The McCabe Educational Trust is an independent registered charity which has existed for over 30 years from the very early days of McCabe Travel and is central to our vision. So far more than £3 million pounds has been distributed in grants to inspiring people we have met on pilgrimage.

As a result of COVID-19 many of the people the McCabe Educational Trust (MET) regularly supports are in crisis. Due to the current travel restrictions there are no pilgrims travelling and so we cannot make the regular donations we normally collect. Please donate today so that we can keep sending money from the MET to help meet the needs of our friends in the Holy Land and in India and to help them face the challenges of this ongoing crisis.

We began this appeal as Christmas 2020 approached and we wanted to raise £85,000 as a minimum commitment to our partners. We are so thankful for every penny given already and we will keep the appeal going as every penny raised will continue to go to the partners we support. Our new target is £180,000.

Almost ever charity has suffered a huge hit to its income during the coronavirus lockdown, while having to spend more to help those who are suffering. If you think the situation in the UK has been grim, then it has been even worse in places like Israel and Palestine, where there has not been the same Government support available. The projects we support have particularly missed the contribution of visiting pilgrimage groups.

We hope you will be amazed to learn that, despite there being no pilgrimaging since March 2020, we have still been able to give £265k to those in need whom we have met on past pilgrimages. BUT our Trust reserves are now depleted and continuing lockdowns and quarantines may mean little or no income from travellers' donations for many months to come.

YET we decided that in 2021 we must at least maintain our quarterly grants to Jeel al Amal in Bethany and to Al Shurooq in Bethlehem; keep supporting Dadhuwa in Nepal and the five children we sponsor at Dr Grahams Homes in India; and keep a discretionary fund for ad hoc requests for help. In addition, we will continue to pass on dedicated funding to the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation, the Jerusalem Princess Basma hospital and other similar projects. We are delighted that the donations so far have helped us to keep to these commitments.

To achieve what we have now promised for the year ahead we would like to raise a total of £180,000 and we invite you to make a donation.

If your livelihood has been impacted by the pandemic, then of course we understand that you may not be able to respond to this appeal.