Exeter named one of the most generous cities in the UK

This Christmas, ActionAid release figures revealing Exeter to be the ninth most generous city in the UK based on the number of children sponsored across Africa, Asia and South America by local people.

Exeter was ranked the ninth most generous out of a top twenty survey, with people from the area sponsoring over 172 children - enough children to fill over six classrooms.

Sponsorship provides basics like food, shelter, clean water and education for children in the poorest parts of the world. In the long term it will also help the child, their family and their whole.

Millions of the most vulnerable children in the world are living in extreme poverty, marginalised in society, and surviving on next to nothing. These figures come as ActionAid launch their Christmas appeal, asking the public to sponsor a child this Christmas to help provide the foundations they need to change their lives for good and keep them safe from harm.

Fay Ripley, Actor and star of ITV1’s Cold Feet: “Both my son and daughter have sponsored a girl and a boy in Tanzania for eight years. For the price of a take-away coffee each week we have a real connection to another part of the world that my kids need to feel they belong to.

I’m grateful to ActionAid for the genuinely progressive work they are achieving for people I don’t know, but people who need our help. I encourage more people in Exeter to sponsor a child this Christmas to keep them safe from harm and provide the foundations they need to change their lives for good.”

Helen Pattinson, Deputy Director of Fundraising at ActionAid says: “At a time when life is financially harder for most of us, the generosity of people in Exeter is inspiring and absolutely vital to support ActionAid’s work.

Whilst we thank all those people in Exeter who are already helping us by sponsoring children, we need more residents of this generous city to spread this kindness and help us support thousands more children to break the cycle of poverty and keep them safe from harm.”

To sponsor a child today please visit www.actionaid.org.uk