|PIC1|The Church of Scotland’s Guild will report to the 2006 General Assembly next month on a number of successes as well as outline needs for the future development of the Guild and its work at home and abroad.

With the period of financial support for the Dare to Care programme due to end in June, the General Assembly will be asked by the Guild to commend its support for the projects under the programme.

Dare to Care is a unique programme operated by the Guild which brings together worship, study and project work over a three year period, with a different area of focus in each of the years.

The General Assembly will be asked to see off the shortly concluding 2003 to 2006 Dare to Care programme, which focussed on Commitment, and welcome in the new project partnerships for the 2006 to 2009 programme which will run under the theme ‘Let’s Live: body, mind and soul’.

|TOP|Guild meetings raise money to support a different project each year both home and abroad, with the Church of Scotland Guilds have raised more than £1million for worthwhile projects over the last 5 years.

The Guild reported that the Dare to Care projects proved particularly successful in the last period in drawing support from Guild members, reaching an impressive £560,000.

In its report to the General Assembly next month, the Guild will stress the importance of raising the profile of the Guild in the coming years and expanding its partnership network.

|AD|“The Guild believes that the building of good relationships with other organisations, both Christian and secular, increases the recognition factor and produces fruitful partnerships,” said a Kirk statement.

The Guild has a history of close collaboration with the Church of Scotland’s work abroad, having previously worked with foreign missions and in support of the work undertaken by the Kirk in India and Africa.

Work abroad has seen a particular focus in the last year on human-trafficking, already a long-term concern of the Guild’s and an area of concern that was the “single most significant issue” raised by partners the world over during the World Mission Council’s May 2005 consultation with partner churches.

The General Assembly will be asked to give its support to the work of the Guild in tackling this problem that is gaining in prominence among Christians, legislators and social campaigners.