The Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith swapped snacks for seeds at a Church of England secondary school today with a summer challenge - get growing for harvest and don't take 'five a day' for granted.

Encouraging pupils to learn what it takes to grow their own crops - and do without their own snacks - Bishop Alan said five portions of fresh fruit and veg was not an option for children in the developing world most affected by climate change, and the 2010 St Albans Fruits of Justice Harvest Appeal could make a real difference.

The appeal is supporting the Church of England's Climate Justice Fund - Faith Moves Mountains - helping communities in the developing world adapt to the effects attributed to climate change. The Fund makes the case that carbon emissions per head in Britain are a hundred times more than those in Uganda, where flood and drought have both affected the Ugandan people in recent years.

The Anglican Church in Uganda is helping communities to adjust to these effects, which can mean that traditional crops and foodstuffs no longer grow, leaving children there eating wild leaves - far from 'five a day'.

Working with relief charity Tearfund, the Ugandan Church is helping communities in Teso Diocese grow new drought resistant crops or recover from the loss of livestock caused by the floods of 2008. Children are now going to school with lunch to eat.

Launching the Appeal at Townsend CofE School in St Albans Bishop Alan said:
"Our 'five a day' is a distant dream for many children in Uganda. The Faith Moves Mountains Climate Justice Fund can make a difference and can help us to take responsibility for our own actions. After the disappointment of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen last December, it is more important than ever that we show governments that change is possible. This appeal is not just about compassion it is about the church helping to build a movement for climate justice."

An expert gardener, Bishop Alan also explained why some crops thrive in different conditions and why picking the right crops for the conditions makes such a difference. He illustrated this with examples grown in his own garden.

Notes
Pictures available

The appeal will allow online giving through Just Giving along with the traditional collections and fundraising initiatives.

Hertfordshire nursery Ayletts donated seeds and saplings for the launch

The Climate Justice Fund was set up after General Synod (July 08) endorsed the recommendations set out in Climate Change and Human Security:Challenging an Environment of Injustice

A podcast featuring the Bishop of Oxford talking about the Climate Justice Fund is available here.