A FARNHAM parish has raised more than £420 by simply coming together and eating, in a bid to help transform communities around the world as part of the aid agency CAFOD’s Lent campaign.

Parishioners from St Joan of Arc in Tilford Road hosted a Lent Fast Day Soup Lunch. More than 25 people attended and all enjoyed the scrumptious homemade soups on offer, from stilton and broccoli to leek and potato.

They were helped by eight children from St Polycarp’s Catholic School, who volunteered to come along and help. They laid the table, greeted guests, served the soup and washed up, making it a real community event.

Karen Trafford, deputy head at St Polycarp’s, said: “At St Polycarp’s we feel it’s important to teach our children to ‘serve’ others.

“It was lovely to see the interaction between old and young and our children were excellent, well-mannered hosts. Both the adult guests and our children enjoyed the event which raised a lot of money for CAFOD.”

CAFOD volunteer Jo Ellis said: “The soup lunch went very well. It was a fantastic thing to do both for raising money for CAFOD and increasing awareness about the different needs and issues overseas. It was a great way of coming together as a community too”

This Lent, CAFOD is working with communities in the South African country of Zambia. It is estimated that over half of Zambians live below the poverty line. This means that many families do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as food, housing and clothing.

Finn, a pupil from St Polycarp’s, said: “I felt happy and good inside because I was helping people in the parish by serving them a tasty lunch and talking to them. At the same time I was helping raise money for poor people who don’t have food like me in parts of Africa.”

CAFOD’s partners in Zambia provide training in fish farming, beekeeping and crop farming as well as helping individuals within communities develop business skills so those most in need understand how to get a better price for their goods, market them and even set up business partnerships.

By training individuals in the community, they will be able to share their new knowledge and empower the whole community.

CAFOD’s representative in Farnham, Martin Brown, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to St Joan of Arc for joining us in transforming communities this Lent. By coming together and adding up all the small things, we can make a massive difference.

“It is the continued support from across England and Wales that helps empower communities around the world so that they are able to feed their families and make a living.”

Donate to the Lent Appeal at cafod.org.uk/Lent.