A CHARITY set up by the Archbishop of York is marking its 10th anniversary after having helped more than 22,000 people over the past decade.

Acts 435, an online giving charity, enables donors to give directly to individuals who are in poverty or crisis situations, through a network of over 350 local churches and charities all over the UK.

The Archbishop, Dr John Sentamu, who is its patron,said: “I am pleased that churches have seen what a difference online giving to a person in need has made for some of the most vulnerable people in society."

A spokesperson said that since 2010, Acts 435 had helped more than 22,000 people with £2,172,000 of online donations,meeting needs varying from cookers and beds to ID documents and travel to hospital appointments.

They said the commemorative milestone had come at a time when official celebrations had been postponed but Acts 435 continued to resource churches and charities on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, providing over 400 much needed items a month to those in need.

For example, a woman struggling to pay for the rental on a fridge-freezer was given one to prevent her accruing debt.