Young people’s projects
recognised
in community awards
Two church-based projects benefiting young
people have been recognised in the tenth community project awards
co-sponsored by the church insurance company Congregational & General
and Reform magazine.
The projects are the Tonge Children’s Centre
in Bolton and The Mill which engages with young people in Bramhall,
Stockport.
Tonge Moor URC celebrated its 115th
anniversary by becoming Church at the Centre in May 2006, receiving
accreditation as a Church-in-Community. In February 2007 Pat Oliver was
commissioned as a church related community worker in. As well as being a
place of worship for the church, the centre provides healthcare clinics,
a drop-in centre/community café, parent and child activities, and a
nursery, Pat being one of the centre’s team of professionals. The centre
is open seven days a week, with weekend activities run by church
members, also involving partners and other denominations wherever
possible.
Pat said: “It’s about thinking, what’s the
loving thing to do, to help older people understand young people and
vice versa. And it’s about helping people to build up some sort of inner
resource.”
The Mill uses specially adapted premises to
provide a range of faith-based activities for young people – on
Saturdays, after school, and on residential weekends. The Mill also
supports the local high school “inclusion programme” where children at
risk of being excluded are sent to the centre and taught new life
skills.
A spokesperson from The Mill said: “If we can
get one child off the street, that’s a success for us. Having a place
like this, it’s a sense of belonging.”
Presenting each project with a cheque for
£3000 URC general secretary Roberta Rominger said: “They have shown, and
continue to show, imagination, innovation and all that is good about
church commitment to community.”
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