Appeal for area's cash strapped to keep giving

Charities could miss out as people in Dudley and Worcestershire, including areas near Kidderminster, make cutbacks during the credit-crunch, churchleaders claim.

The Bishop of Dudley, the Rt Rev David Walker, has appealed for people to still give to charity even though they are making cutbacks.

He believes it is good to save money but says it matters where people make cutbacks. He added: "We must pick the right things to cut back on, not the things that least affect our lifestyle.

"In times of plenty we reward ourselves with all sorts of little extras, more holidays or trips to far flung locations, more fashionable clothes and accessories that we throw away sooner, expensive products when a cheaper version would do.

"Over time these become habits and much harder to give up. Charities are rightly concerned that many of us will respond to the situation by cutting back on what we give before we cut back on what we spend on ourselves.

"At the very time when the poorest are feeling the world economic downturn more acutely than everyone else and governments have less to spend on welfare, there is a real fear that charity income will be hit hard as we protect that weekend winter break rather than the needy at home or abroad."