A friend of mine has suggested that a few of the congregation may not know what the Third World Group is all about, so I have decided to give you the jist!

In January 1988, Alastair Lusk, the then minister, asked my husband and I, along with Ian and Hazel Hamilton to form a group for the Third World. He left it to us how we handled it. At the beginning we were able to sell biscuits supplied by Lees, but unfortunately it was packed up a couple of years later. We had also decided on a mile of pennies which had grown and grown and we now have a basket in the vestibule every Sunday for donations, they have of course increased from pennies to pound coins, (though we take any coins!) and we have even been blessed with notes!!

Ian Hamilton was the first convener, Hazel was the treasurer and I was the minute secretary. I took over the treasurer’s post in 1995, Ian resigned and my Will took the chair, now that has all passed and I am all three!!

We have a committee of 10 at the moment, and the majority have been with me for many years. We meet 8 times a year for about one hour.

We discuss the appeals and decide which we will send to. We like to give to projects. One charity ‘Breadline Africa’ asks for specific things. We get nice letters back from Edna the boss and also from the children who have been fortunate to get an education.

We've had the Bearsden Fiddlers to help raise funds, plus other fundraisers.

There's been appeals for the Tsunami, Haiti and others.

We have raised in the region of £50,000 to date, an enormous sum, through the generosity and support of the congregation for which we thank you yet again.

Since the beginning of 2011 we have donated over £970 to various charities. Breadline, Medical Aid/Palestinians, Care, Mercy Ships, World Children’s fund, and a number of others, including a donation for the East Africa crisis, just a month ago. We were saving towards our most recent meeting in September. Once again thank you all for your continuing support.

Barbara Graham