A CHAPLAIN, a university professor and a schoolboy abseiled down an ancient Oxford church tower to raise funds for the fight against global poverty.

The trio were part of an 18-strong group to lower themselves over the edge of St Mary Magdalen Church in Magdalen Street for charity Christian Aid.

The team included the Bishop of Oxford’s Chaplain, the Revd Paul Cowan, and his 17-year-old son, Joel, as well as Dragon School pupil Freddie Morris, aged 11.

The schoolboy, who has raised more than £1,200, said: “I wanted to raise some money for people who really need it. So I decided to jump off one of the highest towers in Oxford.

Oxford Mail:

“If we all shared our food and resources then nobody in the world would be hungry and poverty would end.

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"I wanted to make a difference to help others less lucky than myself, so I decided to go for it.”

Revd Cowan, who grew up in the West African country of Liberia, said: “It was fantastic to be part of a group of people joined together by their desire to reach out to people across the world who are having a terrible time of things at the moment.

“Coronavirus has been dreadful wherever we live but for many people across the world it has pushed them to the edge of survival.

“I am a keen supporter of Christian Aid for the work they do to build a more just world and tackle poverty.

“With Coronavirus causing awful damage across the globe, this seemed like a perfect time to take part in a fundraiser.

"I actually enjoyed myself, particularly when my feet were back on solid ground.”

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Oxford Mail:

They were joined by professor of medieval German literature and linguistics at Oxford University, Henrike Laehnemann, who trumpeted her way down the tower.

The abseilers are aiming to raise £9,000 between them.