Church youth project takes off

The Hadleigh Porch project was born in September 2009 out of a dream to open the church doors to teenagers who gathered in the church porch. The aims were to provide a safe space to meet and to offer hospitality. Initially around 15 young people, mostly boys, came on Friday evenings, but this has now doubled, and 80-90 are coming on some nights.

 

Over the winter the church has been open every weekday from 4pm to 8pm for young people to meet after school or college. They use the hospitality area to chat, eat and play table games, and play on the new three-quarter size snooker/pool table.

 

Free food and drink is provided, some donated by members of the congregation and some bought. During the cold weather, bacon, sausages, burgers and pizzas have been served. The young people help by carrying the food from the supermarket, and a number are keen to volunteer for "chef for the night". They have also written their own "house rules.

 

Over 20 people regularly pray for the project, especially on Friday evenings, and a rota of 25 volunteer adults help on Friday evenings. A team of four is always on duty. The team are currently in contact with around 40 young people from Hadleigh High School and a further 30 who are at college, university, sixth form, or just beginning their first job.

 

Many people from the church give regularly to the project and the project also receives gifts from generous people from the community. Financial help has already been given by Hadleigh Town Council, Babergh District Council and Extended Schools.

 

A management group of five adult helpers and five young people meet regularly weeks to discuss future plans and any problems arising. Suffolk County Council detached youth workers also support the project by providing counselling.

 

The new Project Youth Worker, Craig Hutton, said “We had the chance recently to go into BBC Suffolk and talk about the project. They called it ‘a youth work project gone ballistic’ - and really that is the only way to describe it. It is so amazing to see what God is doing.

 

We have gone from 20-30 young people to 80-90 some weeks. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger - and all these young people are asking so many questions! Last Sunday we arranged a night when they could come and ask any questions they wanted. We were afraid no-one would turn up, but actually 22 filled the Deanery Tower.

 

I just don’t know what is happening! All we do is show up and stay out of God’s way to let Him get on with it. The Bishop is coming in March to see what is happening, which should be an awesome evening.

 

Please get in touch if you want to know anything more.”