HOLY Week is approaching. In the midst of your churchgoing, please remember the Church Times Train-A-Priest (TAP) Fund.

Donations are coming in steadily, a sign that many in the Church of England remain grateful for the ministry of their priests, and keen to support the next generation, as they pass through their tough years of training.

The TAP Fund, begun in 1952, is now in its sixth decade of helping ordinands deal with everyday expenses. Ten per cent of all donations go into the Special Hardship Fund, to which ordinands can apply if they encounter any sudden difficulties. You can also request that the whole of your donation goes into this section of the TAP Fund, if you wish.

We keep nothing back for administrative purposes: every penny of every pound is disbursed to those in training.

How to give

WE STILL take cheques, postal orders, cash, and charity cheques. But giving online is easiest for donors and for us. Simply visit www.hymnsam.co.uk/train-a-priest.aspx. This is a secure page with clear instructions.

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

UK taxpayers can boost their gift by making a Gift Aid declaration. Please do this on our online donations page, or by enclosing the form in the 4 March issue of the Church Times.

Spread the word

PLEASE encourage other people to give to TAP, too. A colour leaflet can be downloaded from the Church Times website; and we encourage churches to hold a special collection or fund-raising effort. Please let us know about your support, and your stories, if you are doing so: we like to mention them in the Church Times.