Groups - Sherborne Abbey

Friends of Sherborne Abbey.

The Friends of Sherborne Abbey can claim to be one of the oldest such organisations in the country, having been founded as long ago as 1930 ‘to bind together all those who love Sherborne Abbey in their desire to take part in preserving it for posterity’. Members can be found all over the country, drawn to join by their love of this loveliest of buildings.

For over 75 years, therefore, the Friends have been staunch supporters of every major project for the repair and restoration of the Abbey fabric. In this century alone they have made a major contribution to the appeal to repair and strengthen the tower vault, and restore the Quire. They have paid for roof safety equipment, a fire detection system and the ramping of the main porch for disabled access. They were the principal benefactors of the rebuilding of the main organ, and gave the new John Hayward window in the south aisle to commemorate the visit of HM The Queen and HRH The Prince Philip in 1998.

In short, they are vital to the present and the future of this great House of God, both by their subscriptions and donations, and often by their bequests. I would warmly invite you to become a Friend of Sherborne Abbey, to help take our work and ministry into the fourteenth century of our life as the Mother Church of West Wessex.

Become a Friend Of Sherborne Abbey

For further information and a Friends application form or contact the Clerk to the Council: Mrs Linda Woods click below.

Friends Application Form Contact Linda Woods

Faith in Action Committee FIAC

The parish gives away ten percent of its giving and investment income to good causes. These include local organisations or individuals, and Christian organisations working at national or international level. We also respond to specific appeals. Our aim is to work in partnership with organisations both at home and overseas and establish personal links where possible.

FIAC

makes and monitors donations on behalf of the parish to organisations and individuals
furthers our Christian mission by regularly communicating with our partners, understanding, promoting and supporting their work

encourages regular prayer for those we support.

FIAC members come from all our churches and have a range of backgrounds and experience. We each take responsibility for links with one of our major partners. We are always looking for new members. For further details or enquiries about donations please contact the parish office.

Contact Parish Secretary

Our Partners include:

The Bible Society
The Church Mission Society, especially our mission partner, Helen Kisakye and her family in Uganda
Christian organisations in South Sudan, including Bishop Allison Theological College, Juba Diocesan Model Secondary School, and the EZO deanery
St Saviour’s church, Anglikanu Baznicas Riga, Latvia
United Society Partners in the Gospel, USPG

Local charities including the Green Shed, Rendezvous and Future Roots.

We also make special collections:

At Harvest, for the Salisbury Diocese Medical Link in Sudan and South Sudan, providing medical supplies, training and equipping new clinics.
At Advent including the Christingle service and Advent boxes, for the Children’s Society
During Lent, in the run-up to Easter, we choose two projects, one local and one international for extra giving.

Projects, partners and donations

In 2019 we raised £6250 for our two charities. This year through our prayers, interest and gifts, we are supporting the work of

LENT PROJECTS 2020

PARTNERS AND DONATIONS

LENT PROJECTS 2020

CONFIDENT CHILDREN OUT OF CONFLICT

Confident Children out of Conflict, CCC runs a home for orphaned and abandoned children and young people in Juba, South Sudan, which has seen much conflict over recent years. CCC provides community outreach, education support, skills development and residential care without discrimination and in partnership with other stakeholders. Our support would help equip and establish them on a new site in the city.

“As a Christian organization, CCC commits to fulfil Matthew 25: 35-45 (Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?.. ). It advocates for children’s rights and cares for the most vulnerable children, young people. It is based in Juba – a city that has experienced terrible violence and killing since 2013, after South Sudan’s independence from Sudan in 2011.

Robert Hayward, a member of FIAC commits much time to South Sudan and visited the project for FIAC. His visits will enable us to monitor, record and celebrate progress

How is the Church helping?

CCC in Juba provides for orphaned and abandoned children and young people, providing residential care, security and protection from abuse, education support, skills development and community outreach, without discrimination and in partnership with its stakeholders.

What is the impact so far?

75 children are in the scheme. Outcomes include:
girls supported to board at a local secondary school
an ex child-soldier helped to find safety and education in neighbouring Uganda
a boy helped with education and now training to be a pilot
a girl helped to set up her own tailoring business
another girl now at university in Uganda.

How are we going to help?

CCC receives some UN funding for basic needs but seldom has enough for improvements to and maintenance of the buildings. A Gryphon School pupil recently raised money for CCC for netball equipment. Our contribution will enable further development especially the development of a new site (see above).

THE RENDEZVOUS

The Rendezvous has been providing high quality help and support for young people (13-25) in need in Sherborne and the surrounding area for over 20 years. It is now the only organization of its kind in the region and its core services are free and open to any young person no matter their background or where they live.

What is the experience?

Any young person can approach the team in their centre under Cheap Street Church. They can meet through drop-in sessions or by appointment, while workers also provide outreach sessions on the street.
The Rendezvous team of youth workers, counsellors and volunteers listen, advise, support and teach around 400 young people every year making measurable differences to their lives, provide weekly one to one tutoring for English and Maths, as well as individual support and counselling in schools.
They take referrals from the health visitor team for vulnerable young parents whom they visit in the home – the Young Parents’ Support Group has been running for nearly twenty years. The organization is respected in the community and has strong partnerships with the local schools, health service and the business community.

What is the impact?

In the last year young people have been helped:
to leave a violent partner and find accommodation
to overcome bereavement
to deal with family breakdown, bullying and abuse
to address self-harming and thoughts of suicide

How are we going to help?

Our giving will be used directly to provide one to one support for young people facing great difficulties in their lives.

The director spoke at a FIAC meeting in October 2019 and will attend the Shrove Lunch. She will provide further feedback data and cases studies at the annual meeting in September.

PARTNERS AND DONATIONS

Our partners

Anglikanu Baznicas Riga Latvia The Anglican church in Riga, together with its soup kitchen and seniors’ club

Bible Society

Bishop Allison Theological College, South Sudan

Church Mission Society to support our mission partner Helen Kisakye

Ezo Deanery Ezo- Sherborne Deanery link, South Sudan

Juba Diocesan Model Secondary School, South Sudan

Salisbury Diocese – General Sudan Fund

United Society Partners in the Gospel USPG

Recent recipients include

Children’s Society

Church Army

Church Homeless Trust

Family Counselling Trust

Farming Community Network

Footprints

Dorset Historic Churches Trust

Future Roots

Green Shed

Leprosy Mission

Pilsdon Community

RendezVous Sherborne

Samaritans of Yeovil

SHARES Sherborne Area Refugee Support

Sherborne Area Youth and Community Centre

Sherborne Food Bank

Stable Family Homes Trust

Weldmar Hospicecare

Yeovil Street Pastors

How we can help

PRAYER: pray for the work of Confident Children out of Conflict and The Rendezvous, all those they serve and their respective staff.

Confident Children out of Conflict

Please pray for:

all children and young people affected by conflict and violence in South Sudan
an end to conflict and violence
the goodwill and courage of leaders to build a better country
All those who support and enable us to bring security and confidence to the children and young people whose needs we serve.

The Rendezvous

Please pray for:

all those locally who are in need of our services, that they may find the support and confidence to thrive
all those who work with us; trustees, staff and volunteers and other agencies that we may work well and effectively together in partnership
for continued funding support for this vital service to overcome strains on finance across all services.

Sherborne Mothers’ Union Branch

Sherborne is one of the beautiful towns in England. With its abundance of mediaeval buildings, superb Abbey, famous schools – both private and state, picturesque Alms House, two Castles, independent shops, supermarkets, Antique dealers, and small hospital with A&E, it has much to offer both visitors and residents.

musecretary@sherborneabbey.com

The Sherborne Branch of Mothers’ Union is in the Diocese of Salisbury and is part of the worldwide organization of which there are over four million members. Mothers’ Union was founded in 1876 and exists to share Christ’s love for the world by encouraging, strengthening and supporting marriage & family life. Our particular overseas link is with the MU in Ezo, South Sudan. If you are new to the Sherborne area or have not heard about the work of MU please come and see what we are about!

Membership is open to all men and women who have been baptised in the name of the Trinity and who support Mothers’ Union aims and objectives.

For more information contact our secretary.

Meeting Times

4^th Friday in the month
Griffiths Room, Digby Church Hall, Digby Rd., Sherborne
10am for 10.30am (ends 11.45am)

Thank you for visiting us!

Due to Covid restrictions there will be no meeting of the local MU Branch until further notice.

What we do

How you can support Mothers’ Union

Join Mothers’ Union

What we do

We help in the community

Provide Caravan Holidays at Rockley Park, Poole and an annual supported summer holiday for families in need at the Sidholme Hotel, Sidmouth
Support families affected by domestic violence living in local safe housing
Support families of prisoners including children’s gifts at Christmas
Facilitate toddler and parenting groups by assisting at weekly at St Paul’s Church Tums,Tots,Toddlers
Support the Virtual Baby project
Donate to MU overseas and emergency relief funds

We help in the Abbey

We make the Mothering Sunday posies
We make the Christingles at Christmas

Our fund raising is by subscriptions, donations and special events.