Sunday Youth Group

The Sunday Youth Group is a group for young people in the village. We usually meet at St George's on Sunday evenings, roughly once a month, the aims are simply to have fun and to look at issues facing us all. Calendar of events.

We raise money for charities, recently for African schools, and we have had some interesting speakers,  for example from Amnesty International. We go bowling, have picnics and walks, and sometimes just chat and gossip. Anyone is more than welcome to visit or join us. The age is currently year 6 to year 10.

Sunrise service on Earls Hill

Each Easter for the last 4 years we have had a sleepover in St George's on the night before Easter. This has always been great fun, with crafts and drama workshops, as well as some spiritual inspiration and after little sleep, we walk to the top of Earls Hill for a sunrise service on Easter day.

Sale for Africa

Thank you to everybody who helped in sale for Africa on May 12th we had a great time despite some dodgy weather we did avoid the heavy down falls that arrived in the afternoon. The feed back was very positive and being out on the School green made a big difference. We have raised £390 to be split between the Pontesbury/ Muheza link in Tanzania and the Children in Sebakwe the money is well earned and much needed.-

PS thank you  so much for you help if you were at the Sale for Africa which we all enjoyed and we made £380 to be split between Muheza and Sebakwe.

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The Black Rhino Project - Sebakwee

This project was initially set up to try to help the plight of the black rhino in Zimbabwe which were and are in a precarious position, these beautiful creatures are shot for their horn which is sent to China .

Where there were thousands, there are now only a few hundred left across the country, and with the worsening state of the country's economy, they are at increasing risk of extinction. The trust has worked with farmers to set up a large conservation area where the rhino receive protection by armed guards but even then and even after being dehorned they are still at risk of being slaughtered.

Alongside this however, and as I see it more importantly, the charity has taken on a role in trying to help the local community, and in particular, the local schools. There are 6 schools in the area looking after 800 primary school children. Life is not easy for them. The children are hungry and many are AIDS orphans, being cared for by relatives. Many have AIDS themselves and basic supplies are hard to come by, and in a country where the inflation rate is over 2000%, nothing is affordable.

The schools are very basic, the one in the picture should have 210 pupils attending, the school has room for about 50, so most classes take place outside. There are hardly any pencils, only one or two books and when it rains the children get wet.

The school is waiting to move but the farmer who promised to put a roof on the new school has been evicted and the new building lies in wait of a roof.

I was lucky enough to visit the school recently and was struck by a feeling of hope amongst the despair. The children are wonderful and I have never seen 10 year olds so keen to learn.

As well as looking after the rhino, the project is now committing itself to helping the children by trying to improve the school buildings, providing books and learning material, and supporting the teachers.

They have recently built a wonderful education centre in the area where children stay for a few nights and learn about the environment, sustainable farming and health matters. They are looking at setting up work with the local women to try to empower them in such difficult times.

This is a tiny project but I have seen how it can change lives. Any money saved, will go directly to the children's project, and the charity relies on its local contacts with 97% of the money being spent on direct care. There is virtually no admin. charges etc.

In Zimbabwe £1 can buy 10 children a nutritious lunch drink provided by the trust, so every pound makes a huge difference.

The church has been saving money over the past two years for African schools. This year, we decided to give £600 to the schools in Sebakwe, and this is being used to put a roof on one of the schools and will make a huge difference.

If you are thinking about giving money to a charity, I would highly recommend this one, as all the money goes to direct care and is used to make real change.

To find out more about the trust contact me, Alastair Neale, or Paul Holmes, or go to their website :- www.blackrhino.org/

The leaders of 'The Sunday Club' are Alastair Neale, Mary Worrall, Ken Lumley, Alison Holmes, and David Hewlett.

Come and join us, contact us here, scroll the list, click on Sunday Youth Group, and send us an email.