Faith in action:York 140

The following pages contain activities undertaken by individual members, branches, groups of branches and dioceses in the Province of York which demonstrate Faith in Action and form part of the York 140 compilation.

Some of these activities may already be happening in your province, or in your diocese and your diocesan office would be the best place to start to see how you could get involved.

However, if this is not the case, the dioceses in the York province that are involved in the activity are given and contact details are included at the end if you want more information.

There is also a list of useful website addresses relating to some of the activities.

A Cross in a Pocket
Making A Cross in a Pocket for prison chapels and visitor centres, hospital chaplaincy teams and members of the armed forces
Many dioceses /
/ Presenting the Yorkshire Regiment with 250 crosses in their colours
York
Making a Cross in a Pocket specially for couples on their wedding day, with prayers for their married life
Manchester /
Giving a Cross in a Pocket as part of baptism ministry
Many dioceses
Making a Cross in a Pocket for students at University of Manchester, Manchester Met, and Royal Northern College of Music
Manchester /
AFIA
Providing opportunities for caravan holidays for families who wouldn’t otherwise get a break
Many dioceses /
Taking homemade cake, a gift for each child & a box of groceries for families staying in the diocesan owned caravan
Blackburn
/ Taking two coachloads to the seaside for a day of fun
Organising an away day by coach to a farm
Newcastle
Providing ‘Ouch Pouches’ for recipients of AFIA holidays, to deal with minor cuts, bruises & so on
Chester /
Offering other ways of supporting those who need a break, such as Rover tickets for a day exploring, a retreat post redundancy, grandparents' hotel break, worship event, etc
Many dioceses
Planning breaks with appropriate facilities for older people
Blackburn
Running ‘Excursions Unlimited’ – pub lunches and trips to garden centres for those who can’t get out easily
Chester
Sending birthday cards to the children who have benefitted from an AFIA holiday
Southwell & Nottingham
Baptism
/ Supporting baptism families by the gift of a card, teddy, or whatever, but especially by members’ presence at the service
Many dioceses
Post baptism, producing cards to give at anniversaries

Carlisle
Giving a bag containing symbols for ideas to encourage parents to pray with their children as a baptism gift
Liverpool /
Care Homes
Visiting local care home for companionship, befriending and reading
Durham
Sharing worship with residents of care homes - a new but expanding initiative
Carlisle, Chester
Dementia
Sewing 'fiddle pinnies' and knitting ‘twiddle muffs’ for hospitals, homes and individuals
Many dioceses
/ Making tool and gardening belts with pockets containing a toy tool or gardening implement, predominantly aimed at male dementia patients
Leeds
Domestic Abuse
Giving Christmas gifts and Easter eggs to children and their mothers in refuges
Newcastle, Southwell & Nottingham
Providing gardening materials for families at a domestic abuse centre
Manchester
/ Filling Christmas boxes for a Refuge Service
Newcastle
Raising awareness of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence (25 November – 10 December) with prayer trees, displays, etc
Newcastle and other dioceses /
Food Banks
Contributing to foodbanks, which so many families have to use
Many dioceses
/ Providing baby packs for families visiting food banks
Durham
Developing recipe books for adults with little cooking experience – and for those using provisions from food banks
Newcastle
Fun Days and County Shows
/ Organising fun days for families and providing a great opportunity to share our vision, transform lives & enjoy all at once!
Many dioceses
Providing baby changing and feeding facilities at County Shows and similar events
Chester, Leeds, Manchester, Sodor & Man, Southwell & Nottingham /
Homelessness
Collecting toiletries for men staying in hostels
Leeds, Manchester & others
/ Providing beds for the Winter Night Shelters organised by city churches
Manchester
Collecting various items to ease the plight of rough sleepers
Manchester
Filling Christmas boxes for the homeless
Newcastle
Providing sleeping bags for rough sleepers
Newcastle /
Supporting homeless men as they integrate into the community
Manchester
Giving gifts of toiletries, hats & scarves and chocolates to those in hostels at Christmas
Manchester
Hospitals
Providing supplies of tea, coffee and sugar for parents staying with children at a number of hospitals in the area
Durham
/ Putting together emergency admission toiletry bags for those rushed into hospital
Many dioceses /
/ Providing toiletry bags specifically for children admitted in emergency
Many dioceses
Making beautiful angel pockets for stillborn babies
Many dioceses /
Giving mums in neonatal units a pack containing a blanket, a shawl, two hats and two jackets at Christmas
Blackburn
Making padded baby nests help babies feel secure in incubators
Manchester
Making gowns for babies who sadly don’t live long in this world
Liverpool and others /
Making tiny soft tunics to cover all the tubes to which very premature babies are attached
Newcastle
Knitting
Knitting simple squares for special care baby units to encourage bonding when mother and baby are apart
Liverpool
Getting involved the ministry of making and giving prayer shawls
Chester, Liverpool, Southwell & Nottingham
/ Making knitted breasts to help midwives teach new mumsto breastfeed
Many dioceses
Providing hats and fingerless gloves for local fishermen on the shrimp boats…
Newcastle
… and hats, scarves & gloves for men sailing out of port
Liverpool
Knitting a comfort or trauma teddy for children who are hurt or sad
Many dioceses /
/ Making tiny bonnets for premature babies to differing specifications: some have holes for tubes or flaps for taking temperatures
Many dioceses
Filling a large suitcase with knitted toys so poorly paid sailors can send presents to their children for Christmas
Durham
Knitting garments for premature babies
Many dioceses
Knitting blankets for special care baby units – some hospitals like blankets to wrap babies in, others prefer smaller blankets to cover babies
Many dioceses
Knitting small beanie hats for hospitals where efficient air conditioning means even healthy babies need hats
Manchester
Knitting teddies for each child starting school from a pre-school church group
York
Partnerships
Creating and sustaining Messy Church groups in many parishes and dioceses
Many dioceses
Running and/or supporting Child Contact Centres - a safe warm friendly environment for children and non-resident parents.
Many dioceses
Working with Friends of Chernobyl Children providing hospitality to families still suffering the after-effects of the 1986 nuclear disaster
Sodor & Man
/ Working with local churches on stands at Wedding Fairs
Many dioceses
Working with Scripture Union to provide meals for weekend residential courses
Sodor & Man
In collaboration with other agencies, giving out 64 books in five project areas on World Book Night
Manchester
Helping with children's activities at the Cathedral
Carlisle, Liverpool
Being part of diocesan and community task forces, panels, focus groups, etc to promote family life
Many dioceses
Working with the Bible Society on the ‘Open the Book’ project
Carlisle and others
Providing children's books for the church house library
Durham
Working together with clergy to find new inspiration for ways to serve and support local communities
Many dioceses
Prayer
Praying for and sending cards to those preparing for ordination
Manchester
Holding quiet days/evenings and retreats to refresh our faith and our commitment to making a difference through Mothers' Union
Many dioceses
Leading Thought for the Day on local radio in the week of wave of prayer - promoting Mothers' Union to a wider audience
Sodor & Man
/ Belonging to prayer chains or actively being part of Mothers' Union commitment to prayer in other ways
Many dioceses
Making ‘Joy Boxes’ with seven small gifts and prayers. One box is opened each day and the recipient knows that caring people are praying for them
Leading prayers regularly in cathedrals and churches across the Province of York
Many dioceses /
Prisons
Running a crèche for children visiting their parents in prison
Durham, Sheffield, Sodor & Man
Helping to staff safe play areas at local prisons.
In HMP Hull, working jointly with the Pre-School Learning Alliance
Carlisle, Durham, Leeds, Manchester, York /
/ Giving knitted teddies for visiting children to take home Carlisle
Giving small quilts and knitted forget-me-knot elephants to children
Leeds
Making teddies for a prison crèche and donating toys for a local prison
Durham
Making cards and doing crafts with female prisoners
Sodor & Man
Being involved in family days in local prisons
Leeds, Sodor & Man, York
Helping with activities such as gym days and cooking days, run by a Healthy Living Project
Leeds
Making links with prisoners families to support effective rehabilitation
Leeds
Providing Christmas cards at many local prisons
Carlisle, Chester, Leeds, Sodor & Man
Providing selection boxes for prisoners to give to their children
Manchester
Giving a baby bag gift for the family to prisoners who become fathers
Leeds
For those who give birth in prison:
Giving each new baby a toy and mum a bag of toiletries and providing baby clothes
Leeds
Giving baby boxes
Chester
Providing baby necessities
Durham
Collaborating on "Time for Families" relationship courses with prisoners and their partners - relationships matter!
Manchester
Providing administration and refreshments in Visitor Centres at local prisons
Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle
Helping prisoners with letter writing
Durham
Providing books for prisoners at a local prison
Liverpool
Working with the chaplaincy team
Chester
Helping with bible study and discussion groups
Durham
Arranging chapel flowers and attending special services
Leeds
Supporting Prison Fellowship through prayer
Newcastle
Running Mum pamper sessions and baby massage for visitors
Leeds
Visiting long term prisoners who often do not receive many visitors
Many dioceses
Offering a special ministry to those bringing grandchildren to visit
Durham
Giving a refreshment pack to ladies being released from prison
Durham /
/ Giving accessories to those leaving prison in cooler weather
Durham
Students
Providing free soup (often homemade) to university students in the Chaplaincy
Manchester /
/ Welcoming students to towns and cities by serving food at Freshers Week
Leeds, Manchester
Giving a cook book and a jar of pasta with a welcome to students at a Freshers Fair
Carlisle
Giving new students ‘Grub on no Grant’ in partnership with the Students Union
Leeds /
/ Welcoming students with a smile and a goody bag (tea, coffee, chocolate, biscuits, etc)
Manchester
Supporting families
/ Producing a recipe book to give to parents on low incomes
Blackburn
Providing craft resources (and sometimes member involvement) for church and/or community groups in UPA parishes
Manchester
Offering low price lunches and a safe play area for parents collecting children from nursery through Café Connect
Liverpool
Providing bibles for children in a deprived area
Manchester
Arranging a trip to a pantomime for children in a deprived area of the diocese
Manchester
Showing love by giving toiletries and clothes to teenage mums and their babies
Leeds
Working with clergy to support families and communities through the Just up your Street initiative
Manchester /
Giving a special cake on their birthday to children in families with no money to spare for luxuries.
Liverpool
/ Selling good quality children's clothes in the communities around the city of Salford
Manchester
Collecting toys for parents in deprived areas to purchase for children at Christmas
Manchester
Getting involved in Credit Unions
Durham
Running Breakfast Clubs and After School Clubs
Carlisle, Durham
Getting involved in activity lunch clubs over the summer to help those receiving free school meals during term time.
Many dioceses
Running a school uniform and shoe project in poorer areas of the diocese at the start of the school year
Durham
Welcoming local families to a ‘Pimms and Parlour Games’ afternoon
Newcastle
Sharing numeracy and financial advice with those in need
Durham
Supporting Refugees
Providing lunch for refugee women & children: opportunities to play and give mums a break, as they chat and try out crafts
Leeds
Exercising a ministry of welcome and praying for all who have had to leave their homes
Many dioceses
/ Giving a Babygro & cardigan set to babies of refugees, asylum seekers and others in need
Many dioceses
Virtual Babies
Providing ‘Virtual Babies’ for use in schools and community projects
Many dioceses /
/ Special babies demonstrating the effects of alcohol or drugs in pregnancy and of shaken baby syndrome
Manchester
Offering “an informed choice and a reality check” to students at a Freshers Fair by introducing them to some very special babies
Chester /
Weddings
Giving wedding spoons from Mothers’ Union to those being married in the parish church
Durham
Making wedding guests welcome in church by serving drinks while they wait around for photos
Many dioceses
Giving a card and offering prayers to those being married in the local church
Many dioceses
Taking photographs of a couple’s wedding flowers to use for a personalised first wedding anniversary card
Chester
Working with schools
Going into schools to read with children
Chester, Durham
/ Knitting Posada nativity sets for schools
Manchester
Encouraging secondary school pupils to find out about Mothers’ Union and make a presentation – to win the Moira Garrett trophy
Chester /
…. and all sorts of other ideas
Offering emergency transport where possible to those in the local area
Durham
Preparing shoeboxes packed with goodies, love and prayers for service personnel posted overseas
Liverpool
Giving a welcome card, containing a teabag or packet of seeds to new neighbours
Manchester /
Taking an active role in setting up and running Toddler Groups
Many dioceses
Supporting young people setting up home by collecting household items
Chester, Liverpool
/ Serving excellent refreshments to those enjoying the TT races. (Photo from curry night)
Sodor & Man
Running Mosquito Drives (think Beetle with a twist) to raise money for nets in a link diocese
Chester, Newcastle
/ Sharing skills with others
Chester
Arranging regular Afternoon Teas, Coffee & Chat Drop Ins and Lunch Clubs to bring members of the community together
Carlisle, Manchester and others
Providing a hot meal at a church near Anfield football ground for travelling fans, the homeless and the needy
Liverpool
Collecting books and DVDs for international sailors in port (& not allowed to disembark)
Liverpool
Collecting bras for African women – to give the impression of wealth and status and so protecting them from attack and rape Blackburn /

For further information:

Blackburn:

Carlisle:

Chester:

Durham:

Leeds:

Liverpool:

Newcastle:

Sheffield:

Sodor & Man: or

Southwell & Nottingham:

York:

Related websites

Baptism anniversary cards from Mothers’ Union in the diocese of Carlisle:

Credit Unions:

16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence:

Open the Book