NNUH Microbiologist to Live Below the Line again

Mark Pointer, working in the Microbiology Department at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) is taking part in the Global Poverty Project challenge “Live Below the Line” for the second year from 20 -24th May.

Live Below the Line is an initiative of the Global Poverty Project, an education and campaigning organisation whose mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of people taking action against extreme poverty.

This innovative challenge will involve Mark living off just £1 a day for all his food and drink for five days and therefore reflect the struggle of 1.4 billion people worldwide living on less than £1 a day.

Mark said “I`m looking forward to challenge once again, although I`m going to miss my daily Eccles cake fix. I spent a lot of time last year planning my meals for the week, but quickly realised how limited my options were with £5 to spend for 5 days. Meat was too expensive, so porridge and potatoes became my best friends.”

This year the challenge will take place between on 5 days between April 29th until June 30th, with participants in Australia, New Zealand, America and the UK.

“Live Below The Line is fanstastic idea and I would recommend everybody to sign up and give it a go. Last year the experience really opened my your eyes and made me realise how lucky we are, because what for me was a five-day challenge is a daily reality for people living in extreme poverty. Food access, not choice, is a struggle they face every day, as well healthcare, education, transport – everything.”

All money raised by Mark will be spilt between two charities, Norwich Foodbank, to support people living in our own fine city in relative poverty and RESULTS UK, on their new Nutrition campaign to raise awareness of the millions of children world-wide, who die or suffer from undernutrition.

If would like to sponsor Mark for this challenge, either go to https://www.livebelowtheline.com/me/markpointer or email him at mark.pointer@nnuh.nhs.uk