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Smiling group of children with mugs of porridge

Porridge brings such joy!

As we celebrate World Porridge Day this month, we asked two amazing supporters and players of the People’s Postcode Lottery what a mug of porridge means to them.

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Joe Lawson and Gilli Chrystal are both long-time supporters of Mary’s Meals.  But they have something else in common – they each appreciate the difference a mug of porridge makes and play the People’s Postcode Lottery because it supports charities including us.

Grandad Joe, a retired baker, says Mary’s Meals is a charity very close to his family’s heart.

He said: “Through Mary’s Meals I am able to do my wee bit to help those children who have so much less than we do. 

"I love that porridge brings such joy, attracting the world's poorest children to school so that they are encouraged to learn." 

Joe was atrracted to playing the People’s Postcode Lottery because of the good causes it supports.

The 72-year-old knows how important an education is to every child and is delighted that players of the People’s Postcode Lottery have now raised more than £2 million for Mary's Meals, helping us transform the lives of more than 88,000 hungry children in Africa.

Post mistress Gilli eats a warm bowl of porridge every morning to sustain her and loves that a mug of porridge makes so much difference to the children that Mary's Meals reaches.

The 64-year-old plays the People’s Postcode Lottery because it supports charities including Mary’s Meals and she was even fortunate enough to win a few years ago!

She said:

"The whole concept of Mary’s Meals is so amazing – that for a mug of porridge children can go to school and get an education. Children can get a chance that they wouldn’t otherwise have.”

Thank you to all players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, like Joe and Gilli, who are helping to make a world of difference to hungry children across Africa.

It costs just £19.15 to feed a child for a whole school year.