Chch rallies to mission appeal

Press, 11 December 1982, Page 6

Chch rallies to mission appeal

Record contributions have been made to the Anglican City Mission this year, almost twice the amount received in 1981. In the first week’ of its month-long Advent appeal it has raised almost $30,000 in donations and pledges compared with a total of $28,500 last year. It has also received a further $4OOO to $5OOO from other trusts and charities for general use.

While in 1981 donations peaked at 80 a day. this year the peak is 120 a’ day. The Anglican City Missioner. the Rev. David Morrell. said that the success of the appeal had surprised him.

"After enormous response to our winter appeal some months ago. $61,000 compared with last year's $25,000, we expected that the Advent appeal would be a rather low-key affair." he said. It seemed to contradict the idea that when times were hard, people gave less. Previously appeals had started slowly but this one had been “hectic from the first day." Mr Morrell said. The response to the mis-

sion’s request for assistance with its Christmas dinner had also been "excellent" although little “fuss" had been made about it. Mr Morrell attributed the unprecedented public generosity to an awareness of the difficulties confronting lowincome earners and beneficiaries. particularly during the Christmas period. He said that 1983 would be a year of "very high demand" on the mission's services as the level of need increased.