`Mums Take Action`

'We suffer from drought and landslides as well as emergencies from everyday poverty.'

So says Maritza Sevilla, a young mother who, through Christian Aid partner Community Movement of Matagalpa (MCM), has taken on a vital role in her community in Nicaragua.

Maritza lives in Nuevo Amanecer, an hour's drive from Matagalpa. Her community is in a mountainous region, with a river winding through it. The single hillside road wends its way through a harsh landscape. Deforestation and drought have devastated what was once lush, dense forest.

When the river breaks its banks, as it often does, the community here at Nuevo Amanecer can find themselves stranded for weeks, as happened during Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

In response to this vulnerability MCM, with help from the local people, built a community centre where people could meet and learn how to protect themselves better from the vagaries of unpredictable weather. In the absence of emergency services it's vital that local communities take action themselves.

And so the community elected Maritza, along with Lilian Mercado and Lucila Castro to the Emergency Committee, who have been responsible for devising and implementing the community contingency plan. The women drew up maps of Nuevo Amanecer illustrating the danger zones. These carefully hand- painted maps, with evacuation routes clearly marked, hang in the busy community centre.

'…we feel safe' says Lilian, whose house was almost washed away in last year's flood. 'Before we weren't prepared but now we're ready for rains.'  Christian Aid has been supporting MCM, a grassroots organisation working with rural and urban poor people to improve living conditions in 150 communities, since 1992. A partnership of more than a decade has meant that Christian Aid has been able to give crucial support at some very difficult times.

Christian Aid Week begins this year on 14^th May, involving more than 300,000 Christian Aid collectors who will encourage their friends, colleagues and neighbours - almost two thirds of UK households - to put some of their hard-earned cash into the famous red envelope. What each person adds Christian Aid will multiply, and so will help more people to live life to the full.

Please give all you can.  Remember, Christian Aid Week is 14^th - 20^th May.

Open  Forum Saturday 20^th May 2006 2.30 p.m. at URC Hall

This is an opportunity for all patients of Springfield Surgery to meet the Doctors and to ask questions and make comments upon those aspects of the Practice which are of interest to them or which they might like to change.

A general introduction will be followed by a question and answer session (both anonymously and from the floor) then a chance to talk informally with the Doctors while refreshments are available.

The meeting will also afford an opportunity to find out more about the Patients Group and to put your name forward to join if interested.

Come along and have your say!