ARCHBISHOP OF YORK'S VISIT

30/07/2009

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu spent two busy days (27-28 July) visiting various projects around Durham Diocese.

These included meeting some of the staff at the Diocesan Office, visits to two local councils - Gateshead and Hartlepool, and celebrating the Eucharist and preaching in St Paul's Church, Jarrow.

Here he also signed the Book of Life (left) in support of the Wearmouth-Jarrow bid for World Heritage status.

Other visits were to the Venerable Bede CofE Secondary School in Sunderland, Hartlepool Churches Together, and several community projects - St Chad's Community Project in Bensham, West Harton Action Station in South Shields, the offices of Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS) in Middleton-in-Teesdale, and the Bede Bus which is based at Sunderland Fire Station.

On Monday 27 July, the Archbishop began with a tour of the various departments within the Diocesan Office

The photograph shows Archbishop Sentamu with Diocesan Secretary Ian Boothroyd, talking with Suzanne Caton (left) and Helen Straughan in the main office.

The Archbishop was then driven through the picturesque scenary of the Tees Valley to the office of UTASS, a support service for farmers, many of whom struggle to make a living from the land in Upper Teesdale. This visit had been co-ordinated by Revd Jane Grieve who has responsibility for 3 parishes in the Gaunless Valley area of Teesdale. Jane is also Convenor of the Diocesan Rural Task Group.

The Archbishop accompanied by Bishop Tom, who is patron of UTASS, met with volunteers and staff, including the Local Farmers' Liaison Officer for UTASS, Richard Betton (second from left), a local farmer and churchwarden of St James the Less, Forest in Frith, the most remote parish in the Dale. Diane Spark (left of picture), the project Manager who, by sheer force of character welds together the team and overseas the range of activities, gave a presentation which charted the development of UTASS since it began in the year 2000, and its progress over the years in building confidence and respect from the often isolated upland farmers. Diane also spoke about some of the challenges which UTASS will face in the future, not least securing the necessary fuding to stay open.

The visitors then travelled further up the valley for lunch at the Langdon Beck Hotel with a group of local farmers. He is pictured (left) with Landlady Sue Matthews, enjoying a pint of beer with Bishop Tom.

Over lunch (below) the farmers were able to express to the Archbishop some of their concerns, especially about the way that increasing buraucracy by Government and the European Union (amongs other things) was killing their profession and driving young people away from farming and the countryside.

Speaking to a reporter from the Northern Echo, Dr Sentamu said:
"There should be something like UTASS in every farming community, because it offers tremendous support. Also, it manages to break down the bureaucratic approach from DEFRA and communicate this to the farmers in ways they can understand, and that is vital,"

After lunch the Archbishop's party headed for Hartlepool where the first stop was a brief visit to the Civic Centre. The Hartlepool programme was co-ordinated by Canon Mike Gilbertson, Area Dean of Hartlepool and concluded with a meeting with representatives of Hartlepool Churches Together.

During the visit to the Civic Centre, the Archbishop and Bishop Tom met with local councillors and heard a presentation about the work of regeneration in the town and its vision for the future. Hartlepool Council's emphasis is very much on partnership, both regionally and locally. The Local Strategic Partnership, led by the elected Mayor, works well and partnership working generally has achieved 'improved outcomes almost without exception across national and local priorities'.

The group, which included Canon Jon Bell (BIshop Tom's chaplain - left of picture) and Dr Daphne Green (Archbishop Sentamu's chaplain - right of picture) then walked through the town centre to Stranton Church where the representatives of the various churches in Hartlepool were waiting.

The ensuing discussion focused around some of the ecumenical projects which have been happening in the town over the past few years, including a breakfast club which has been running for the past 10 years, and Hope on the Streets projects as part of Hope 08 last year. The Archbishop also heard about a drug-awareness training project being organised by Churches Together for later this year. Also present was a group of young people who had taken part in a recent 3 day (3D) mini-mission.

Pictured with the Archbishop are three of the 3D team - Matthew Gilbertson on the left, Kate Lawson and Nicholas Batty.

The 3D mission involved 15 young people from Stranton Church's B-Free Youth Group. During the three days they undertook community work in the Burbank area of Hartlepool which included painting over graffiti, making wooden planters, erecting picnic tables and picking up litter. They also helped organise a barbeque and games for the community.

The second day of the Archbishop's visit began at the Angel of the North with the Bishop of Jarrow (who took over from the Bishop of Durham) and the Archdeacon of Sunderland joining the group. The Anthony Gormley sculpture, which has put Gateshead on the map, was also a major topic of conversation during the visit to Gateshead Council offices. There the Archbishop was welcomed by the Mayor, Councillor John Eagle. He was then taken to meet the Council Leader, Mick Henry, together with Jane Robinson, Assistant chief Executive and Head of Development & Enterprise, Sheila Johnston (see photo below).

During their conversation, the Mayor admitted his initial opposition to the Angel, but told how he soon realised how invaluable it was in giving local people a feeling of pride and identity. Leader, Mick Henry and the others went on to describe how the arts generally have played a significant part in increasing a sense of well-being among the local community. Baltic Arts, The Sage and the Millennium Bridge have all played their part in this process. At the same time, the Council has been conscious of the need to reassure people that essential services were not being neglected. And for that reason there has been much emphasis on things like refuse collection, the refurbishment of existing housing, and new house-building, including affordable housing schemes as well as private developments.

The next stop was at St Chad's Community Project in Bensham, a charity which has its roots in a response to the Church of England's 'Faith in the City' report. The Project, which is chaired by Archdeacon Stuart Bain, offers childcare, family support, leisure activities and training. Among the activities the Archbishop saw was a children's hanging basket workshop (above left). The Archbishop also met members of staff, including the Director, Christine McDarmont, board members and volunteers as well as some of the parents and children.

The Archbishop was then whisked off to Jarrow where he celebrated the Eucharist and gave a short homily in St Paul's Church. St Paul's is part of the twin monastic sites of Wearmouth-Jarrow where the Venerable Bede lived and worked and now bidding for recognition as a World Heritage site. After the service, the Archbishop signed the Liber Vitalis (Book of Life) to register his support for the bid.

Among those who attended the service were many of the volunteers who act as guides for visitors to St Paul's. And the occasion was made particularly special for Carrie Waggot, (right) when Archbishop Sentamu made a presentation to her to mark her retirement as volunteer co-ordinator.

A group photograph of the St Paul's guides with the Archbishop and Jarrow clergy team.

After lunch, courtesy of Bedes World, the party moved on the West Harton in South Shields to visit the Churches Action Station. Here the Archbishop and Bishop Mark were welcomed by Canon John Miller, Rector of All Saints Church, and met volunteers and staff members including the centre manager, Dave Kippax and Carole Davison (right) who offers financial advice and practical help for people on benefit or who find themselves bankrupt or in debt.

Action Station has been operating for over 10 years and is run by a team of paid staff and volunteers from local churches. The centre is a base for courses such as the NVQ IT course which was running during the Archbishop's visit. The small cafe which the project operates is now also being used as a drop-in support centre for people affected by cancer, both those with the disease and their families and friends.

The Archbishop is pictured here outside Action Station's Community Room. This is available for groups in the local community to hire for meetings etc. John Miller is talking about some of the vital work done by Action Station in improving the quality of life in South Tyneside and giving people hope for the future.

The Venerable Bede Church of England Secondary School in Ryhope, Sunderland was next in the programme and here the Archbishop was introduced to some of the activities taking place during the school holidays. These included bread-making and food preparation, and some of the students involved were actually year 6 pupils who won't be joining the school until September. The visitors were invited to sample the food and the Archbishop was reasonably complementary about the quality of the cooking.

On his arrival (above), Lesley Jones, Extended School Co-ordinator, showed Archbishop Sentamu a banner which was created at the 'Risen' event, a Christian outreach project during the recent Sunderland Air Show.

The photograph (right) shows the Archbishop and others enjoying the food tasting.

Since it opened in 2002 the school has developed strong links with the local community and also offers what it calls 'wrap-around' activities each day (including the holidays) between 8am and 6pm.

The extended school activity centres around 'B-Free' which is housed in a separate building from the main school. Activities there also include a youth club - 'Blue Watch' - which is supported by the Local Authority and has Lottery funding. Activities include outdoor games, model making, etc and are also open to the wider community.

The Archbishop is pictured at B-Free keeping an eye on a game of pool along with some of the volunteers and Wearmouth Area Dean, Revd Dick Bradshaw.

Last stop in this very busy day's schedule was at Sunderland Fire Station to visit the Bede Bus. This is a converted coach which was acquired in 2007. Having begun as a drop-in, making contact with local people and offering hospitality, the Bede Bus now supports schools and provides a safe environment where young people can talk about their concerns.

The Bede Bus is an ecumenical venture, operated by a group which includes Simon and Kathleen Cake, Church Army officers and members of Sunderland NorthTeam Ministry. They are pictured (above) talking with the Archbishop.

There would seem to be no end to the uses the bus can be put to - supporting the emergency services in cases of major incidents, providing a rest area and base for pastoral support, a base for industrial mission at places of employment for workers to meet with a chaplain, a mobile prayer room at Sunderland Air show, to name but a few.

The bus has also helped to break down barriers between the statutory bodies and those they would normally have difficulty meeting, on housing estates with groups of young people, especially where there has been inter-faith tension, and has enabled effective work with other faith leaders.

Among those who were there to meet with the Archbishop was Squadron Leader Richard Tickell (left of group picture above), a Communications Officer with the Air Training Corps. It is from contact with the Bede Bus among young people in the local community that a new air cadet unit has been formed.

Before heading for home, the Archbishop was invited for a photo-call in one of the fire appliances and he couldn't resist setting the blue light flashing.

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