Actor sisters, Sophie and Emma Thompson are backing the new Mary’s Meals campaign, Double The Love, to help feed even more children in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Any donations made to the charity this winter will be matched by generous supporters. There is up to £1.6 million available to provide nutritious meals at school, which is a way of attracting children into schools and will give them the energy to learn.

Emma and Sophie Thompson

Sophie said: “Emma and I were marvelling about how Mary’s Meals provides food at school for children living in the most desperate circumstances, encouraging them to gain an education that will, in the future, help them out of poverty.  

“We are delighted to announce that donations made to this awesome charity this winter will be doubled – meaning even more little ones will receive a daily serving of Mary’s Meals.” 

Emma said: “Our mother is Scottish, and Argyll is a very special place for our family. I am overjoyed that a charity founded there is changing the lives of children in some of the world’s poorest countries. It truly is an incredible achievement. 

“Double The Love presents a wonderful opportunity for us all to get behind Mary’s Meals and show children living in the world’s poorest countries that we care.” 

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “I am so grateful to Sophie and Emma for backing our Double The Love campaign. What a brilliant sister act they are! 

“I hope people will donate to Mary’s Meals this winter so that we can access all of the £1.6 million of match funding that is available to us. These funds really will change the lives of children facing the most difficult circumstances, including natural disasters, conflict, and the ongoing Covid pandemic.” 

The Double The Love campaign runs until 31 January 2022. Please visit marysmeals.org.uk/doublethelove to find out more.  

  • Mary’s Meals is a simple idea that works. The charity normally provides one daily meal in a place of learning to attract hungry children into the classroom.   
  • Mary’s Meals feeds children in 19 countries: Malawi, Liberia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Kenya, India, South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Benin, Lebanon, Syria, Myanmar, Thailand, Ecuador, Madagascar, Romania and Niger.    
  • The charity is safely reaching more than two million children with Mary’s Meals, whether at school or at home.   
  • The average global cost to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year is just £15.90.     
  • Mary’s Meals is committed to spending at least 93% of donations directly on its charitable activities. This is only possible because much of the charity’s work is done by an army of dedicated volunteers – including more than 80,000 in Malawi alone.     

Double The Love

  • For a three-month period (from 1 November 2021 to 31 January 2022), donations made to Mary’s Meals will be doubled thanks to a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6 million.  
  • People can help Mary’s Meals access all the available funding by donating in a range of ways or by setting up a regular gift during the campaign period – meaning the charity can reach even more hungry children with a nutritious meal at school. 
  • marysmeals.org.uk/doublethelove
Sophie and Emma Thompson support the work of Mary’s Meals PHOTO Chris Watt Photography
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.