The Silver Ring Thing is a faith organisation aimed at promoting sexual abstinence with a view to cutting rates of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases

It was set up by pastor Denny Pattyn while working at a Christian youth ministry in Yuma, Arizona, in 1996

Teenagers attend rallies with booming rock music - including the group's own rap, "Oh no, don't give it away..." - and are exhorted to stay pure

Recruits pay $12 for a Bible and a silver ring, which they wear to remind them of their pledge not to have sex before marriage. They are told that if they are going to break their vow they should take the ring off and flush it down the loo, rather than dishonour their fellow converts

The Silver Ring Thing launched in Britain in 2003 with rallies in major UK cities. Here, a Silver Ring Thing pack costs £20 and includes a ring, a Bible, an Abstinence Bible which includes New Testament scriptures, and stories of those who have taken part in A Silver Ring Thing, a 60 day journal and leaflets on staying pure

Kings Church, Horsham - where Lydia Playfoot's father Phil is the pastor - is the base of the Silver Ring Thing UK. Lydia's mother Heather is the company secretary of its business arm, and Phil Playfoot is the Parents Programme Director

Silver Ring Thing UK runs a four week programme for teenagers and parents, called SRT434, a reference to 1 Thessalonians 4, 3-4. The verses read: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from immorality; that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honour."

The SIlver RIng Thing preaches against handing out condoms or instructing teenagers in safe sex, saying that neither addresses "the emotional and spiritual problems resulting from sexual activity among teens"

The US and the UK have the highest rates of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases in the world

There are numerous teen abstinence movements in the US, where Christian groups agonise over the high rate of teenage pregnancies. The Bush administration gave $167 million to abstinence groups in 2005 alone. Other well known groups include True Love Waits

Medical research is divided over the merits of preaching abstinence. A study by Columbia University showed that belonging to an abstinence group delayed the start of sexual activity, but that when the teenage convert eventually did have sex they were one third less likely to use a condom, and were thus at higher risk of pregnancy or contracting STDs

Further research published in the British Medical Journal showed that the partners of boys in an abstinence programme were more likely to get pregnant

Both Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne were at one time high profile advocates of abstaining from sex before marriage. Lavigne's song "Don't Tell Me" has become an abstinence anthem, although the musician says she did not see it that way.

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