THE Bishops of Ely and Huntingdon s Lent appeal, launched last February at St Barnabas Church, in Oxmoor, raised more than £10,000 to help the poorest neighbourhoods in the diocese. The £10,560.91 raised by the Appeal for Challenging Poverty – an initiati

THE Bishops of Ely and Huntingdon's Lent appeal, launched last February at St Barnabas Church, in Oxmoor, raised more than £10,000 to help the poorest neighbourhoods in the diocese.

The £10,560.91 raised by the Appeal for Challenging Poverty - an initiative from the Church Urban Fund (CUF) - was handed over to the fund last week.

It was raised by parishes across the diocese as part of their charitable giving during Lent, together with help from individuals and other organisations. A proportion of the gifts will help bring lasting change to people living in the region's poorest neighbourhoods.

The CUF aims to tackle poverty and injustice throughout the country. In this area the charity has supported projects including the St Barnabas Community Centre in Oxmoor.

Diocesan spokesman and former broadcaster Canon Owen Spencer-Thomas said there were pockets of deprivation where people in rural and urban communities faced poverty and marginalisation.

"This giving is a marvellous result," said the Bishop of Ely, Dr Anthony Russell. "I am most grateful to all those who have supported this important appeal.

"As the title implies, its projects have been mainly in urban areas. However, the work of the CUF also extends to rural areas where there is extensive and considerable need, as we know in this diocese.