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Ordinands seek sponsorship for Shrove Tuesday head shave!

Thursday February 19th 2009

Some of the Ordinands at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute have decided to put some ‘fun’ into fundraising by organising a group sponsored head shave on Shrove Tuesday.

The proceeds will go the USPG's project supporting St Francis' Hospital, Zambia, (http://www.uspg.org.uk/projects.php).

Event organiser Patrick Burke, a final year student at the college, said: “Lent is quite properly a penitential season, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun with it while doing some good for others.

“Shaving one’s head is a traditional way of doing penance. Doing it with a bunch of friends in front of your colleagues and teachers is a bit of a laugh. And doing it for a worthy cause is the best of both worlds.”

Church-run St Francis’ Hospital in Katete is the only source of healthcare for a large rural population in Eastern Zambia. Malaria, AIDS and TB have decimated the working population of this region and left many children as orphans in an area where most live at subsistence levels. The intervention of the church is vital because its broad network means it can reach remote rural areas that are frequently overlooked by other charitable agencies. USPG provides funding that is essential to their mission.

The students are appealing to every parish throughout the Church of Ireland to collect at least one Euro from each parishioner during Lent. “It’s a very simple idea,” said Patrick. “If one or two people in each parish takes up a collection and sends it on, a lot of money could be raised for a really good cause very easily.”

Donations may be sent to: ‘Head Shave’, Church of Ireland Theological College, Braemor Park, D14. Contact Patrick Burke at pathros@eircom.net for more details.

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