Many of you will have known Alison, a long-time supporter of Friends of the Holy Land and wife of our Vice-Chairman, Peter Rand. What you may not have known was she was an enthusiastic gardener, keen to use the fruits of her garden to make jam, among other things, every summer.

Sadly, Alison passed away in June. This coincided with her single plum tree producing a bumper crop of Victoria plums – well over 100lbs! Faced with this bounty, Peter offered the plums to some friends as he felt that making jam to Alison’s standard was “above his pay grade”!

A kind couple took 30lbs of the plums, funded the ingredients, designed a label and produced the jam, in her memory, which was then offered in return for a donation to FHL. They produced 57 jars and to date 48 have gone to friends and family raising over £400 so far; enough money to support a Christian family in the Holy Land for 4 months during this crisis.

This is a great result and a wonderful way for Alison to be remembered, as well as an example of a simple fundraising favourite that can be done from home despite the pandemic. Thank you Peter for enabling this to happen and celebrating Alison's talents in her memory, may she rest in peace.