|TOP|The Presbyterian Church of Wales is hoping to raise £30,000 in the coming month following the launch of its Spring Appeal 2006 to help sufferers of HIV and AIDS.

The Church is hoping this spring’s appeal will encourage people to prevent suffering rather than to simply respond once the tragedy has already occured.

The ‘Binding Wounds in the Bond of Love’ appeal is urging members of the Church to give just £1 each to raise £30,000 to facilitate the sharing of expertise from within Wales with the population of Mizoram, northeast India, in their efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The appeal has been launched now while HIV/AIDS levels in the Mizoram community remains relatively low in order to contain the spread of the virus.

It is hoped the raised funds will ensure that the PCW-pioneered church in Mizoram, local health professionals and other key providers of direct services, will be able to access strategic support and training from Wales in the fields of health promotion, professional training and treatment.|AD|

The PCW and Mizoram have maintained strong relations since the first Presbyterian missionaries arrived in the northeast region of India in the 1800s.

The Presbyterian Church of Wales is hoping that the HIV/AIDS partnership in Mizoram will enable both partners to gain greater expertise in tackling the deadly virus with the aim of sharing this knowledge with other synods of the Presbyterian Church in India.

Plans have already been outlined for a specialist team to be sent by the PCW to Mizoram in autumn 2006 following a visit from the head of the Presbyterian Hospital in Durtlang to Wales early in 2006.

The programme will be launched later in the year, when additional resources will have to be gathered, before progress is finally evaluated in phase three.

The Presbyterian Church of Wales is seeking just £1 per member to go towards the initial £30,000 needed for the full launch of the new programme.