out the written interview we on on our Daily Updates page, on 18 March 2021, with her, by clicking on here.
 

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