Members of Earls Hall and Hadleigh Baptist Churches in Essex will spend a day negotiating Zone 1 of the London Underground to raise much-needed funds to support children at an orphanage in Suryapet, India.

The church-goers will visit as many stations as possible in a limited amount of time. At each station they will take a photo of themselves next to the station sign, and the team that visits the most stations is the winner.

The funds raised from the Tube Challenge will go towards the day to day needs of the children, including food and education, at the orphanage of The Living God Baptist Church in Suryapet in Andhra Pradesh.

It's the latest in a number of fundraisers held by Earls Hall and Hadleigh as part of their long-standing commitment to support the orphanage, which opened in 2003 with 35 children.

Their relationship dates to 2006, when a minister from Earls Hall Baptist Church went to preach in the area and saw first hand the work there. In 2007, the orphanage suffered a flood and was relocated. In 2008 the minister for Hadleigh Baptist Church visited the orphanage with a member of Earls Hall Baptist Church to see for themselves the current needs of the situation.

Everybody involved wanted better conditions for the children and the dream of a safe, permanent, purpose-built orphanage has now become a reality. This work was greatly helped by the fact that the UK-based charity Mission Care partnered with the churches.

There are now 100 children there, with the youngest just three years old. Many more children would be accommodated if there was room.
'The building work is now completed and the local fundraising is having a major impact on the lives of the young orphans,' explained the Revd Paul Stow, minister of Hadleigh Baptist Church.

Both churches would welcome donations from the local community. Those wanting to donate can do so at :
uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayEventDetails.action?eventId=14717