A fundraiser of a different kind has defied the economic downturn to raise more than £60,000 for five Christian charities committed to social change.

Cross Pollinate gave the charities each six minutes to tell an audience of more than 50 generous-hearted people what they would do with £5,000. After a short round of questions to each of the charities, the potential donors were then given the opportunity to make an anonymous pledge of gifts in cash or kind.

The five charities presenting at last week’s fundraiser were the Karis Neighbourhood Scheme, which offers practical care for impoverished communities in Birmingham; The Bridge project for school children in South Wiltshire; Breadline, a charity that provides residential support to orphaned children in Moldova; the Asian Students Christian Trust, which helps educate and house deprived children in the Philippines; and Flame International, a charity dedicated to bringing healing and reconciliation to post-conflict communities in Sudan, Rwanda and Sierra Leone.

Cross Pollinate has so far raised more than a quarter of a million pounds for charity since its inaugural fundraiser last summer. It aims to raise a total of £1 million for Christian charities engaged in social change.

The fundraiser is the brainchild of Matt Bird, of Make It Happen PR agency, and Ian Wilkins, of the Alvor Charitable Trust

“We believe that through the recession many people within the Christian community are choosing to be counter cyclical in their giving,” they commented.

“Wherever possible Christians are choosing to maintain their level of giving and even increase their giving to ensure that charities are able to continue their vital work.”