MALVERN Christian Aid Committee has had another record year.

Christian Aid raises money to fund development projects in the Third World and improve the lives of the people there.

The Malvern group raised £14,229 during Christian Aid Week, beating last year's record by more than £400.

Some of the money raised is used for emergency aid but the bulk goes towards providing services such as basic health care, medical care and interest-free loans for groups who help to raise the standard of living in communities.

Christian Aid Week has been going for 50 years, and Malvern has a number of longstanding volunteer collectors.

The aim was to cover all of Malvern and the surrounding area with the house-to-house collection, and the volunteers have "just about succeeded".

Events such as coffee mornings and pudding parties added to the collected funds.

Marian Paulson, of the Malvern Christian Aid Committee, said she was delighted with the response.

"It's wonderful that people who are facing hard times here can still give generously to people who face hard times over there" she said.