CAPTION: Crisp bunting welcomes visitors into church
Crisp Bunting: An Innovative Harvest Giving Project
Two churches in south Devon have found an innovative way to encourage giving this harvest season.
St George’s Church in Goodrington and St Mary the Virgin Church in Collaton St Mary have asked people to donate packets of crisps, which have now been strung up like bunting around the church.
They packets will be given to a local charity, PATH: People Against Torbay Homelessness
PATH is part of the local help-hub in Torbay and they prepare around 200 packed lunches each day for those in food poverty and need.
Over 1000 packets of crisps have been donated
They include a packet of crisps in each lunch pack, and though most food is donated, the charity has to buy the crisps using their funds.
The Curate, the Reverend Gerda van Ommeren, said “A few years ago we donated socks to a charity which ended up as bunting across our churches and crisp bunting seemed a good way of doing it again.
“It’s a visual reminder for our congregations as well as for visitors to do their bit and donate.
“So far we have over 1000 packets of crisps, but if you consider that PATH hand out 200 packed lunches a day, it’s actually not that many.”
While crisps might not be the healthiest Harvest offering, Gerda said they were an important way of helping people.
“Just because people are homeless or don’t have much money, PATH still want them to have the same packed lunch you or I would have.
“Having a packet of crisps with your lunch is a real treat, and we want everyone to feel they deserve that, whatever situation they are in.”
The churches’ Harvest services took place on 25 October.
