Members of Langbank Church of Scotland have just raised more than £400 to help ‘Give Hunger the Boot’ — an appeal mounted by UK charity, Farm Africa.

The appeal is aims to beat hunger across eastern Africa.

To help, two members of the church youth group — the Welcomers — organised a sponsored Welly Walk which was held after a recent Sunday service.

The congregation followed a route along the village’s Main Road. Due to flooding the previous night, wellies were essential.

The sponsored walk was part of Farm Africa’s ‘Great African Welly Walk.’ The number of miles walked by the Langbank congregation will be added to the grand total of miles walked by participating schools and churches across the UK.

Last year, the total number of miles covered was the equivalent of a mass ‘Welly Walk’ to a Farm Africa project in Ethiopia and back. This year’s target is to ‘walk’ further — to Kenya and back.

The Langbank church regularly raises money for charity and this is the second year it has supported Farm Africa.

Mary Bonner, leader of the Welcomers, said: “We are trying to reach out to others in different parts of the world who need help. We believe that praying for the less fortunate is important, but that actual practical help is essential.

“The fact that Farm Africa is helping people to become self sufficient is the way forward.

“Just providing food, although essential in some cases, doesn’t help to solve the problem long term.

“I am very proud of my two Welcomers, Beth Irwin and Eleanor Birch, for organising this event — they turn up every Sunday and work so hard to raise money for other people.” Farm Africa generates funds to provide training and technology to smallholder farmers so that they are able to grow enough to eat, with surpluses left over to sell for much-needed income.