The Harvest Appeal 2011 will support the Cathedral Relief Service in Calcutta, India.  The city of Calcutta has a population of over 15 million with 5 million people living in the slums.  To put this into context the city of Derby has less than 250,000 inhabitants.  The CRS ethos is to enable the children of the slums to lift themselves out of poverty through primary education, training and healthcare.  At present, it touches the lives of more than 600 children but would like to expand with six new initiatives:

• A child labour programme to educate at primary level and to train children that need to work;
• An environmental club to encourage awareness in a rapidly industrialising India;
• Three new education centres where there are no schools nearby;
• An iron supplementation programme for anaemic children;
• Midday meals to improve nutrition and encourage school attendance;
• Weekly counselling sessions for those who have suffered from domestic violence and sexual abuse.

I would be delighted if you could participate in any way to support the Cathedral Relief Service as we remember the message of giving during Harvest.

With best wishes,

Yours ever,

Bishop Alastair