The BCT Bus Project
BCT Youth Bus Project.
St Wilfrid's has been supporting the South Warrington Youth Bus Project since its launch in October 2008, and two of our congregation (Michaela Webb and Geraint Williams) are regular volunteers on the bus. The Youth Bus is a project run through BCT (Bridgewater Churches Together), which we are a member of. The bus belongs to the Church Army, and parks weekly in an area where children gather, staffed by a mixture of Church Army staff and volunteers from local churches and Warrington Youth for Christ. Since Christmas there have been exciting developments for the project - it has even been featured in the Warrington Guardian - so this is an update for our parish.
The Youth Bus has become part of a larger youth project - the Broomfield Youth Project - which also involves the Police Community Support Officers, and is based at Broomfield Leisure Centre. The Leisure Centre is providing free all-weather football pitches, free swimming sessions and soon free dance studio time. The Police, YfC, and some churches, are organising the football and other activities. The Youth Bus provides a "chill space" for children which they can make their own, and we provide drinks, biscuits and space.
The Police CSOs have found it very useful. They claim that there has been a measurable drop in crime from providing the children with this outlet for their energy on a Friday night. More valuably, they get the opportunity to work with and talk with the local youth in a less stressed environment. Relationships are building, and the Police Inspector in charge of the CSOs is strongly supportive.
The volunteers from the churches have found it worthwhile for other reasons. Most weeks, there are quite a few worthwhile conversations in which young people have engaged with the adults and discussed the meaning of faith and of God's love for us. There are times also, when a young person has shared their difficulties with an adult - we have offered what support we can.
Through all this, the team of adults on the bus has provided a model of a united community brought together by a love of God.
If anyone thinks that assisting the project would be for them, please talk either to Geraint or Michaela. We would like a few more volunteers for the bus to allow a rota so the project can fit in with other Friday night demands. The team running the football would also welcome some help. There is also a "back room" role - we have a prayer team that stays in the warm at
We hope to include a photograph of the bus soon.
