News

NEWS

Major award for Church Army youth project

The Borders-based In2Venture Grafted project managed by Church Army’s Paul Little has won the "Empowering Communities Achievement Award”.

The award was presented by Lena Hutton of Empowering communities at a youth leaders' conference at Galashiels and recognises the work of the project in training youth leaders in outdoor skills.

Project Manager, Paul Little of Church Army, commented; “It is fantastic that the work of the In2venture Grafted project has been recognised through this award. Over the past few months we have been busier than ever, leading sessions for youth-based groups in the Borders area and running activities for young people from Grants House, Peebles and Burnfoot Community School. I am booked for two mission weekends to take the trailer away to Thirsk and Rugby at the request of Church Army and Crusaders.”

The Scottish Borders Social Inclusion Partnership has just awarded funding for ‘Graft2’. This project will begin in Autumn 2004 and run for about one year until summer 2005. The aim of the project is to train 10 young people selected from Borders youth projects and church youth work in activity skills.

The Grafted mobile activity trailer can be booked to assist in mission and outreach. It comes complete with go-karts, climbing, archery, problem solving, woodland survival skills, fencing and water sports (if water available). Instructors, safety equipment and insurance are all part of the package. Instructor/Evangelist led camps and residentials with just about any activity can also be booked for weekends or full weeks, youth or adults or both.

For more information visit www.grafted.co.uk or call Paul Little on 013873 75672.

PHOTO CAPTION: The Grafted activity trailer includes go-karts

Christian charity leader on his bike to raise funds for drug education

Hope UK Director George Ruston is cycling the scenic route from London to Edinburgh to celebrate the charity's 150th anniversary, his 20th year as director - and to raise thousands for drug education.

Visiting each of the UK's four capitals will symbolise the breadth of the charity's mission and the inclusion of Dublin will recognise the home of one of Hope UK's principal founders, a Presbyterian lady called Anne Jane Carlile.

He aims to raise £15,000 for drug education for parents, children and young people throughout the UK.

Visiting Care for the Family en route in Cardiff gives George the chance to mark the first year of their How to Drug-Proof Your Kids programme for parents, which Hope UK helped adapt for use in this country.

Based on an Australian idea, DPYK has already trained over 400 presenters of the programme throughout the UK. The combination of Hope UK's drug expertise and Care for the Family's work with families has meant that parents will now be better equipped to educate their children about drugs issues.

George Ruston said: "The UK Government's recent alcohol strategy document suggests that up to 1.3 million children will suffer because of their parent's drinking. This - and all the problems related to drugs - must mean that working with parents to prevent harm occurring must be the way to go. How to Drug Proof Your Kids is a great way to do this."

Hope UK is the only national charity with an accredited Voluntary drug Educator Training Scheme. If anyone is interested in volunteering or finding out more about their work, they should visit www.hopeuk.org or write to George at FREEPOST HOPE UK (no stamp required).

Further details about How to Drug-Proof Your Kids are available from Care for the Family, by contacting: Care for the Family, PO Box 488, Cardiff, CF15 7YY or by calling (029) 2081 0800. Alternatively visit www.care-for-the-family.org.uk

PHOTO CAPTION:
Jonathan Booth, Director of Care for the Family and George Ruston, Director of Hope UK at Care for the Family's National Family Centre, Taff's Well, Cardiff. (Photo: Dave Butler)

Parents go hungry to feed their families, says survey

Half of all parents (46 per cent) on a low income have gone short of food over the last year to feed someone else in their family, reveals a survey by leading children's charity NCH.

Some parents are so desperate for money to feed their children that they have considered doing something illegal, according to new report Going Hungry. The report, carried out by the Food Commission for NCH, was launched just before the end of a government consultation on diet, which NCH says, pays far too little attention to the impact of poverty on children's diets.

The snapshot of low-income families across the UK, reveals that lack of money sometimes makes it impossible for parents to feed their children healthily. One in five (20 per cent) parents say they simply do not have enough money for food.

NCH says the government consultation Choosing Health? Choosing a Better Diet - set to finish on June 30 and helping to shape a forthcoming White Paper - must look much more seriously at how to make healthy food more affordable for families on low incomes. Going Hungry reveals it is almost impossible for these parents to afford to feed their children with nutritious food.

Findings show it costs about 15 per cent more to eat healthily compared to eating unhealthily. Over the last 15 years the average cost of a healthy shopping basket has increased by half - compared to only a 33 per cent increase for an unhealthy basket.

The report adds that the diets of significant numbers of children and parents are nutritionally poor. For example, more than a quarter (28 per cent) of children and a quarter (25 per cent) of parents never eat green vegetables or salad.

Caroline Abrahams, NCH's Director of Public Policy, says: "It is right to be concerned about rising levels of childhood obesity - but NCH's new report shows that it's unfair to place all the blame on parents and children. The comparatively high cost of healthy food and sophisticated marketing used to encourage children to eat junk food are also significant factors. The government must make healthy food affordable to low-income families."

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		NEWS Major award for Church Army youth project The Borders-based In2Venture Grafted project managed by Church Army’s Paul Little has won the "Empowering Communities Achievement Award”. The award was presented by Lena Hutton of Empowering communities at a youth leaders' conference at Galashiels and recognises the work of the project in training youth leaders in outdoor skills. Project Manager, Paul Little of Church Army, commented; “It is fantastic that the work of the In2venture Grafted project has been recognised through this award. Over the past few months we have been busier than ever, leading sessions for youth-based groups in the Borders area and running activities for young people from Grants House, Peebles and Burnfoot Community School. I am booked for two mission weekends to take the trailer away to Thirsk and Rugby at the request of Church Army and Crusaders.” The Scottish Borders Social Inclusion Partnership has just awarded funding for ‘Graft2’. This project will begin in Autumn 2004 and run for about one year until summer 2005. The aim of the project is to train 10 young people selected from Borders youth projects and church youth work in activity skills. The Grafted mobile activity trailer can be booked to assist in mission and outreach. It comes complete with go-karts, climbing, archery, problem solving, woodland survival skills, fencing and water sports (if water available). Instructors, safety equipment and insurance are all part of the package. Instructor/Evangelist led camps and residentials with just about any activity can also be booked for weekends or full weeks, youth or adults or both. For more information visit www.grafted.co.uk or call Paul Little on 013873 75672. PHOTO CAPTION: The Grafted activity trailer includes go-karts Christian charity leader on his bike to raise funds for drug education Hope UK Director George Ruston is cycling the scenic route from London to Edinburgh to celebrate the charity's 150th anniversary, his 20th year as director - and to raise thousands for drug education. Visiting each of the UK's four capitals will symbolise the breadth of the charity's mission and the inclusion of Dublin will recognise the home of one of Hope UK's principal founders, a Presbyterian lady called Anne Jane Carlile. He aims to raise £15,000 for drug education for parents, children and young people throughout the UK. Visiting Care for the Family en route in Cardiff gives George the chance to mark the first year of their How to Drug-Proof Your Kids programme for parents, which Hope UK helped adapt for use in this country. Based on an Australian idea, DPYK has already trained over 400 presenters of the programme throughout the UK. The combination of Hope UK's drug expertise and Care for the Family's work with families has meant that parents will now be better equipped to educate their children about drugs issues. George Ruston said: "The UK Government's recent alcohol strategy document suggests that up to 1.3 million children will suffer because of their parent's drinking. This - and all the problems related to drugs - must mean that working with parents to prevent harm occurring must be the way to go. How to Drug Proof Your Kids is a great way to do this." Hope UK is the only national charity with an accredited Voluntary drug Educator Training Scheme. If anyone is interested in volunteering or finding out more about their work, they should visit www.hopeuk.org or write to George at FREEPOST HOPE UK (no stamp required). Further details about How to Drug-Proof Your Kids are available from Care for the Family, by contacting: Care for the Family, PO Box 488, Cardiff, CF15 7YY or by calling (029) 2081 0800. Alternatively visit www.care-for-the-family.org.uk PHOTO CAPTION: Jonathan Booth, Director of Care for the Family and George Ruston, Director of Hope UK at Care for the Family's National Family Centre, Taff's Well, Cardiff. (Photo: Dave Butler) Parents go hungry to feed their families, says survey Half of all parents (46 per cent) on a low income have gone short of food over the last year to feed someone else in their family, reveals a survey by leading children's charity NCH. Some parents are so desperate for money to feed their children that they have considered doing something illegal, according to new report Going Hungry. The report, carried out by the Food Commission for NCH, was launched just before the end of a government consultation on diet, which NCH says, pays far too little attention to the impact of poverty on children's diets. The snapshot of low-income families across the UK, reveals that lack of money sometimes makes it impossible for parents to feed their children healthily. One in five (20 per cent) parents say they simply do not have enough money for food. NCH says the government consultation Choosing Health? Choosing a Better Diet - set to finish on June 30 and helping to shape a forthcoming White Paper - must look much more seriously at how to make healthy food more affordable for families on low incomes. Going Hungry reveals it is almost impossible for these parents to afford to feed their children with nutritious food. Findings show it costs about 15 per cent more to eat healthily compared to eating unhealthily. Over the last 15 years the average cost of a healthy shopping basket has increased by half - compared to only a 33 per cent increase for an unhealthy basket. The report adds that the diets of significant numbers of children and parents are nutritionally poor. For example, more than a quarter (28 per cent) of children and a quarter (25 per cent) of parents never eat green vegetables or salad. Caroline Abrahams, NCH's Director of Public Policy, says: "It is right to be concerned about rising levels of childhood obesity - but NCH's new report shows that it's unfair to place all the blame on parents and children. The comparatively high cost of healthy food and sophisticated marketing used to encourage children to eat junk food are also significant factors. The government must make healthy food affordable to low-income families." © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.