Churches defy credit crunch to edge closer to fundraising target

Over the last eight months, the churches of Mashamshire and Middleham have been fundraising in order to employ a Youth and Children’s Worker for three years to cover the Lower Wensleydale area. They set a target to raise £65,000 by August this year but have already reached £63,000. In addition to contributions from the churches, generous donations have been received from local people and organisers say it shows that the project has strong local support.

The Revd. Brendan Giblin, Rector of Middleham with Coverdale, East Witton and Thornton Steward said, “we’re tantalisingly close to the target we had set even though it is still only May and we hoped we would reach the target by August. If we can raise just another £2000 we can then start to advertise to find a suitable Youth and Children’s Worker. We're amazed at the support we've had, particularly during these difficult times. It’s a clear sign to us that many people recognise the importance of giving young people the best start in life we can”.

It is planned that a Youth and Children’s Worker will be engaged to work with local volunteers to build community youth groups and organise outdoor activities as well as working with schools and other youth organisations to enhance the guidance, support and activities available. An important aspect of the work will be building links with “detached” young people – those who don't belong to any other youth organisation and who might otherwise be forgotten, until they need more urgent help.

The Anglican Parishes of Masham and Healey and the Masham Methodist Church have joined together with the Anglican parishes of Middleham with Coverdale and East Witton and Thornton Steward and the Wensleydale Methodist Circuit (Middleham area and Coverdale) to form a new charity to administer and manage this project, the "Lower Wensleydale Youth Project".