Each week we invite members of the congregation to donate food for St George’s Crypt, PAFRAS (Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers), the Franciscan Friars and Leeds North West Foodbank. Before Christmas we organise a collection of toys and gifts for children and teenagers which is taken to St George’s Crypt.
Each autumn after inviting nominations from the congregation we recommend the charities St Edmund’s will support the following year. In 2019 the charities were:
Traidcraft Exchange
Open Doors
Reprieve
Embrace
Leeds North West and Leeds South East Foodbanks
We also continue to support Rachel Ulmer (our Church Mission Society Partner in Pakistan).
With our neighbouring churches in Roundhay we take part in the annual house-to-house collection in May for Christian Aid.
At Christmas instead of sending each other Christmas cards we 'sign a star' on a display in church and donate some money to a selected charity.
Traidcraft plc, a trading company, is one of the leading dedicated fair trade companies in the UK and globally.
They source the UK’s widest range of fair trade foods, beverages, household cleaning, charcoal and rubber products, as well as fair trade crafts and clothing, from fair trade suppliers in more than 30 developing countries.
At St Edmund's there is a regular Traidcraft stall where a wide range of good are available.