Report to Ashbourne Deanery Synod from the
Ashbourne Churches Ecumenical Youth Project
May 2008
Since the report which Linda Rose gave in person to the last meeting of the Synod, she has continued to develop her work in various ways across the Deanery and within the Ashbourne Methodist Circuit.
After Easter a new Youth club opened in Hulland Millennium Hall, co-ordinated by Linda, with an officer from the Police Service, Jo Dales, and with the support of the Hulland group of parishes and the Methodist Circuit. Around 25 – 35 young people have so far been attending. Linda has also helped with the setting up of a new monthly Family Service for the Clifton benefice, ‘Families at Four’. She has been involved in discussions with the Rector and others about the future of youth work in the Brailsford group of parishes, but as far as I am aware no firm decisions have yet been made. She has also help to co-ordinate holiday club planning for Brailsford and some other churches. Recently she also led a trip for 20 people to Alton Towers for their Ultimate Events concert. Linda also is supporting some work in the Mappleton parish looking at young people’s needs there. She led a youth evening at Tissington Village hall for young people from that group of parishes and from Ashbourne.
Linda has also been a key part of the planning and leadership of a youth weekend for our parishes at the Diocesan Youth Centre at Edale, from 30th May – 1st of June. This mainly involved children and young people from Ashbourne, Fenny Bentley and Tissington; of the total of 17 most Anglicans but there were 3 from the Methodist church. At the time of writing Linda was also hoping to bring a small number of teenage boys from the Clifton Road estate, who would form a separate group led by her and Pav, a mature student from Nottingham whom Linda is mentoring.
Linda has done a lot of work in Ashbourne, having made good connections with Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, and having built up good relationships with the boys from the Clifton Road estate mentioned above. At QEGS she has been involved in the PSHE programme, as well as mentoring some children, and being part of a multi-agency group which discusses the needs of certain children. She has also supported the Christian Union at the school, with the help of some money channelled through the Diocesan Youth Office. She was recently involved in a consultation of young people about Ashbourne Hospital through the pupils’ school council. Having been asked to help with Ashbourne’s ‘Springboard’ event, Linda has been involved with four bands, the Clifton Road Estate football tournament, and a karate group, among other projects, and gave a puppet workshop, with Margaret Heaton and Di Lambert, and co-ordinated a drama workshop run by Tracy Dawson.
At Ashbourne Methodist Church, Linda is on several youth committees, as well as being part of the groups at different times. She has organised a Sri Lankan night at the junior youth club, and has written a comprehensive review of their ‘Basement’ youth project, as well as being involved in that club on a regular basis. There is a training and review day for Basement workers planned for June 14th . She gave a presentation of her work at the Church’s AGM.
Linda organised a training day for all children’s workers on May 17th on Child Protection and Challenging Behaviour and there are plans to set up a First Aid training Day in July.
Christopher Harrison, Chairman of Trustees
29th May 2008