A fundraising campaign, set up by a vicar and his wife, to help those in poorer parts of the world access coronavirus vaccines, has to date raised £145,000.
Rev Scott Patterson and his wife Rowan, who are from Somerset, set up the 'twin my vaccine' campaign with an original target of £1,0000.
The campaign encourages those who have already had their vaccine to make a monetary donation equivalent in value to the vaccine they have received themselves for free. The cost of a vaccine ranges between £4 and £30. Donations raised are immediately passed on to UNICEF, which is also partnering with the UN as part of the COVAX initiative.
Rowan Patterson told Premier how the idea came about: "My husband had it, he just said one night 'I've had this idea'. And he didn't really have time to follow it through. So, he left it with me. And it almost seemed that it would have been negligent not to follow it through because it was such a good idea. I think it was inspired."
She added that they were hopeful their original target of £1000 would be smashed: "It's such an obvious cause to us for people to support. But we're also bowled over by it. And I'm really humbled because all we did was have the idea and sent it out there. And it's like we've said a prayer and the Amens are coming flooding back in, in the form of donations."
UNICEF are already benefitting from the fundraising drive. According to Rowan Patterson, the charity will have had over £100,000 to use already.
"And that is going directly into those vital supplies, vaccines and syringes and cold storage. They're already using it," she said.
The couple are not setting any further targets but hope people will still continue to support the campaign.