Elgin church hosts charity Big Quiz

A CHURCH in Elgin has raised £500 at a quiz night to support an aid agency helping those in extreme poverty.

Elgin Baptist Church was one of over 500 churches to put on a Big Quiz Night to raise funds for Tearfund.

In total, 26,324 people across the UK took part in the second annual quiz fundraiser for the Christian charity, which has been working around the world for more than 50 years responding to disasters and helping lift communities out of poverty.

Fraser Norrie, the church treasurer, said: "Our Big Quiz Night at Elgin Baptist Church was a lot of fun. And as a host, it was so easy to put on.

"The kit that we got from Tearfund had absolutely everything that we needed."

Questions from Tearfund’s ready-made quiz pack were presented virtually by well-known Tearfund supporters including actor David Gyasi, baker Martha Collison and award-winning chocolatier Will Torrent.

Mr Norrie continued: "Everyone enjoyed it ‒ young and old. We were happy to come together as a church family to support a fantastic cause. Tearfund Scotland is an excellent charity that works through church partners in 50 countries around the world to bring lasting transformation to people living in extreme poverty."

Tearfund Scotland’s church engagement executive, Diana Cameron, was thrilled with the outcome.

She said: "I’m so grateful for Mr Norrie and all the quizzers at Elgin Baptist Church for coming together to support Tearfund through their Big Quiz Night. It’s been a huge success. Every pound raised helps to lift people out of poverty and transform communities.”

The money will go to help some of the world’s poorest people, like Martha from northern Nigeria who lost her husband, her two older children and her home in a conflict over land in her rural community.

Now Martha and her youngest child live in a makeshift camp for displaced people in the city of Jos, where lack of sanitation recently led to a cholera outbreak.

Tearfund’s partner RURCON (Rural Development Counsellors for Christian Churches in Africa) stepped in with water and sanitation workshops which have helped Martha keep safe and healthy, but she still needs counselling to help her cope with her losses.

Spending time with a trained counsellor will make a huge difference to Martha and others like her, ensuring that their trauma doesn’t determine their future possibilities.

The Big Quiz Night will be return in 2020. Hosts can sign up and order next year’s pack at tearfund.org/quiz.

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