Bishop and 50 clergy to tackle muddy assault course

The Bishop of Blackburn will lead more than 50 clergy wearing their dog collars as they tackle a muddy assault course to raise money for a Harvest appeal.

The Right Reverend Philip North and his priest team will take on the challenge at the Whitehough Outdoor Centre in Barley, Lancashire.

The event will see them taking on a series of obstacles to support the Jehovah Rapha Healthcare Centre in the Diocese of Liwolo, South Sudan.

All donations for the healthcare centre will help to fund medicines, healthcare, solar lighting, clean water and support for frontline medical staff serving communities in Liwolo.

The bishop said: "We try to do something different and fun every year to encourage as many contributions as possible to the Harvest Appeal.

"This time the idea is to invite clergy from across Lancashire to spend a Saturday morning wearing their dog collars while scrambling over obstacles, wading through mud and making complete spectacles of themselves.

"Thankfully, more than 50 have already said yes."

North said that the appeal will help sustain "vital healthcare for some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world at a time of real need".

He added: "A few muddy obstacles in Barley will be a minor challenge compared to the challenges being faced by the communities we're supporting."

South Sudan is the world's youngest nation, having gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

The UN has repeatedly warned that South Sudan is at risk of sliding back into a full-scale civil war. It is one of the world's poorest countries.

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