Martin Smith and CompassionArt lead the way in Christian Aid fundraising

Martin Smith, co-founder of charity CompassionArt and frontman of former rock band Delirious? is encouraging everyone to use their talents this Christian Aid Week (9-15 May) to help end poverty.

CompassionArt is supporting a new Christian Aid Week initiative that asks people to make, organise or get sponsored to do something that uses their unique skills and abilities - and will raise money to empower poor people to help themselves.

Martin said, "Around 22,000 churches come together for Christian Aid Week. I think that’s an amazing thing. What a powerful force for change. It’s something we can all be very proud of."

The initiative was inspired by CompassionArt. Recently Martin and his wife Anna gathered together 12 song-writer friends (including Matt Redman, Tim Hughes and Darlene Zsech) to write and record 14 new songs. Artists, managers and the copyright agency CCLI all agreed to waive their rights so that the proceeds raised from the life-time of the songs can go to help poor communities.

CompassionArt created an album, book and the songs themselves. But it also created an idea, and this idea has now been taken up by Christian Aid and CompassionArt in the talents initiative this Christian Aid Week.

Anne Phipps, Head of Church Appeals at Christian Aid said, "Christian Aid is delighted to be working with Martin and CompassionArt for Christian Aid Week this year. We are confident that their involvement, and the creation of this new talents fundraising initiative will inspire even more people to join the movement to end poverty."

The two charities are asking individuals and churches across the UK and Ireland to take up the talent idea - to use the person they have been created to be, the gifts they’ve been given, and the circle of influence they have, to raise money for poor communities.

Christian Aid Week is most famous for its little red envelope and the UK’s biggest house-to-house collection. It is now more than 50 years old and it raises up to £14.5 million annually for the world’s poorest communities.

Around 300,000 volunteers get involved in collecting, organising events and sponsored activities during the week in May, representing all the denominations and networks of the church.

CompassionArt is a charity set up to join the dots between art and poverty. It has already demonstrated the huge difference that can be made when people give their talents to the cause of poverty eradication, multiplying many times over the money that an individual could donate.

People who choose to join this people-movement for change receive a free 'Poverty – Let’s end it' DVD-rom which includes an inspiring film featuring Martin Smith and an Unleash your talent fundraising pack.

These resources provide them with everything they need to follow in the footsteps of CompassionArt and countless Christian Aid volunteers in using their talents to make a difference this 9 to15 May.

Resources can be ordered by emailing active@christian-aid.org, calling 020 7523 2016 or download at www.christianaid.org.uk/compassionart