Thank you

This letter was published in the Shropshire Star.

"On behalf of all the people at Harlescott Grange, Shrewsbury, I would like to thank all the young people who gave up their Spring Bank Holiday weekend to serve the community here (also at Sundorne and Ditherington).

We admired the way that these young people worked so hard, worked together and so enthusiastically. Their thought and commitment, dedication and love for all the people from the youngest to the oldest, from the most able to the most needy, was wonderfully evident. Something of their Christian teaching and faith being worked out in practice was evident to all.

In this area they cleared Senior Citizens' gardens, led youth drop-ins, organised a Family Fun Day, painted church toilets, cleared graffiti and put PVA glue on a mural, hosted a Hog roast evening, cut grass from front & back garden of a severely disabled lady, cleared a huge amount of blackthorn and other rubbish from a local school and picked up litter and delivered leaflets to a thousand homes.

So much goodwill was generated through their endeavours. In a day when young people often get a bad press, it was thrilling to see another side that does not often hit the headlines. We probably saw around 50 of the 100 young people that were involved during that time. We are sure that the other areas were equally thankful for all that was accomplished.

Thank you too for the leaders of this movement, called 'Soul Purpose' and for the investment of time and energy and sacrificial love that you all gave to this project again. Thank you to the 15 sponsoring church youth groups that were represented.

We believe that much good was accomplished through your endeavours and we trust that many barriers will have come down and many bridges built into our communities through the endeavours of these young people and their enthusiastic efforts.

Roy Whittall, 13, York Road, Harlescott Grange, Shrewsbury, SY! 3RD

Tel. Shrewsbury 462581."