- Over 22,000 people from 500+ UK churches took part in Tearfund’s first Big Quiz Night on Saturday 17th November.
- The nationwide, multi-venue fundraising event was held in support of some of the poorest communities around the world.
Knowing the Portuguese word for apple, the host city of 2024 Summer Olympic Games or the name of Ashleigh Butler’s dog from Britain’s Got Talent* are not usually morsels of knowledge which put churchgoers at an advantage. But last Saturday quiz teams had to dig deep into their reserves of trivia in a bid for victory at Tearfund’s first Big Quiz Night.
In the name of fighting poverty, over 22,000 people from South Wales to the Shetlands, Bournemouth to Belfast, pitted their wits against each other as more than 500 British churches hosted their own Big Quiz Night. Quiz-goers were encouraged to make a suggested £5 donation to take part, with funds going towards Christian international relief and development charity Tearfund’s work in over 50 countries around the world.
St John's Church, Neville's Cross, Durham, was one of many who linked up to Tearfund’s online dashboard on the night, which displayed the number of attendees nationwide. One of their participants enthused: ‘The totaliser wowed everyone and they all said how it was wonderful to feel part of something that we were doing all together across the nation!’
Churches were supplied with a resource pack, including a ready-made film in which Tearfund ambassadors presented the questions, meaning groups large and small were able to take part on an equal footing. Categories included general knowledge, food and drink, geography, film and TV, sport and music, and were conveyed with help from rap artist Guvna B, baker Tom Herbert, Olympic rower Peter Chambers and MP Stephen Timms.
Tearfund’s Fundraising Director Jane Pleace commented: ‘We wanted to make life easy for churches large and small by presenting them with a ready-made way to have an evening of fun. Hundreds responded and thousands of people were entertained, in groups ranging from four to over 160. Tearfund will be able to use the funds raised to bring transformation to the lives of people like Areej from Syria, who has been living in a tent in a refugee camp in Lebanon with her family for seven years.’ Jane added: ‘Churches who like to plan ahead may want to keep Saturday 16th November 2019 free for next year’s Big Quiz Night!’
To register your interest for The Big Quiz Night 2019, visit www.tearfund.org/quiz
ENDS
For further information please call Louise Thomas in the Tearfund Media Team on 07590 775847 or email [email protected].
For out of hours media enquiries please call +44 (0)7498 540276.
Notes to editors:
*Answers to the questions above: The Portuguese for apple is maçã Paris will be the host city for the Summer Olympic Games in 2024 Ashleigh Butler’s dog, who - alongside her - won Britain’s Got Talent in 2012, was called Pudsey
About Tearfund
Tearfund is a Christian relief and development agency and a member of the Disasters’ Emergency Committee.
Founded in 1968, Tearfund has been working around the world for 50 years responding to disasters and helping lift communities out of poverty. Tearfund works through the church and other locally-based organisations, to help communities overcome the worst effects of poverty and disasters to reach their full potential. In the last ten years alone, Tearfund has helped more than 45 million people through its development and humanitarian work.
Every pound raised from The Big Quiz will go towards helping to bring change and transformation to those in the greatest need. Funds raised will go towards supporting communities to deal with the devastating effects of conflict and provide families around the world with trauma care and peacebuilding skills, helping to restore their hope for the future. For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org.
