CHRISTIAN Aid supporters in Purton have raised more than £110,000 for the charity in the past three decades.

And one of them, Libbie Sheppard, who has spent 40 years promoting awareness of global poverty and raising funds to tackle it, has had her efforts recognised with a Diamond Award celebrating the 60th Christian Aid Week

Libbie, a member of St Mary’s Church, said: “I was born into Christian Aid really because of my faith, which inspires me to love thy neighbour, but I suppose my involvement really began when we moved to Purton and St Mary’s 40 years ago.

“We are so lucky, we have so much. I feel for the refugee families who have had to leave everything behind, their homes, their culture, their lives through no fault of their own.

“They are just like you and I – that could be us, we have to do what we can to help,” she said. “We just all have to do our little bit, if everybody does then things change. People need to have a safe place to call home and Christian Aid reaches these people in a way that helps families and whole communities to get a foothold and lift themselves out of poverty.

“I am embarrassed by the award because really it is a team effort, we all work together because we want to make the world a fairer place. Mary Hodges shares the organising with me and Brian Davies has been an amazing treasurer for many, many years and there are so many other people too.”

Celia Tweedie Smith, who nominated her for the award, said: “Libbie is enthusiastic, tireless and a wonderful encourager. She motivates our village and church year by year to raise a significant donation for Christian Aid. She never asks for thanks, is willing to go the extra mile and works harder and more cheerfully than any of us to do a magnificent job.”

Katrine Musgrave from the charity said it was thanks to the dedication of supporters like Libbie that it was able to fight poverty in 39 countries and provide support to refugees, including giving food and water to people on the brink of starvation in East Africa.

“It is no exaggeration to say that it is thanks to the dedication and vision of supporters like Libbie that we are able to not only reach these people in desperate need but also challenge the causes of poverty and empower people to lift themselves out of poverty at the same time,” she said.

To donate to Christian Aid Week visit .caweek.org