North Coast woman to head up Christian Aid’s church team
Bushmills woman Kaye Steele has been appointed to a key role in an overseas aid agency.
As Christian Aid Ireland’s Church and Community Manager, the 34-year-old will manage a 5-strong team, leading the agency’s engagement with churches and communities, in order to raise funds for its international work.
The appointment is a promotion for Kaye who has worked for Christian Aid Ireland since 2020 in the role of Church and Community Officer. Kaye and her team speak in churches, schools and community settings to build support for the charity’s work and appeal for donations. Kaye will also oversee Christian Aid Week, the UK and Ireland’s longest-running fundraising campaign, when churches hold fundraising events for the charity’s work. Churches across the island of Ireland donate on average around £1 million to Christian Aid each year, to help end the suffering of people living in poverty and crisis around the world.
Speaking as she took up her new post, Kaye said:
“I’m delighted to be appointed as Church and Community Manager at Christian Aid Ireland. Our work is motivated by our faith and I’m proud of that. I’m inspired every day by our supporters and our churches who care deeply about those living in poverty. Their support is even more vital at a time when the international aid budget has been cut.”
Kaye’s involvement with Christian Aid began in 2013 when she was selected to take part in a year-long placement with the Christian Aid Collective, based in the charity’s Glasgow office. The Collective is a community of young adult Christians who use their voices to advocate for change and take action against injustice and poverty.Kaye explained:
“I’ve been on a journey with Christian Aid over the last 12 years, first in Scotland and now with Christian Aid Ireland, from volunteer to manager.”
Last year, Kaye helped lead a 7-strong group of supporters and staff to visit the charity’s projects in Zimbabwe, as she explained:
“I saw first-hand how donations have transformed the lives of people struggling to survive on the frontline of the climate crisis. That experience made me more determined than ever to involve churches and communities in our work.”
The charity’s Chief Executive Rosamond Bennett welcomed Kaye to the role:
“Kaye is a passionate champion for people living in poverty and crisis, whether it’s the farmers struggling to survive drought in Zimbabwe or the starving people of Gaza. We’re delighted that she will now be leading our engagement with churches and communities across the island of Ireland and we wish her every blessing for the important work that lies ahead.”
To make a donation to support the work of Christian Aid, please visit caid.ie/donate or to donate over the telephone, please call 028 9064 8133. Alternatively, you can send a cheque to Christian Aid Ireland, 96 Beechill Road, Belfast, BT8 7QN.