Diocesan Press Release

Bishop of Woolwich weighs in

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 18 February 1999

The Bishop of Woolwich  weighed in last night, Ash Wednesday, at 16 stone 4 pounds before beginning a sponsored slim during Lent. In the presence of a congregation at St Paul's Church, Newington, he ate a cream cone as a final fling - "the last cream, last pastry, last chocolate, last sugar," he said. He also gave out cholocate buttons so that people could eat something with him.

Before the weigh-in the Bishop invited people to guess his weight, and awarded a box of chocolate mints to the winner, who estimated he was just one pound heavier than it proved.

On Easter Eve, Saturday 3 April, he will be weighed again, at St Michael's, Lower Sydenham. He hopes people will undertake to give between 5p and 25p for every pound he loses, and all proceeds will go to the Bishop of Southwark's Lent Call.

Sponsor forms are available from the Bishop's secretary, Maggie Elkins, 020-8699 7771.

Lent Call is an appeal to the Diocese to raise funds for five charities at home and overseas, mainly supporting deprived children.

Ends.