MAKE a gift to Mother Church this Mothering Sunday. If you haven't done so already this Lent, will you help to train a priest? Will you give something - whatever you can afford - to the Church Times Train-A-Priest (TAP) Fund?

Readers' donations amounting to £9303 brought the running total this week to £23,122.89.

But readers of the Church Times are not the only people who may value the opportunity that TAP represents. We encourage readers to spread the word, and to hold a special collection or fund-raising effort in Lent. A colour leaflet explains what TAP is all about, includes a Gift Aid form, and can be downloaded here (PDF). If you are a UK taxpayer, a Gift Aid declaration increases the value of your donation significantly.

Every ordinand, married or single, receives a TAP grant if he or she is in full-time training for the priesthood in the C of E.

In addition, ten per cent of every donation goes into the Special Hardship Fund, to support any ordinand training for the priesthood in the C of E - in a college, in a course, or an OLM scheme - who experiences unforeseen financial difficulties.

You can give by cheque, postal order, cash, and charity cheque. But many of our readers find that the simplest way to give is by means of our secure online giving page: hymnsam.co.uk/train-a-priest.aspx.

Please send other donations to: TAP Fund, Church Times, 13a Hellesdon Park Road, Norwich NR6 5DR. For an acknowledgement, please enclose a SAE. To earmark a donation for the Special Hardship Fund, please use a covering note.