Dales churches celebrate as £65,000 target Youthworker target met

The churches of Mashamshire and Middleham are celebrating having reached their fundraising target to recruit a Youth and Children’s Worker for three years to cover the Lower Wensleydale area.

Vicar of Masham and Healey, the Revd. David Cleeves said, “We’re very proud that despite the credit crunch, we’re able to buck the trend and actually recruit to offer some one a job. By working together, we’ve managed to raise enough funds to employ a Youth and Children’s Worker who 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”.

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  reached last month. In addition to contributions from the churches,  donations have also come from the public with  strong local support for the project.

The new post will cover the areas of Coverdale, Middleham, Masham, Healey, East Witton and Thornton Steward.  It is planned that the 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, unless they need more urgent help.

Behind the project are tThe Anglican Parishes of Masham and Healey and the Masham Methodist Church which have joined 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 adminster and manage this projec, The Lower Wensleydale Youth Project.