Sam Andrews is the Children and Families’ worker at Pershore Abbey. She started in February in a part-time role funded in part thanks to a grant from the Healthier Churches Fund.
Sam worked in her local primary school before joining the Abbey team in this role and has run a Brownie Unit for over 30 years. She also became one of the Abbey’s Churchwardens last year and had previously been involved in children’s work at the Abbey in a voluntary capacity.
Sam said: “I was part of the group involved in the Calling Young Disciples hub and had also helped to set up our monthly Café Church. This role was advertised just at the time that I was looking for a new challenge – it sparked my interest and felt a good fit for my skills.”
Since starting in the role, Sam has spent some time visiting other churches to learn from their experiences of attracting children and their families to different services and activities. To get to know local families and begin to make links, she has begun to get involved in the toddler group run by Abbey volunteers. She is currently doing the Youth Scape Essentials course and is part of the diocesan network meetings for church children and youth workers.
“Meeting up with others doing a similar role to me across the Diocese has been hugely useful,” said Sam. “It is a chance to share ideas and understand what is working well elsewhere.”
The Abbey has seen children and their families engaging with one-off events such as activities on Good Friday and their edible nativity but have struggled to attract this group to attend regular services.
“A big part of my role initially will be to try to find out what local children and families want and make sure what we’re offering works for them,” said Sam. “I am looking forward to trying some new things and being able to play a wider role in the life of the Abbey.”
If you would like to explore how a grant from the Healthier Churches Fund might enable work with children, young people and their families in your parish, please contact Simon Hill, diocesan Children and Youth Adviser.
