Scottish Catholic Observer

Scottish actor Robert Carlyle is backing SCIAF’s Wee Box, Big Change campaign.

The Trainspotting and Full Monty star (above) has committed to give up coffee for Lent to help aid the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund’s campaign which will be officially launched for the second year running by international singing star Susan Boyle on Ash Wednesday (February 22).

Wee Box, Big Change, Scotland’s largest annual international development campaign, calls on people to give up a treat for the 40 days of Lent, such as coffee, chocolate, cakes or alcohol, and donate the money towards helping SCIAF combat poverty and injustice in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Mr Carlyle has called on his fellow Scots to back the campaign and help make a difference in reducing global poverty.

“SCIAF helps some of the poorest people in the world to work their way out of poverty,” he said. “They give a hand up, not a hand out, providing practical help such as seeds, tools and training so that people can feed themselves and their families, not just today but in the future.”

Mr Carlyle has also agreed to promote the SCIAF campaign by featuring in this year’s advertising, which went live on Monday. Susan Boyle, and fellow musicians The Proclaimers will also feature in the advertising campaign alongside broadcaster, Kaye Adams.

Other Scottish stars to have backed the campaign include Darren Fletcher, the Scotland international football captain, Ally McCoist, Rangers FC manager, and Michelle Mone, the Catholic businesswoman.

Philippa Bonella, SCIAF’s head of education and communications, said the organisation is ‘star-struck’ by the fabulous support their Lenten campaign has gained so far.

“We are extremely grateful to them and the many other famous Scots for their support and we sincerely hope it will encourage more and more people to back the campaign,” she said.

Last year, the campaign raised more than £900,000 to help SCIAF provide vulnerable people affected by conflict, hunger, poverty, and disease with practical support including seeds, tools and livestock to poor farmers, skills training and small loans to help people generate an income, and healthcare and trauma counselling to those affected by war.

— http://www.sciaf.org.uk