Mary's Meals EXTRA Issue 8

eexxttrraae-magazine for mary’s meals supporters

Issue no 8 - Dec 2010

IINN TTHHIISS IISSSSUUEE::

AA ggoooodd ccaattcchh iinn LLiibbeerriiaaNNeeww pprroojjeecctt iinn EEccuuaaddoorrCChhrriissttmmaass iinn MMaallaawwii

wweellccoommee

mary’s meals extra e-magazine for supporters page 1

WWeellccoommee ttoo tthhee DDeecceemmbbeerr iissssuuee ooff MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss EExxttrraa,, oouurrqquuaarrtteerrllyy ee--bbuulllleettiinn ddeessiiggnneedd ffoorr ssuuppppoorrtteerrss wwhhoo wwoouulldd lliikkeerreegguullaarr nneewwss uuppddaatteess ffrroomm MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss.. IItt iiss aaiimmeeddppaarrttiiccuullaarrllyy aatt tthhoossee wwhhoo ffuunnddrraaiissee aanndd sspprreeaadd tthhee wwoorrddaabboouutt oouurr wwoorrkk..

We hope that you will find it a useful resource and choose tokeep hold of your copy (feel free to photocopy, use, orrepublish any of the contents). If you are interested in Mary'sMeals news between issues, we would encourage you to signup to our pages on Facebook and Twitter, atwww.facebook.com/marysmeals andwww.twitter.com/marysmeals and to keep an eye on our soon-to-be-relaunched website www.marysmeals.org.

IInn tthhiiss iissssuueeOur Key Figures document on p2 contains an overview of whatwe do where, and the new figures for what it costs to feed achild for a year.

The global average cost has gone up slightly, from £9 to ££99..4400.This is mostly due to the cost of buying food in Haiti, whichincreased significantly after the emergency. Costs have nowstabilised and we have budgeted with this in mind.

In Malawi, the cost to feed a child is ££66..1155 for the third yearrunning. Although there have been some fluctuations in thecosts of food, as we feed more children we have become evenmore cost-effective and we are able to keep expenses down bysourcing food and materials locally and making the most ofgenerous volunteers. This issue includes an update on ourexpansion in Malawi and news of our new project in SouthAmerica - details on p5.

With Christmas just around the corner, we have compiled afew suggestions for ways that you can support us as youprepare for the holidays. We know that the best ideas comefrom our supporters and we have already heard fantasticstories of Mary's Meals-themed fundraising, from home-madeChristmas-tree baubles to carol services.

Christmas in our project countries is often a very differentexperience. As those in Europe battle with the cold, we hearthat some of our schools in Malawi have been affected byflooding from heavy rains - but school feeding continues, as doChristmas parties for the youngest pupils, see p4.

TThhaannkk yyoouu ffoorr yyoouurr eeffffoorrttss iinn 22001100 wwhhiicchh hhaavvee ggiivveenn uuss ssoommuucchh ggoooodd nneewwss ttoo wwrriittee aabboouutt.. HHaavvee aa wwoonnddeerrffuull CChhrriissttmmaass..

KKeeyy FFiigguurreess

ALBANIA 577BOSNIA 50

BURMA 290ECUADOR 188

HAITI 11370INDIA 3163

KENYA 17999LIBERIA 24,186

MALAWI 391,378PHILIPPINES 1435

ROMANIA 35SUDAN 2666

THAILAND 1817UGANDA 3671UKRAINE 530ZAMBIA 320

Global Total = 459,621

Number of children receiving a daily meal in their place of education at December 2010

Total number of children receiving a daily meal in school = 459,621

Average cost of Mary’s Meals perchild per year= £9.40 / €11 / $15

Cost of Mary’s Meals per child, peryear in Malawi= £6.15/€7.20/$10

Number of backpacks sent overseas in 2010 = 45,359


PPrroojjeecctt NNeewwss


CChhrriissttmmaass IInn MMaallaawwii

Farhaana Ismail, Mary's Meals Communications Officer inMalawi, attended this year's Christmas party at Namasimbaunder six centre, Malawi.

Little girls all dressed in their best outfits – shiny, shimmery,fabric in blues, pinks and whites. Little boys in their bestshorts or trousers and shirts. Despite the efforts the littleones have gone through, the hardship they face is evident inthe little rips and wear and tear in their best clothes. But allyou can see on their faces is eagerness and wide smiles asthey wait for the entertainment to begin.

The centre was buzzing with excitement and anticipation.Christmas is a time to be festive at the Namasimba UnderSix Centre, one of the forty nine centres that are each havinga Marys Meals sponsored Christmas party across Malawi.The parties are a time of fun to let loose for both childrenand volunteers. The children chant a few nursery rhymes andshow us what they have learnt for the year and the headvolunteer gives a speech thanking Mary’s Meals for theircontribution, without which the centre would not survive.Then it’s time for presents.

It was my first experience visiting a Christmas party andpresent giving time is one of the most touching experiencesI have had. All the children turn their faces eagerly towardthe huge white bails that have individual blue plastic bagswith the name of each child at the centre. It’s a crude versionof Father Christmas coming to town, but in this case Reginaand Bernadetta the field monitors are Mary’s Meals elvesgiving out the presents. Each present has beenpainstainkingly packed - our team started working on themin early October. Inside the plastic bag each child receives aset of clothes, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, biscuits,crisps, juice, soft toys and a game of some sort.

Most of these children have never received a Christmas orany type of present and this is a first. They don’t quite knowwhat to expect. Each child is called by their name one byone and given the package with their name on it. They eachwalk up solemnly as they are handed a present with acheerful “Happy Christmas”. Slowly as they walk to sit backdown huge, beaming smiles spread across their faces,similar to the faces of all children on Christmas or birthdaymornings. Each child sits down with their present on theirlap.

There is no ripping of paper to see what is inside as theypatiently wait until all their friends have received theirparcel. For some of the children the parcels are too big andthey need help to carry them to their place on the floor. They each start to become curious to try and look inside

Christmas morningcomes early inMalawi

Kenya photos by New Ways



their own bag to see what they have received.However, they never look to see what their friendshave got; each happy with their own. The childrendid not open their wrapped presents keeping thatpleasure for home, afraid to lose a single preciousitem on the journey back.

With a closing prayer, the party concludes onceeach child has received their gift. As we leave, I heara volunteer tell the children not to go home, as theparty was not over for them. Each child would havea feast of meat curry and Nsima. Normally, they aregiven fish or vegetables and so the party is madeextra special with the treat of some meat.

Attending these Christmas Parties reinforces someof the reasons why people who celebrate Christmasdo so - to share and spread joy. These Christmasparties help us remember to share with those andappreciate those who are less fortunate. Certainly,these children embody the love and abundance ofjoy that is Christmas and after witnessing theirpatience and absolute happiness with the mostsimple of presents - I cannot help but love them allthe more.

Mary's Meals is working in a new country in SouthAmerica. Since November we have been providing adaily meal in school for 140 children in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. The children come from Ojacoto,one of the city's poorest suburbs, and the food theyreceive plays an important part in encouraging themto come to school.

Zeljka Markic, a Mary's Meals supporter, visitedEcuador two years ago and has helped to set up theproject, which is run by a community of nuns. "Thenuns drive every day from house to house, collectingchildren and bringing them back home," she says.

While Mary's Meals is the main source of the dailymeal, the nuns and their pupils also aim to make themost of Ecuador's favourable climate and grow cropswhen they can.

As well as primary and secondary school, the project,Cristo Missionero Orante, serves as a shelter for

homeless teenaged girls from the Amazonregion. Some have escaped after they were soldby their parents, or faced the prospect oftrafficking - a serious problem in Ecuador, wherechildren are often sold within the country, orsent to neighbouring states such as Venezuelato become street vendors, domestic workersand prostitutes.

WWee hhooppee ttoo hhaavvee ppiiccttuurreess ooff sscchhooooll ffeeeeddiinngg aannddmmoorree iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn ttoo sshhaarree wwiitthh yyoouu ssoooonn..

MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss ssttaarrttss iinn EEccuuaaddoorr

MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss MMuussiicc bbrroouugghhtt ttooggeetthheerr aa ccoolllleeccttiioonn ooff SSccoottttiisshhmmuussiicciiaannss wwhhoo ggaavvee tthheeiirr ttiimmee aanndd ttaalleennttss ttoo pprroovviiddee aa ffaannttaassttiicceevveenniinngg''ss eenntteerrttaaiinnmmeenntt iinn ssuuppppoorrtt ooff MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss..

The concert, held at the end of October at The Fruitmarket inGlasgow, was a chance to hear old hits and new from performerssuch as Jon Fratelli, Eddi Reader and Colin MacIntyre, and to enjoyperformances from popular local acts such as Roddy Hart, TommyReilly and Washington Irving. Before the concert, the organisersDonald Shaw (the creative director of the Celtic Connectionsfestival) and Colin MacIntyre (Mull Historical Society) visitedMalawi, where they met children at Mary's Meals projects. Duringthat visit, we spoke to Colin about his experience.

IIss MMaallaawwii wwhhaatt yyoouu eexxppeecctteedd??Now that we're here we can see things for ourselves. We did aninterview with a local Malawian newspaper and they asked ushow much we expected to raise with the concert. It made us thinkabout the reality of how far the money can go and how manychildren it could potentially feed - it's mind-blowing really.

I hadn't got any expectations before I came to Malawi, I justwanted to be here and see what is being done on the ground.Now I've seen the impact, and I can see that the slogan on Mary'sMeals logo is absolutely true - providing food for children really isvery simple, but it's life changing and life-enhancing. The realityof some of the things we have seen has been quite stark;classrooms with no tables or chairs, and 100 children packed intoa room that might hold 30 in the UK.

WWhhaatt hhaass eexxcciitteedd yyoouu aabboouutt tthhee vviissiitt??We've been struck by everyone's amazing spirit. People here justseem to be naturally musical - even the smallest children weresinging and chanting for us. It's been amazing to see with our owneyes how little people have and how thankful they are.

HHaavvee aannyy ooff tthhee ppeeooppllee yyoouu''vvee mmeett ssttoooodd oouutt ffoorr yyoouu??Today there were two boys at the pre-school centre who kepthanging around me, and they were quite cheeky, and they wereplaying with a little girl in a pink dress who ran rings around them.It struck me that children everywhere are the same, the boys werecheeky in exactly the same way that their peers would be athome.

Some of the Mary's Meals volunteers, who prepare porridge forthe children, have really made an impact, and so has our driver,who we've got to know well over the last few days - we saw himfor the last time today and he gave me a gift of a woodenxylophone, so I'll be able to make Malawian music when I gethome.

MMaarryy’’ss MMeeaallss MMuussiiccVViissiittiinngg MMaallaawwii

Mary’s Meals Music concert and Colin MacIntyre in Malawi



AA cchhaannccee ttoo cceelleebbrraattee ''oorrddiinnaarryy ppeeooppllee cchhaannggiinngg tthheewwoorrlldd'' iiss hhooww CCNNNN ddeessccrriibbeess iittss aannnnuuaall ''hheerrooeess'' aawwaarrddsscchheemmee,, aanndd aatt MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss ooffffiicceess,, wwee wweerreeddeelliigghhtteedd wwhheenn wwee ddiissccoovveerreedd tthhaatt MMaaggnnuuss,, tthheecchhaarriittyy’’ss ffoouunnddeerr,, hhaadd bbeeeenn hhoonnoouurreedd aass oonnee ooff tthheeiirrHHeerrooeess ooff tthhee YYeeaarr..

A campaign followed which, thanks to your efforts, sawthousands of votes cast, and news about Mary's Mealsand its work carried around the world. The Los Angelesawards ceremony was broadcast on CNN onThanksgiving night, and gave us an opportunity toshare our vision, of feeding every hungry child in theirplace of education, with the millions of people whowatched a short film about Mary's Meals, introducedby the Hollywood actor Gerard Butler.

There was a welcome financial aspect to the award aswell. As Magnus was one of the year's top ten, Mary'sMeals will receive a $25,000 prize, an amount that hehas decided to spend on school feeding in Malawi,where Mary's Meals began in 2002.

That donation, along with generous contributions fromour supporters, and from the Scottish Government andthe Maitri Trust, will help to fund our expansion. We have already seen Mary's Meals introduced in 35schools since October, bringing the number of children

FFrroomm LLooss AAnnggeelleess ttoo LLiilloonnggwwee

being fed in this developing country to over391,000 - almost 14 per cent of primary schoolpupils.

Before this expansion began, our teams inMalawi and the UK worked closely witheducation experts to identify the schools thatwere in most need, and those that stood tobenefit the most from our help.

Magnus MacFarlane Barrow and Gerard Butler at CNN Heroes Ceremony

Mary’s Meals feeding children In Malalwi


Children at school in Malawi awaiting Mary’s Meals

Gillian McMahon, Mary's Meals ProgrammeDevelopment Officer, explains that getting Mary'sMeals started in each new school was a team effort."Kitchens were constructed at each school and theywere equipped with rocket stoves, equipment andutensils, before feeding began," she says. "Mary'sMeals staff worked with the local communities,school staff and Government officers, ensuring thatschool feeding committees were established andvolunteers and staff were trained in the preparationof food, storage, use of equipment, cleaning andhygiene."

Children who will benefit from our latest expansioninclude Richard, a ten-year-old who lives with hisaunt in Mwanza, west of Blantyre. A keen netballplayer, Richard explains the effect Mary's Meals hashad in his school: "Most children leave their homeswith empty stomachs. Now they eat porridge hereand get the energy to learn."

We end 2010 feeding more than 80,000 morechildren than we were at the beginning of the year.

Thanks to Mary's Meals supporters, those childrenare better off than they were twelve months ago,and have a better chance of making the most oftheir futures.

Magnus has returned from Los Angeles, and isbusy working with our teams around the world toprepare for the year ahead - one in which we hopeto be able to tell you that we are feeding half amillion children.

He says: "A huge thanks to all of you who voted forme or encouraged others to, and to anyone whohas raised funds or contributed to the work ofMary's Meals in any way this year. We hope thatmany more hungry children will start to receiveMary's Meals as a result of your efforts. Thank youfor your incredible support, without which none ofthis would be happening."

MMaarryy''ssMMeeaallss

ccaassttss iittssnneett oouutt

SStteepphheenn CCooxx,, MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss pprrooggrraammmmeess ooffffiicceerr,, iiss iinnLLiibbeerriiaa,, ssuuppppoorrttiinngg tthhee tteeaamm aatt oouurr hheeaaddqquuaarrtteerrss iinnTTuubbmmaannbbuurrgg.. HHee sseenntt tthhiiss ee--mmaaiill aabboouutt aa rreecceennttsshhooppppiinngg ttrriipp wwiitthh aa ddiiffffeerreennccee..

"I accompanied Blamah, our field manager, and Quayeand Morris, our driver and his assistant, to West Point, ashanty town in Monrovia, to buy fish, one of the mainingredients of the meal that we provide for children inLiberia.

‘Boney’ as it is known, is dried, smoked fish, and everymonth Mary’s Meals buys over 200 bags full from thisextremely poor area, the country's largest slum, justoutside of the capital city.

It reminded me that Mary’s Meals does more for peoplein Liberia than providing meals and encouraging thechildren here to enrol in and attend school. We alsomake a significant contribution to the economyevery month, by purchasing locally sourced foodsupplies wherever possible.

Mary’s Meals is by far the largest customer of theco-operative of fish suppliers in this area. Themoney that we spend buying food for thechildren of Liberia also goes towards providingwork for local food suppliers. A valuablecontribution in a country which is estimated tohave 70 per cent unemployment

The fish is just one example, where possible webuy rice, oil, vegetables locally, from localproducers."


WWoorrlldd PPoorrrriiddggee DDaayy ccaauusseess aa ssttiirrThis year’s World Porridge Day on Sunday, October 10th(10.10.10) saw Mary’s Meals supporters everywhere getting theirspurtles out and getting involved, from school pupils anduniversity students to church congregations, musicians andoffice staff.

World Porridge Day was established as a celebration of atraditional dish, and as a chance to draw attention to the rolethat porridge plays at Mary’s Meals projects in Malawi, where adaily mug of maize-based ‘likuni phala’ is an incentive forchildren to go to school.

The scent of porridge could even be detected in the corridors ofpower, as both Scotland’s First Minister, in Edinburgh, and MPsin Westminster, including the Speaker of the House ofCommons, took time out for a special breakfast.

Pupils at CI Primary School in Blantyre, Malawi, were joined bythe Mary’s Meals Malawi team and guests from the localbusiness community. As well as singing and dancing for theirvisitors, the young people used the internet to link up with S1pupils at Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow, who werehaving their own porridge day party.

In India, children at Durgawati in Bihar province celebrated witha food and activity day, while in France, supporters in Dordogneheld a party with Scottish dancing and flapjacks. The WorldPorridge Making Championships, at Carrbridge, in theHighlands, saw skilled porridge-makers from afar competing forthe ‘golden spurtle’ prize, while members of the localcommunity raised money through a Forest Run. The highestWorld Porridge Day event took place not far away, at thePtarmigan restaurant at the top of the Cairngorm mountains.

At Oswaltwistle in Lancashire, members of the St Mary’s Churchcongregation enjoyed a porridge themed Sunday service, whilein London, a bowl of porridge was the perfect energiser for fourMary’s Meals supporters running the Royal Parks half marathon.

Breakfasts in Essex and Kent helped raise further awarenessand money, as did events in Duntocher, at the University ofGlasgow, and at Mary’s Meals bases in Dalmally and Glasgow.Overseas supporters who were visiting our Argyll offices tastedreal ‘likuni phala’ and those in Medjugorje and Michigan alsoheld events. World Porridge Day this year was supported byQuaker Oats, who generously supplied ingredients for a numberof the activities.


mmaarryy’’ss mmeeaallss nneewwss

Pupils at Dalmally Primary SchoolChildren at CI Primary School at the World Porridge Day party

Performing at the Marys' Meals Day in India Volunteers warm up in Glasgow

MP Cathy Jamieson tries likuni phala

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond

Colin's special, from Louisiana

Tony Gallagher refuels after runninghalf a marathon

After all the fun, there is still washing up to be done.

Supporters in London enjoy breakfast

Spoons and smiles at an event in Essex



NNooww tthhaatt wwee hhaavvee rreeaacchheedd DDeecceemmbbeerr,, tthhee sseeaassoonn ooffggiivviinngg,, wwee hhooppee tthhaatt wwee ccaann ccoouunntt oonn yyoouurrggeenneerroossiittyy oonnccee mmoorree.. HHeerree iiss bbrriieeff gguuiiddee ttoo wwaayysstthhaatt yyoouu ccaann hheellpp uuss ttoo ffeeeedd hhuunnggrryy cchhiillddrreenn aarroouunnddtthhee wwoorrlldd tthhiiss CChhrriissttmmaass!!

Unfortunately we have sold out of Christmas cards for this year(although you can still buy regular gift cards on 01838200605) but see below for other ways you can send ChristmasGreetings to friends and family!

11.. SSeenndd aa CChhrriissttmmaass ggrreeeettiinngg through ‘Click a Christmas Wish’on Virgin Money Giving(http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/click-a-christmas-wish/index.jsp) or help spread the word about Mary's Mealsby sending one of our own e-cardswww.marysmeals.org/Fundraising/2010/12/01/marys-meals-christmas-e-cards/

2. Consider doing some CChhrriissttmmaass sshhooppppiinngg throughwww.easyfundraising.org, which gives a percentage of profitsto charity. If you are selling on www.eBay.co.uk, you could giveus a percentage of the money from your sale, or make adonation when you make a purchase.

3. If Santa brings new clothes, backpacks, pens and pencils,don’t throw old ones away. Keep them for oouurr bbaacckkppaacckkpprroojjeecctt and children in Malawi, Liberia or Haiti could bereceiving them in the New Year!(www.marysmeals.org/backpack_project.html)

4. Gather some friends, wrap up warm and go ccaarrooll ssiinnggiinngg,asking audiences to donate to Mary’s Meals.

5. Or stay cosy inside and cook up ssoommee ffeessttiivvee ttrreeaattss to sell tofriends or colleagues. Why not try mince pies, marzipansweets or home-made chocolates?

6. IInnsstteeaadd ooff SSeeccrreett SSaannttaa, each person involved at work oramongst friends could make a donation to Mary’s Meals andgive a free skill or service instead (for example a night ofbabysitting, a baking lesson or a mix CD).

7. Head along to the DDrruummmmoossssiiee HHootteell iinn IInnvveerrnneessss oonnDDeecceemmbbeerr 1144tthh for the annual concert of the Truly TerribleOrchestra and Inverness Choral Society, which is in aid ofMary’s Meals (www.thetrulyterribleorchestra.org/News---Events.html)

8. FFoollllooww MMaarryy’’ss MMeeaallss on Facebook and Twitter for dailyupdates of news and events you can get involved in http://twitter.com/marysmealswww.facebook.com/marysmeals?v=box_3#!/marysmeals

9. SSpprreeaadd tthhee wwoorrdd aabboouutt MMaarryy’’ss MMeeaallss to potential newsupporters. The festive period is a time for catching upwith family and friends and you never know how muchdifference telling one person about Mary’s Meals canmake.

10. Start thinking about NNeeww YYeeaarr’’ss rreessoolluuttiioonnss and whatyou can do for yourself and Mary’s Meals! Maybe youcould aim to run a 10k by Spring and collect sponsorshipfor us.

11. Make one of your resolutions to take up racketball! TheGGrreeaatt BBiigg RRaacckkeettbbaallll CChhaalllleennggee is taking place all overScotland from January and everyone is encouraged to takepart and set their own goals for playing. As a little extra(much needed in January!) motivation, set the challengeand get as many sponsors as you can. The wholechallenge is in aid of Mary’s Meals so the more people youcan persuade to get involved, the further word can bespread! http://scottishracketball.com/racketball-news/1/85

12. PPlleeaassee tteellll uuss aabboouutt yyoouurr ffuunnddrraaiissiinngg aaccttiivviittiieess!! It isalways great to hear about what supporters have beendoing, and means that we can share good ideas andinspire others to do the same!http://www.marysmeals.org/

1122 DDaayyss ooff CChhrriissttmmaass

GGiivviinngg

WWaarreehhoouussee WWoonnddeerrss


Backpack distribution to children in Africa

BByy EEiilliiddhh CCaammppbbeellll,, vvoolluunntteeeerr

A staggering 45,359 backpacks have been sent by Mary’sMeals this year to children overseas. The backpack projectis the perfect companion to school feeding as it providesbasic classroom supplies to children who lack them.Having adequate materials is vital to gaining a goodeducation, and by inviting people to donate oldbackpacks and supplies to schools who really need themwe are giving these children the chance to learn andescape the poverty trap.

This year containers have been sent not just fromGlasgow, but also from supporters in Austria andGermany. Amazingly, this contributes to making a grandtotal of 208,651 backpacks sent overseas by Mary’s Mealssince the campaign began!

Reaching the milestone of feeding 400,000 children was abig occasion for the Glasgow warehouse back in April. Wehad a great gathering of staff, volunteers and specialguests who watched the loading of a container going toLiberia, with a live link up to the newly opened warehousethere, where a party was also being held!

Whilst the majority of backpacks were sent to Liberia andMalawi, this year we sent our very first container of muchneeded supplies from Scotland to Haiti. Our Glasgowwarehouse manager, Charlotte, thanks supporters fromLexis Nexis who helped to load the container and Fr.Brown from All Saints Church in Barmulloch for coming atthe last minute to bless the 5670 backpacks and extrasupplies of clothes and blankets on their way to Haiti.

Stephen Cox, our programmes officer, was lucky enoughto witness both containers arrive safely in Liberia fromGermany. The containers arrived after dark; butexcitement grew from the morning and lasted all day. Thewarehouse in Liberia is now close to full, ready for staff inLiberia and visitors from Mary’s Meals Germany to begindistribution.

A huge thank you to our dedicated warehouse volunteers,especially those who have continued to work through thecold winter in Glasgow. Please continue to support thisincredibly worthwhile campaign. It is suitable for nursery,primary and secondary schools as well as clubs andgroups of all ages. If you have unused backpacks,classroom supplies or clothes, by donating them you canhelp us in our mission to provide a simple solution toworld hunger by giving children the tools they need tolearn.

Email: [email protected]

SSppaasshheess ooff ppaaiinntt aanndd kkiinnddnneessss

SSeevveerraall ggiifftteedd aarrttiissttss cchhoossee ttoo sshhaarree tthheeiirr ttiimmeeaanndd ttaalleennttss wwiitthh MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss tthhiiss AAuuttuummnn..

JJoohhnn LLoowwrriiee MMoorrrriissoonn opens the door to his studio, a streak ofblue paint on the side of his nose and colourful spatters on hishands and his jeans - the uniform of a man who might enjoythe suggestion that oil paint runs in his veins, as well as overhis clothes, furniture and tile floor.

The artist, who signs his work Jolomo, recently completedFuadach Nan Gaidheal: The Expulsion of the Gael, a collectionof 39 paintings on the theme of the Highland Clearances,which was exhibited in Edinburgh in November at LloydsBanking Group's headquarters at the Mound. The historically-inspired collection, sold in support of Mary's Meals, has beenseen as a new direction for Morrison, who is best known forhis blue-tinged Hebridean landscapes, but he explains thatits origins go back to his childhood.

"I have been fascinated with the Highland Clearances since Iheard from my great aunt how some of our family were movedfrom the Isle of Harris," he said. "Living here in Argyll andhaving a studio on Mull, you see the crofts - empty buildingson islands like Ulva where once there was a population of over800, and now there are about 25 people."

"Vast numbers of Gaels were forcibly removed from their landin the 18th and 19th centuries. I wanted to tell their storythrough my paintings and drawings, marrying the landscapewith tales of real people and their fight for survival."

For Morrison, whose support for Mary's Meals goes back tothe early days of its work in Romania, the collection is morethan a donation to a charity. The fact that children who receivedaily Mary's Meals will benefit from the work influenced thecreation of the paintings as well.


"I see a connection between the people affected by theHighland Clearances and those who live in countries whereMary's Meals works today, who are totally disenfranchisedand have lost their livelihoods or their homes," he says. "Thefact this collection is for Mary's Meals is very much at the forefor me. Countries where the charity works, like Malawi, areclose to our family's hearts.”

"When my wife came back from a visit to Zambia, she told methat she had seen 300 boys turn up to a local football match.Afterwards, the priest who had organised the match explainedthat they come not just for the football, but to get somethingto eat - a roll and a drink. It cost about £20 to feed all of them.

"I remember hearing Magnus (the charity's founder and afamily friend) talk about Mary's Meals, and one quote stayedwith me. He said "Africa is a big problem, but if we do what wecan, we can each be a small solution.""

As well as a generous percentage of proceeds from the saleof the Clearances paintings, the artist donated a framedpainting "Cleared Croft at Ben Buie, Mull" to Mary's Meals foran online auction.

While many of the paintings in the collection have a poignantfeel, this one was more upbeat: "The scene is on Mull at LochBuie and the croft is under Ben Buie," he explains. "The croftis now a holiday home, unlike many of the "cleared" crofts I'vepainted which still stand empty. The home must have seenhard times with the family being cleared, but at least it haspeople in it again and not sheep!"

The painting has just sold successfully on e-bay, raisingenough to provide a meal a day in school for more than 350children through 2011. Children who now have a better chanceof making the most of their education and who, thanks toJolomo’s ‘small’ solution, could one day be part of a big one.

caption?????


A New Journey - Gerald Burns

Miranda Moncrieffe (top left) and gallery guests

MMiirraannddaa MMoonnccrriieeffffee:: An exhibition of Miranda's work atthe Gallery in Cork Street, London, showed a selection of150 original paintings in aid of Mary's Meals.

On Wednesday December 1, a Mary's Meals-themedprivate view gave guests the opportunity to taste the'likuni phala' that children receive in Malawi and to learnmore about the charity's work, while viewing theEdinburgh College of Art graduate's vibrant pictures.

A big thank you to Miranda and her family for theirgenerous contribution and to our volunteers for theirefforts during the exhibition.

GGeerraarrdd BBuurrnnss:: Last year First Minister Alex Salmond choseMary's Meals as one of four charities to benefit from his2009 Christmas card, which featured the painting A NewJourney, by Gerard Burns.

The painting, showing a girl carrying a Saltire flag, wassold on December 1 this year. Mary's Meals will benefitfrom a share of the proceeds of the auction. We were alsogiven ten limited edition prints, which we are selling(framed) with Mr Burns' help. If you are interested, [email protected].

AArrttiissttss ffoorr MMaarryy''ss MMeeaallss:: This fantastic group ofvolunteers supports Mary's Meals through art and musicand members have been busy fundraising in the run-up toChristmas, selling paintings and cards at our Open Day inGlasgow and at a charities fair in Glasgow City Hall.

Plans for 2011 include a concert and Art Fair in GlasgowCity Chambers and the production of a musical CD.

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Mary’s Meals is a movement to set up school feeding projects incommunities where poverty and hunger block children from gainingan education. This movement is administered by the charity ScottishInternational Relief (SIR). SIR came into being during the Bosnianconflict in 1992. Two brothers, Magnus and Fergus MacFarlane-Barrow, were so moved by the scenes on TV that they decided toorganize an appeal for blankets and food in their local area, Argyll, Scotland.

They quickly gathered a jeep load and joined one of the convoysleaving the UK and delivered the aid to Medjugorje in Bosnia, a placeof international pilgrimage they had visited with their family yearspreviously. Believing their good deed done they returned to Scotlandexpecting to resume their jobs as fish farmers. However they camehome to discover the public had carried on donating aid in theirabsence filling their parents' garage with goods. Magnus decided togive up his job for a year to drive the aid out for as long as the publickept donating. The public did not stop and it soon became necessaryto set up a registered charity.

The charity began to work in Romania, building homes forabandoned children, and in Liberia, helping returning refugees bysetting up mobile clinics, while continuing to deliver material aid toCroatia and Bosnia. In 2002 Magnus met a family in Malawi that ledto a whole new area of work. The mother was dying of AIDS and lyingon the floor of her hut surrounded by her 6 young children

When Magnus asked her oldest son what he hoped for in life, hisstark reply was, 'To have enough to eat and to go to school one day,"This encounter prompted the campaign, Mary's Meals, that aims tohelp children like this by providing a meal a day in school. In thisway the children are encouraged to gain the education that can liftthem out of poverty in later life.

This simple but effective idea has gathered momentum and todayprovides daily meals for over 450,000 of the world’s poorest children.Our headquarters is still situated in the grounds of Craig Lodge,Argyll, but support groups are springing up around the world.

Mary’s Meals HQ Craig Lodge, DalmallyIn Scotland


oouurr vviissiioonnIs that all those who have more than

they need, share with those who lack even the most basic things, and that

every child receives one daily meal in their place of education

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Documents

Mary's Meals EXTRA Issue 8