The Parish of Christ Church in Overwyresdale has been nominated for the Church Times Green Awards in the Shoestring category for the work that they have been doing with young people and the environment. 

The winners in the category will be announced next week, with a small group from the church heading to London for the awards ceremony.

The Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Revd Philip North, commented, "This is amazing work and something we can all learn from. What a great way for the church and young people to come together in striving for the care and protection of creation"

Partners in Environment Project

Partners in Environment (PIE) is a youth group with a difference. Set up five years ago at Christ Church, near Abbeystead, it brings those of secondary-school age together, not in the village hall around a games console or table football, but to volunteer outdoors on environmental projects.

They have rebuilt leaky dams, planted sedge in a lowland bog, laid hedges, pushed back invasive Himalayan balsam, built nesting boxes, planted trees, and installed mallard tubes, among other things. All of this has been in collaboration with community groups including the Canal and Rivers Trust, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, and others.

One of the youth leaders, Rob Foster, conceded that some of the young people’s enthusiasm had dwindled over time, but the “hard-core” dozen members really enjoyed getting out into nature and making a difference.

“They seem to like being able to see what they have done — something physical rather than just looking at a screen or playing a game.” Every session ends with a reading, or quiet prayer time to connect their efforts with Christian faith. PIE is also helping to improve the young people’s social skills and give them work experience.

Besides trying to tempt new young people just entering secondary school to get involved, Mr Foster said that he hoped to team up more with other churches near by to expand the scheme.

The key to PIE’s success is centring on food: almost every session with the young people ends with them cooking something over an open fire. “The kids love that: it really brings everyone together,” he said. “And having time over lunch for a bit of thought and reflection, and then a reading at the end, makes it a really good day for them.”

Church Times Article 

The winners of all seven categories will be announced at the Church Times Green Church Awards ceremony at St John’s, Waterloo, on 26 September.

To watch a livestream of the awards ceremony click here