Scottish celebs lend support to SCIAF's Lent appeal

SCIAF has launched its Wee Box, Big Change Lent campaign with the help of Scottish personalities, including Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, The Proclaimers and Rangers Assistant Manager Ally McCoist.

Each of the celebrity supporters has been asked to give up something for Lent and put what money they save as a result into a “wee box” – a little cardboard fundraising box.

Mr Salmond is giving up high energy sports drinks whilst Miss Scotland Stephanie Williams has pledged to give up shopping during Lent.

In 2008, thousands of Scots raised £800,000 for SCIAF's work in Africa, Asia and Latin America in last year's Wee Box, Big Change Lent campaign.

Each year the campaign focuses on a different area of SCIAF’s work and this year is the impact of climate change on communities in developing countries.

Paul Chitnis, SCIAF’s chief executive said: “It is fantastic to have so many famous Scottish personalities backing SCIAF’s Wee Box, Big Change campaign. Their sacrifices mean that people living in some of the world’s poorest countries can have a better chance in life. The money they raise, together with the many thousands of other Scots around the country who take part, enable SCIAF to provide practical support such as clean water, seeds, tools, training, education and healthcare."

SCIAF is providing practical help to families and communities with training in developing drought-resistant crops, improving irrigation systems to protect crops from floods and disaster management skills to help protect their future.

He said the money raised in the Lent appeal would help communities who are already dealing with the worst impacts of climate change "despite having done the least to cause it".

"Even a small shift in the weather or environment can have a devastating impact of communities reliant on agriculture," he said.

Mr Salmond said: “I commend the hugely important work SCIAF continues to carry out in helping the poorest people in the world work their way out of poverty. For Lent I will be giving up high energy sports drinks. As much as I like them, the sugar content is just too much and it has to go!”