Andy Gibbons cycle ride is now well under way.

Please sponsor Andy on his 2,000 mile cycle ride from one end of Great Britain to the other (and back!) in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Andy hopes to raise £2,000 for the charity and is confident he can complete the journey in three weeks.

"Cancer has touched all our lives and I am pleased that Macmillan was chosen by the church as our charity this year."

There is a sponsor list on the table by the notice board in St Mary's Church, or please contact Sheila Banks.

Many thanks to those who helped collect during Christian Aid Week, 11th -18th May; we were lucky in that, unusually, the weather was fine most evenings that week! Thanks also to all those who gave; the total collected is not yet known but let's pray for a good result to do our part in helping fight poverty around the world.

Particular thanks go to June Thorne and Will Hawker who have both now retired from collecting after having helped for many years. Catherine Hayden.

In 2006 our Parish Project was the hospital at Kagando in Uganda. Some of you may remember Rebecca's visit last year when she told us about the benefits that our charitable giving had brought about.

Rebecca has now completed her three year stay in Africa and will be at St Mary's on 10 August to talk more about her experiences and to bring the thanks and love of those for whom she has been caring.

Andy Gibbons has set himself the challenge of a 2,000 mile Cycle Ride from Eaton Bray to Lands End, up to John O'Groats and back to Eaton Bray.

We have set ourselves the challenge of matching him by raising 1 pound per mile for our Parish Project Macmillan Cancer Support.

He plans to set off in the middle of June and we hope to welcome him back with our target of £2,000 achieved!

Please donate to this very worthwhile charity and to show recognition of Andy's sterling efforts. For further information, please contact Sheila Banks.

Tickets are now on sale for a concert at St Mary's Church, Eaton Bray in aid of Christian Aid which is to be performed by the Edlesborough school choir together with selected soloists. They will be joined by some talented past pupils and young musicians from St Mary's Church.

We are hoping for a really large audience for the concert in support of this excellent charity which helps the world's poorest communities including those in recently devastated Burma and China; please come along and ask your friends and family to come too. Tickets are available from Catherine Hayden or Barbara Morton.