Appeal Update

On the 7th June Ela Lum, a FARA Area Manager jumped out of an airplane high above Salisbury to raise money for FARA’s 2015 Appeal. The plan had been for her to jump in April however due to adverse weather conditions it had to be postponed. Following one further cancellation she finally made it - third time lucky! Thanks to Ela’s terrific efforts 15,000 feet high and the amazing support of FARA customers and staff, £1672.44 was collected for Raise the Roof Appeal. Since then almost another thousand pounds has been generously given by our shops’ customers contributing in our special 2015 Appeal donation situated at every FARA shop till point.

Firusta Pastrav - FARA Romania’s Rural Development Programme Manager explains how this Appeal money is being used:

“At the beginning of May we took the first steps in our house renovation programme: organising the building materials. The main things we need are yellow clay, wood, straw and water. Since water is so scarce we have to bring it to the village in a fire-engine and store it in big tanks.

One of our first steps will be to help the Putavai family. Their property, which is near to collapse, is home to three generations. Our plan is to build a new house for the children and their parents and then build a new room for the grandparents in the old house.”

FARA Shops 2015 Appeal will assist 13 families (81 people including many of the children below) to improve their homes as part of this project to bring revolutionary change to the forgotten village of Bahna Arini.

Recently, we were sent pictures of building materials arriving in the village – it is fantastic to see how all our fundraising efforts are already making a difference to the lives of these families. There is a long way to go to the £15,000 Appeal target and to ensure we achieve it every FARA shop will be running individual fundraising activities throughout the summer - not to mention a massive online charity auction planned for September.

FARA's 2015 Appeal will end just before Christmas by which time we will ensure that these 13 families and their children will enjoy St. Nicholas day in warm homes (it can reach minus twenty degrees in Romania) with a lot more hope for what the New Year will bring.

www.justgiving.com/FARARaiseTheRoof

To see Ela's charity parachute jump video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zaVzD8xIIM