Barnstaple Parish Church

 

Not Just a Place of Worship....

 

 

 

A Fair Trade Town......

This report from the North Devon Journal dated January 5th 2006:-

 

 

Trading up: playing fair in commerce

 

BARNSTAPLE is a fair trade town - and that's official. 

It has met all the criteria. to achieve the status and joins 140 other places in the UK which have met the grade. 

But to Barnstaple's credit it has done much more.

Nia Pearson, who has co-ordinated the effort, said: "I did not put the bid in until we had three times the minimum required. 

''And when they wrote back to me they were very impressed with the amount we had done in a very short time."

Most towns take anything between two to three years to meet the criteria. Barnstaple managed to do it, and more, in just six months. 

Mrs. Pearson was "quite surprised and very encouraged" to discover how much people were already doing in their efforts to provide fairly traded goods. 

All it needed was someone to bring it all together.  She gained town council approval for the bid and brought community organisations, catering outlets and retail businesses on board. 

The certificate, declaring Barnstaple as a Fair Trade Town, will be officially presented to the mayor Arthur Windsor at a concert in Barnstaple Parish Church on Wednesday, March 15.  A directory of Fair Trade businesses, will also be available.

 

 

Fairtrade in church and Fairtrade in Barnstaple.

 

Fairtrade mark is a registered trademark of the Fairtrade Foundation, an organisation who are committed to guarantee a fair price for commodities, so that those farmers who in the main toil in tropical climates get a fair price for the crops that they grow.

 

The Parochial Church Council passed a resolution in 2003 which committed the church to use only Fairtrade products at meetings and events staged in and on behalf of the church.

In April 2005, Nia Pearson, wife of the Vicar, Fr Michael approached Bamstaple Town Council to become a Fairtrade Town.

 

The Town Council pledged to:

  1. Use Fairtrade products at their meetings and in their offices.

  2. Have for a town of their size (25000) the required number of retail outlets setting Fairtrade products. The number required was 5.

  3. Have for a town of their size (25000) the required number of catering outlets selling Fairtrade products. The number required was 3.

  4. Encourage as many local community establishments to use and promote Fairtrade products, eg schools, churches, clubs and societies.

 When the bid was sent to the Fairtrade Foundation in December 2005, there were 15 retail and 9 catering outlets using or selling Fairtrade products. Added to which most primary schools, both Pilton Community College and Park School had Fairtrade products in the canteen, as did the North Devon College.

 

Bamstaple celebrated Fairtrade Status with a concert which contained music, poetry, drama, dance and choirs. The concert was held in the Parish Church in front of a packed audience, in the presence of the Bishop of Crediton, Rt. Revd. Bob Evens, who gave the framed certificate to Cllr. Arthur Windsor, Mayor of Bamstaple.

 

Sticklepath Primary School prepared eight canvases' which now hang in the Council Offices at Barum House, as a permanent reminder of Fairtrade status for the town.

 

The church was proud to be part of this work which showed that the commitment to Fairtrade principles spread across the community.

 

 

Duke of Edinburgh Award.

 

The Duke of Edinburgh Award was set up in 1956 by Prince Philip. Its aims and principles are as important today as they were at their inception 50 years ago.

 

The aim of the award is to widen the horizons and give personal challenges to the participants.

Nia Pearson (01271) 373837 and Mary Pearson, both Gold Award holders set up the Award within the church in June 2005.

The Award is for all young people regardless of any physical or mental disability, above the age of 14 years, although the Award has to be completed by their 25th birthday and it is organised in three levels, Bronze, Silver & Gold, each Award is divided into four sections, each of which has to completed:

  1. Skills

  2. Physical Activity

  3. Service

  4. Adventure.

The participants undertake these activities for a varying length of time, which is dependant upon which level is being pursued.   

Challenges undertaken are of the participant’s choice and mentors supervise the young people. The aim is to allow students the opportunity to develop skills, strengthen the body, provide a service to others and to engage in teamwork in an adventure away from home.

 

For the Gold Award there is an extra section called 'Residential'. This is a five day activity away from home either learning a new skill or working for others.

 

A certificate and badge are awarded for each level and on completion of the Award, successful candidates have an opportunity to visit either Buckingham Palace or St James' Palace to meet the Duke of Edinburgh.

 

 

Al Shurooq School for the Blind in Bethlehem.

 

 

Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus is not as peaceful as it should be. Bethlehem is in the Palestinian Territories, and is literally sealed off from the Israeli state which surrounds it. There is a curfew, snipers on roof tops and shell fire which reign down upon it. The complicated political situation in the Holy Land causes Bethlehem to be a battleground.

Within the town, normal life tries to continue. Al Shurooq School for Blind children tries to provide an education for children who are blind, irrespective of religious or ethnic background.

The teachers at Al Shurooq at times find it hard to get to school through the check points, border patrols or curfews. Likewise the children, some of whom come from Gaza, are unable to return home during the holidays, or even get back to school after a home visit.

These children come from poor families, because the political strangle hold on the Palestinian territories has wrought economic devastation.

The only hope is for these children to receive an education, which will give them the skills to find work and provide for their families, some of whom are fatherless due to the unrest.

The Parish Church provides £750-£850 per year for the education of these children at the school. The school hopes to establish a routine of learning for these children who have known nothing but violence and warfare.

The transfer of funds is made through MacCabe Educational Trust, who ensures that the money raised reaches the intended charity.

Click here to view the Al Shurooq School for Blind Web Site

 

 

Eco Congregation.

Eco Congregation is an Award that was formerly administered by Keep Britain Tidy Campaign and Churches Together. It is now under the umbrella of the Arthur Rank Centre at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire.
 

It is an award given to churches who commit themselves to working to care for God's creation in a spiritual and practical way.

The church has worked towards caring for the environment within the church and within the community.

 

The church became the first in the Diocese of Exeter to be given the Eco-Congregation Award. The Award lasts for a period of three years, and we are at present in the assessment process for our second award, which will last until 2009.

 

The church has engaged in a number of environmental initiatives ... these are some.

  1. The church is committed to reusing, recycling & repairing wherever possible.

  2. The church uses energy saving light bulbs.

  3. The church uses only AA rated electrical appliances.

  4. The church has reduced most of its draughts in church.

  5. It recycles its floral waste.

  6. It recycles all paper.

  7. It uses only recycled paper for its duplicating.

  8. It has turned down the thermostats on each heater. 9. It makes candles by using candle ends.

  9.  It has a recycling facility in church for card for the public to use.

  10.  It saves rainwater for watering.

  11.  It uses crockery.

  12.  It uses eco-friendly products to clean the church.

  13. It uses only Fairtrade products.

  14. It uses local produce in all catering to save road & air miles.

  15. It uses rechargeable batteries.

Tree Planting 2003

To mark the first Eco-Congregation Award.
The Archdeacon of Barnstaple, David Gunn-Johnson with Fr. Michael Pearson and Church Children