Leatherhead Parish Church with All Saints - Youth Workers

from the January 2006 parish magazine
I am delighted to confirm that Jay Bristow has been appointed as Youthworker on behalf of the Covenanting Churches - Methodist, URC and Anglican. Jay has been acting Youthworker following Claire Gannon's departure and now takes over fully. He has already established himself with the Church young people's groups and is working closely with Andy Gill the Youth Cafe Manager. His appointment has been widely welcomed and we wish him every blessing in his work.
David Eaton

from the June 2005 parish magazine
Goodbye Claire A farewell for our Churches' Together Youth Worker, Claire Gannon, was held at BFree, the Youth Cafe, on Sunday 8th May.

Claire with Emma Vertigen, Sarah Chambers, Janine White and Ros McGregor at the farewell presentation [photo]

Claire is moving on to pastures new in Walthamstow where she will continue to work with young people. A large crowd gathered to wish her well and congratulate her on being instrumental in forming two Church Youth Groups working in local schools and the Bridge Youth Centre, and helping to establish the Youth Cafe.

She was presented with gifts from the Cafe Directors and members of the sponsoring churches: the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and the Parish of St Mary and St Nicholas with All Saints'. Our best wishes and prayers go with Claire.

The process for a new Youth Worker has begun and an appointment is hoped for starting in the autumn. Meanwhile we remember Ruth Hauxwell, Jay Bristowe and Andy Gill as they continue to keep the Cafe and Youth Work on the move.
David Eaton

A Goodbye Message
Thank you so much for all your gifts, kind words, letters and prayers in my last week. I feel that I have been sent on my way with love and I really appreciate it. When I started working for Churches Together in Leatherhead five and a half years ago I didn't know anyone and my office was empty. My remit was to work in the Churches with young people and in the community, but I had the freedom to make of that what I wanted. Thankfully, all the young people I have worked with over the last few years have been full to overflowing with ideas, enthusiasm, commitment and willingness to get involved and my job has been not only been made easier but has also been extremely rewarding and enjoyable.

My office is full of games, books and equipment and there are young people using the youth cafe and leading the church youth groups. I'm now working in Walthamstow with a charity called "Worth Unlimited" who aim to build relationships with disadvantaged young people who could benefit from some support, basic skills teaching and opportunities to become involved in local youth projects.

I will really miss everyone in Leatherhead. So many people have supported me, prayed for me, given things to the youth groups and youth cafe, given money and time, put up with me and the youth groups and cleaned up after us. I hope and pray that the care and the vision you have for young people continues long into the future and that over the next five, ten, twenty years you see many young people growing in their faith and coming closer to God.

God has a great plan for Leatherhead and I look forward to hearing all about it in the future. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8 v 31.
Claire Gannon

Youth Work Focus - Claire Gannon
November 2001
Every Thursday evening I spend three hours at The Bridge Youth Centre on Kingston Road, with 10 to 13 year olds who belong to the youth club. Run by The Surrey Youth Service on two evenings a week, the Bridge provides an open youth group, which cannot be found anywhere else in the town. The staff run activities but there is a pool table, giant Connect Four, footballs with goals, CD players and other equipment so that those not into the particular activity on offer can amuse themselves for the evening.

I have been working there since October 1999 and find it an exhausting but rewarding evening each week. Having built up relationships with the club members over two years I can see young people develop as they try out new things, meet new people and learn about themselves. Activities this term have included cookery, sports tournaments, a disco and jewellery making. From the 27th-28th October we took a group of 25 young people from The Bridge to Alton Towers for roller coasters, fireworks and a night away together. This was a great opportunity for them to build closer relationships both with other club members and with the staff tearn. There are currently two Christians on the team, including myself, but Alan Ball, a Christian youth worker from the area, has just been appointed Full Time Youth Worker at the centre. He's got quite a job, as the young people are fairly lively sometimes, so please remember him in your prayers, as well as the other paid and voluntary workers.

If you would like to know more about the youth work of Churches Together in Leatherhead, please contact me [deleted].

September 2001
Youth News
From September 1st Catherine Kelly will be joining Churches Together in Leatherhead as a volunteer youth worker for a year. She will be working with Claire Gannon, helping to run youth groups and events for 11-18s in church and at Therfield School. Cat comes from Stratford upon Avon and became a Christian last year at Soul Survivor. She decided then that she wanted to give something back to God and applied for volunteer work through the agency 'Time For God'.

We are really pleased to have her here and hope that her time here is both challenging and enjoyable. If you bump into Cat in church do say Hello, especially if you are an 11-18 year old.

October 1999
Youth Worker
It has been a long haul, but I am delighted to be able to report the appointment of Claire Gannon as a Churches' Youth Worker in Leatherhead.

She has been appointed after an advertising and interview processing process 'Churches Together in Leatherhead'. In this role she will be working on behalf of not only the Anglican Church, but also the Methodist, United Reformed and Roman Catholic Churches.

Claire will be seeking to develop one piece of youth work on behalf of all of us, rather than separate youth work in each church. Her work has the twin focus of establishing church based groups from 11+, and also work in the community for young people in general.

In this she will work in liaison with others concerned for young people in the town e.g. with the Surrey Youth Service and local schools. The District Council and YMCA are currently in partnership to produce a survey of youth needs in Mole Valley. This is an important research project which will be of concern to local churches and all those working for the needs of young people in Leatherhead.

Claire has previously trained in Film and Drama through a degree course at Reading University, run a revue for Comic Relief and a disco for Tear Fund, carried out drama and buildings projects in Bolivia and been Outreach and Education Officer for a Youth and Community Theatre.

She is a committed Christian and describes herself as "hardworking with a good sense of Leatherhead humour". She will undertake additional training within her appointment in specific youth work skills and development. Youth Work, and Church Youth Work in particular, is under-developed in Leatherhead. Claire will need the active prayers and support of us all to make a success of her appointment.

We should not expect too much too soon and we should be prepared to change to welcome young people fully in church life. This appointment has been possible because of the generosity of a number of people. Two or three years ago we raised about £12,000 through an appeal for the appointment of a Youth Worker. This money can now be put to good effect. Thank you to all those who contributed.

By working together as churches we have been able to raise the additional funding needed for a three-year appointment. This is a good example of how Christians can co-operate and be better able to take forward the ministry and mission of the church because they are willing to work together.

David Eaton