Trustee Louise Gessey has volunteered for LUCIA since its inception. Here she explains why she does it:

"I got involved in LUCIA at its beginning when I think I just offered to help with a cake sale or something. That was seven years ago now and ‘helping’ very quickly turned into being in the thick of it all and becoming a Trustee! For a while I’d been thinking about doing something useful in my spare time and this just came along really.

Fundraising can be hard work but it’s also a lot of fun and being able to hand money over directly to individuals who need it is incredibly heartwarming. Over the years we have been able to see for ourselves the difference that LUCIA’s funding has made to the SWDA’s women’s self help groups for example and to the orphan girls who have been growing up with our support covering their education and living costs.

On a personal level I have learned a huge amount by being a part of LUCIA and I think the other trustees and committee members will feel the same. Whether it’s how to claim Gift Aid from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, learning the statistics and details of female genital mutilation (not pleasant) or thinking about how best to measure a sunflower to ensure competitors are happy(!) the list is, and will continue to be, endless.

Fundraising work is extremely varied and means we get to meet lots of different kind and generous people who never fail to amaze us with the new ideas they come up with or the ways in which they can help LUCIA. As well as larger amounts, we are also forever receiving relatively small amounts of money here and there and experience has shown us that these really add up. I am part of LUCIA because I wanted to do a bit to help. Admittedly this turned into a little more than ‘a bit’ but I think it’s important to try and do something if you can, however small. All the small things really do add up and if it helps to make a difference to just one individual then I think it’s worth it".

Valerie Edden's Class Group from the Selly Oak Methodist Church organised a lovely charity fundraising event called 'Come dine with us' with all the proceeds going to LUCIA. The congregation was invited to take part by either cooking or attending an evening meal. Those who attended paid what they thought would be the price of an evening out at a restaurant. The evenings were enjoyed by all and raised the amazing amount of £1093.75.

LUCIA would like to thank Valerie and her class for all the work they put in to raise this wonderful amount. Without people like the Selly Oak Methodist Congregation there would not be a LUCIA charity that gives hope for a better future for so many in Ethiopia.