29.05.2020
Straffan Parishioner Takes on 5km Daily Challenge for Christian Aid
A Straffan parishioner (Diocese of Glendalough) has become a familiar sight in her area throughout the month of May. Dee Huddleston has been raising awareness and funds for Christian Aid Ireland and has cut a striking figure on her evening walks wearing her red Christian Aid t–shirt and carrying two buckets of water.
Dee’s 5X5 Challenge has seen her walking five kilometres at 5pm each day in May with two five litre buckets of water. So far she has raised over €3,000 for the international development agency. But she has also raised awareness of Christian Aid and its work as curious people stop to chat as she makes her daily journey.
Normally May is the busiest month for Christian Aid and a lot of the charity’s fundraising takes place around this time. Fundraising activities have been severely hit by Covid–19 restrictions and Dee, who works for Christian Aid, put her thinking cap on to see how she could help raise funds.
Dee was inspired in her challenge by the story of widowed Kenyan grandmother Rose Jonathan (67) who walks for six hours a day to fetch water for her family. Rose has been looking after her six grandchildren alone since her daughters moved away from the village for work.
Worsening weather caused by climate change has brought drought and hunger to the Kitui region of Kenya. The rains have failed which means that Rose and others in her village must walk long distances each day to collect water. Christian Aid has responded to the crisis by funding the building of low–tech, sustainable earth dams in drought–prone regions to capture water when the rains do come.
“In many countries, women and children bear the brunt of hardship when it comes to providing for their families. Many walk miles for water and often it is not a safe walk,” Dee explains. “I’ve been very lucky. I live in a lovely part of the world. The weather has been beautiful. I’m hoping to raise not only funds but also to get the message out about the work Christian Aid does.”
She has received a great response to her efforts and is regularly beeped and waved at by passing motorists while fellow walkers often stop to chat. After almost a month of walking, people even notice if she is late. “I’ve become a fixture with my red Christian Aid t–shirt and my buckets,” she laughs.
However, hard it is carrying her buckets of water for five kilometers, Dee observes that Rose’s containers are bigger, she has to walk further and she has no choice but to carry the water for her family. She hopes that some of the money raised will help ease Rose’s burden.
Dee is entering the final weekend of her challenge but you can donate at Dee’s 5 X 5 for Christian Aid JustGiving page here or directly at www.caid.ie/donate
If your parish or parishioners have a story to tell about how you are responding during the Covid–19 pandemic please get in touch. We’d love to share your good news. Email dco@dublin.anglican.org.