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03 May 2011

Christian project to be featured on Secret Millionaire tonight

Channel 4 is to show a Christian project that helps the unemployed, asylum seekers and refugees in Sheffield on its Secret Millionaire show tonight, Tuesday, 3 May. 

The Rainbow's End, run by the Church Army in Burngreave, an inner suburb of Sheffield, will feature Simrin Choudhrie, millionaire and interior designer, going undercover at the project.

Volunteering at Rainbow's End community shop, Ms Choudhrie, who was seven months pregnant at the time of filming, donates a six figure sum to further support the work after she reveals she is a secret millionaire.

The Fresh Expressions project, run by Church Army evangelist Yvonne Hayes, uses the money raised at the shop to support people in employment training and placement opportunities in Burngreave. Fresh Expressions encourages new forms of church for the modern world.

Yvonne said: "We are amazed and thrilled. When Simrin revealed her true identity to me and the amount she was going to give to us, I just couldn't speak - and that's unusual for me!"

The money that Simrin, who is descended from Indian royalty and heiress to a fortune, has donated will mean that more space can be bought allowing the project to branch out further helping more people in the community.  Yvonne added: "This money will help us develop the community and fulfil some of the dreams of our volunteers. We plan to buy an additional building with the funds where we can offer more people practical training, one-to-one support and a Christian space to reflect on life."

Contacted last year, Yvonne was told that the documentary was being filmed about a vulnerable mum-to-be moving to Sheffield who wanted to get involved in her community.

Mark Russell, Church Army chief executive, said: "Rainbow's End is making such a difference to the lives of people in Burngreave both practically, emotionally and spiritually. This amazing donation from Simrin Choudhrie came as such a surprise and Church Army is extremely grateful to her. I'm so proud of Rainbow's End and am excited to see how Yvonne will develop this project to impact the lives of even more people."