Feed the Minds was launched by the Archbishop Coggan in 1964, and 50 years on is still doing amazing work, and churches in York continue to support its cause.
Feed the Minds aims to equip people who have missed out on the opportunity to receive an education as a result of poverty, conflict or discrimination with knowledge and skills they can use to change their lives and communities for the better. At the time of its inception, most aid agencies focused on meeting people’s immediate needs rather than addressing the underlying causes of poverty in the developing world. Archbishop Coggan realised that although food saves lives in the short term, education makes a greater difference in the long term. He therefore appealed for funds which could be used to ‘Feed the Minds’: to effect sustainable change in developing countries by providing material and financial support to education programmes.
During the last 50 years, supporters in York have raised over £100,000 through various fundraising events. Feed the Minds was recently given a book containing invitations, letters, clippings and pictures dating back to 1964 documenting York’s fundraising efforts. The Archbishop and Mrs Coggan hosted coffee mornings, bring and buy events, and book sales throughout their term in office. In 1971, Archbishop Coggan organised an evening with Joyce Grenfell, a famous singer and performer of the time (press clipping pictured right). One book fair in 1979 raised £2,300, and included the sale of a first edition Beatrix Potter book. In 1989, the then Lord Coggan returned to York to support the charity’s silver jubilee celebrations at St Peter’s School. At the time, they were celebrating over £75,000 raised for the charity in York.
Today, Feed the Minds works with partners in developing countries (including Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda) to deliver ‘Education for Change’ projects that integrate literacy training with civic education, health education, vocational training or peace building. They are still supported by the Archbishop of York who hosted their 50th anniversary celebration reception in September, where they raised over £16,000. When speaking at the event, Archbishop Sentamu said “We need to promote adult education and literacy in all forms to improve the lives of the entire community”. Others in York must agree, as the York regional group still holds fundraising events and coffee mornings even 50 years on!
If you would like to get involved with Feed the Minds in York, please contact Bex at rband@feedtheminds.org, or to read more about their work visit www.feedtheminds.org.