Stepping out for ACN

By John Pontifex
THE urgent need to help Christians persecuted for their faith has prompted two men to pound in the streets in preparation for a sponsored run.
Peter Kingsley and Andy Cox are taking part in the London 10K on Sunday (8th July) in support of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.
Mr Kingsley, 38, born and raised in London, but now working for the Vienna English-Speaking Catholic Community, told ACN that the two picked the charity because of its “wonderful work at the service of Christians around the world persecuted and oppressed for their faith in Christ”.
Having run the British 10K two years ago, Mr Kingsley said they had learned from experience how to “pace ourselves” and were confident of being able to “beat the hour mark”.
Mr Kingsley said he had been training by running alongside the Danube in Vienna and Mr Cox had been running along The Thames in Kew, near Richmond, Surrey.
Mr Kingsley added: “There has been beautiful sunshine this summer over here [in Vienna] so have been boosting up the sun-tan a little.
“Andy has been doing the same thing along the Thames but with slightly different conditions.”
Mr Kingsley, who said he first found out about ACN UK from its Christmas cards, added: “We like the charity because it understands the needs of suffering Christians around the world and looks to provide practical and meaningful support in a personal and direct way.”
Both he and Mr Cox have set themselves a fund-raising target of £1,000.
If you would like to support Peter Kingsley and Andy Cox’s Sponsored 10K run in support of Aid to the Church in Need, visit: http://www.justgiving.com/aidtothechurchinneed and for information on Aid to the Church in Need visit www.acnuk.org

Editor’s Notes

www.acnuk.org

Directly under the Holy See, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity – helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
Founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An outstanding Apostle of Charity”, the organisation is now at work in about 130 countries throughout the world.
The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, Aid to the Church in Need’s Child’s Bible – God Speaks to his Children has been translated into 172 languages and 50 million copies have been distributed all over the world.
Aid to the Church in Need UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1097984) and Scotland (SC040748). ACN’s UK office is in Sutton, Surrey and there is a Scottish office in Motherwell, near Glasgow.
While ACN gives full permission for the media to freely make use of the charity’s press releases, please acknowledge ACN as the source of stories when using the material.
For more information, contact John Pontifex, ACN UK Head of Press and Information 020 8661 5161 or John Newton, ACN Press Officer, 020 8661 5167.