8 July 2020
CAFOD is very excited to announce that children’s author Frank Cottrell-Boyce has launched a writing project for young people in support of the charity’s coronavirus appeal.
It remains a challenging time for children in the face of coronavirus, and it has never been more important to hear and read their words.
Frank will be capturing children’s thoughts and feelings and turning them into a unique piece of writing as part of CAFOD’s Summer of Hope campaign.
The charity is putting out a rallying call to young people to share their reflections on what gives them hope in just one word or a sentence. It might be an object or activity, a person, a phrase, or an idea.
Inspired by children’s reflections, Frank will then write an original short piece based on what they have said they are hopeful about.
Frank said: “I am delighted to be part of this CAFOD project. We are living through an extraordinary moment in history. When our children grow up, their children, and their children's children will want to hear what life was like during the pandemic of 2020.
“So, this is a great way to capture future memories and to help children realise the importance and understand the lessons of what they are living through.
“This is a time of isolation so it's a particularly brilliant idea to have a project that we all work on together. Because although we have to be apart, we know that we are all one. Although we are isolated, we are never alone.”
Monica Conmee, CAFOD’s Head of Education, said: “We are over-the-moon Frank is supporting our Summer of Hope campaign and offering children this exciting opportunity.
“We invite young people across England and Wales and internationally to be a part of this hopeful, inspirational project which will reflect that we are a global family – each of us brothers and sisters – and that each person, especially the poorest in our world, matters.”
Notes to editors:
For further information about this press release please contact Anna Ford (aford@cafod.org.uk) via CAFOD’s 24-hour media hotline 07919 301 429
CAFOD plans to share Frank’s piece through their schools work and on their digital channels in September (cafod.org.uk).
How to take part in Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s Summer of Hope writing project:
Please ask permission from an adult to email your word or sentence about what gives you hope to schools@cafod.org.uk before Monday July 27th.
If you’ve put your ideas down on paper and you want to send a photo of it, that’s fine too.
Don’t forget to include your first name, your age, and your town.
Please note, by sending in your submission (whether written or drawn) you give CAFOD permission to reproduce it for use for this project, and others, including media work.
CAFOD’s Summer of Hope campaign is a fundraising appeal launched to help communities, schools and parishes host virtual summer events to fundraise for CAFOD’s Coronavirus Appeal. You can find out more information about the appeal at cafod.org.uk/coronavirus.
CAFOD is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and part of Caritas International. Across the world we bring hope and compassion to poor communities, standing side by side with them to end poverty and injustice. Because we work through the local Church, we can reach people and places that others can’t.