Richard and Ken Get OUT More at Necklace Project Fun Day in Shilton Park
Despite weather conditions which prevented the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team from jumping, and competition from the final Ashes series test match, around 300 local residents attended the second
Necklace Project fun day at St John’s School , Shilton Park , Carterton yesterday.
Opening the fun day, Carterton’s Deputy Mayor, Phil Scott , praised the project’s strong commitment to the local community at Shilton Park as a demonstration of what practical faith in action can achieve. All monies raised from the day were given to help fund the project’s buggy club and Sunday family hour event which have proved to be very successful and popular with residents - adults and children alike.
Events and activities at the fun day included archery and fencing (organised by Christian Charity Adventure Plus), a bouncy castle, skittles, splat-the-rat, face-painting, a treasure hunt and puppets, as well as special guest Church Army’s Ken Gaskell.
who helped bring bible stories to life with drama, interactive puppets and balloon modelling, assisted by the newly appointed Parish Evangelist for the area, Richard Waller. The success of the day came as great relief to Richard who commented;“ We needed to pray even harder for the day when we realised that the weather meant the Falcons were unable to jump and we had such an exciting test match on our hands to keep people glued to their TV or radio. We also had a phone call this morning that our human table top football crew had double booked and gone to Harrogate - such as easy mistake to make!. It is great to see so many local people turning out to support the project- it just shows that progress has been made here in the last year or so by Roy Turner and his team.”
Local residents David and Alli Wilford added; “We have lived here for just over two years and what this project has done to bring the community together, particularly those with young children, has been fantastic. It has helped us settle here, make new friends and encouraged us to get involved practically in the buggy-club and the Sunday hour even though we have not been regular church goers in the past.” A strong focus on commitment and care for adults and children alike was echoed by many other residents as characteristic of the work of the Necklace Project team at Shilton Park .
Team Rector the Revd Roger Billings was also on hand to support the fun day: “I am delighted that this exciting new enterprise has captured the spirit of community here at Shilton Park . We have had fantastic backing from the Bishop, Colin Fletcher, in setting up this project and we are beginning to see just how attractive this fresh expression of church is to local people.”
Church Army's Richard Waller who last month began his role as Parish Evangelist in St Britius, Brize Norton and Carterton is working closely with team vicar Revd. Roy Turner and the Necklace team and Roy is delighted: "It is great to have a Church Army evangelist such as Richard working with us here at the project and helping out so enthusiastically with the organisation of the fun day. I know that the theme for Church Army Sunday this year is and this sums up our approach here in working with the local community."
The Necklace Project is at the heart of showing Christ’s love to the community in innovative and practical ways. Evangelist Richard adds: “The project aims to be a key to life and caring for everyone on this estate and that is a vision that really excites me. Janette and I hope that this will be the beginning of a long and fruitful ministry for Christ here in Carterton. You will be surprised at how much people are exploring their spirituality these days and my ministry will help them to focus on some of the answers they are seeking to the big questions of life.”
The Necklace Project also runs the Necklace Family Hour on the 1st and 3rd Sundays each month, a buggy club every Friday and drop-in sessions, all in term time. Find out more at www.brizenorton.org.uk/necklace
