The Diocesan Youth Team

Craig Abbott:Diocesan Youth Officer based at Church House, Blackburn

01254 503070 ext 223   craig.abbott@blackburn.anglican.org or youth@blackburn.anglican.org

I am the Youth Officer for the Board of Education in the Diocese of Blackburn.  My main responsibilities are working with the team of youth worker/chaplains in our Church of England High schools and working with churches in their delivery of youth work.  I love what I do because I get to work with people who are passionate about their faith and young people and incredibly creative in passing on the Christian faith to the next generation.  One of my favourite things in the world is the sea and I love Italian food (though not mixed together).  The biggest challenge in my job is remaining positive about the future of the Church of England when young people seem so far down the agenda.

 

Suzanne Irvine: Youth Worker/Chaplain at Ripley St Thomas Church of England High School, Lancaster 

(01524 64496) chocsxxx@hotmail.com

The best thing about my job as chaplain at Ripley C of E High School in Lancaster, are the fabulous young people that I get the immense privilege of spending time with every day!
Some of my fave things are: looking for God in people, eating chocolate and blowing bubbles (the washing-up liquid variety!) :)
My fave flower is a daisy (should anyone like to pick me some out of their garden). And no, a daisy is not a weed, it's a free flower :D
Awesome truth & my greatest life challenge - Jesus thinks that everyone I ever lay eyes on is worth dying for! That's got to make a difference to how I see and treat people. I need God's help...a lot! <><

 

Adrian Thompson: Youth Worker/Chaplain at Archbishop Temple Church of England High School, Preston  (01772 717782) adt@archtemple.lancsngfl.ac.uk

It is wonderful to be a Chaplain/Youth Officer, based at Archbishop Temple School, Fulwood, Preston.  I so enjoy the privilege of "offering" young people support and opportunities to explore the Good News and grow in their commitment to Jesus Christ.  I also love the great outdoors, canoeing, hill walking, leading others in worship, family life, films, books and the beauty of the countryside.

The most adventurous thing I ever did: I spent six weeks in the Arctic Circle, living in a tent, walking across glaciers and mountain ranges and surveying bird populations.

The most unusual thing I ever did: I stood on a raft in the middle of an Irish lake, every day for two weeks - in rain, hail, thunder and lightning - and cored down over 30 meters into the lake bed, to extract a Land Rover full of mud samples. I then spent three years analysing the mud - and the pollen grains found within it - in a West Wales laboratory, so I could work out what had been going on around the lake for the last 17,000 years or so... In summary, nearby glaciers melted, it got warmer, then cold again, before warming up once more. Trees grew and got cut down, before growing and being cleared again a few times!!

The most embarrassing thing I ever did whilst a young person: I cracked my head open on a "Danger! Mind your head!" sign!!!

Best attempt at name dropping: I once spent half an hour talking to George Takei, Mr Sulu from Star Trek... but I am NOT in any way a Trekkie! However, with regard to the new series of Dr Who... I am aware that my family and I are becoming seriously hooked!

 

Fiona Radcliffe: Youth Worker/Chaplain at St Aidan's Church of England High School, Preesall  (01253 810504) fiona-radcliffe@st-aidans.lancs.sch.uk  

My favourite thing about being Youth Worker / Chaplain at St Aidan’s and the local churches is the openness and enthusiasm of the young people – from talking about who God is, to leading worship,  to wacky games, they are up for anything and there is never a dull moment!

When I’m not working I love being outdoors, laughing at bad jokes, and drinking coffee in cosy cafes. My two biggest challenges are...to learn to play the guitar properly after 3 years of attempting to teach myself (free lessons anyone!?) and more seriously to stop putting God in a box – who knows how big his dreams for young people are?

Ben Green: Youth Worker/Chaplain at Bishop Rawstorne Church of England High School, Croston.  (01772 600349) bgreen@bishoprawstorne.lancsngfl.ac.uk  

Hey there.  My name’s Ben and I have the thorough pleasure of being the youth worker chaplain at Bishop Rawstorne Language College in Croston!  I started just after Easter in 2009, since then the thing that makes my job the best job in the world is the young people I get to spend time with everyday, and seeing them growing into the people that God wants them to be.
 
A few random things about me:
One day I would like to ... record an album! 
I like ... bacon, cheese and jam toasties after a night out.
I dislike ... marmite at anytime of day!
Favourite most encouraging and challenging quote ... ‘If you think you are too small to be effective, you’ve never been to bed with a mosquito’ (Anita Roddick) and ‘Our ceiling should be their floor’ (Bob Jones) – God really challenges me through these quotes.

 

Sarah Ferguson: Youth  Worker/Chaplain in Leyland working at Balshaw's Church of England High School, Runshaw College and St Andrew's Church  (01772 421009)  

The thing I love best about my job is the opportunity to tell so many young people about Jesus and what it means to know him as Lord and Saviour. I love how open and honest young people are about what they think and that means they are so open to hearing the gospel. This is definitely my favourite part of the job! Working between 3 places means I have to do a lot of juggling but also means I get to do a huge variety of things from residentials with the Christian Union at college to teaching sessions on spiritual health to years 7's at school. Being able to share the good news of Jesus with so many people in so many different ways is a real privilege.

My favourite food in the whole world is chocolate and I have an intense dislike of coffee and anything coffee flavoured! One of my favourite trips ever was to Cadbury world where I actually got to watch the chocolate being made - and to taste lots of samples! Obviously I avoided the coffee chocolates.

When I'm not at school, college or church I like spending time with friends, reading books, watching funny films and going on nice holidays!

 

Andrea Jackson: Youth Worker/Chaplain at St Michael's Church of England High School, Chorley.  (01257  264740) ajackson@saint-michaels.lancs.sch.uk

Working in Chorley has lots of 'best bits' but I love the opportunities I have to talk to and encourage young people about the difference a relationship with Jesus makes. That's is my favourite bit and the thing I want to do best.

Other people can't believe all the stuff I get to do like going on trips and joining in with school and youth groups. So far I have sang karaoke, met Jerry Springer and made some pretty gross slime.

I am determined to do a triathlon (a race where you have to run, swim and cycle) but I need to learn to run first, I would also like to find the secret to baking a sponge cake that rises.
 
My most embarrassing moment gets updated regularly but a cartoon style crash into a wall when out on my roller blades recently is top of the list.

Jill Ivison: Youth work Administrator based at Church House, Blackburn.  01254 503070 jill.ivison@blackburn.anglican.org or youth@blackburn.anglican.org

The Board of Education office in Church House is a great place to work with a fantastic group of people. I try to encourage the youth worker/chaplains in their work, help them feel part of the team and supported in all the amazing work they do with young people.  The best bit of my job is going along to the various events we organise for young people such as the Diocesan Youth Conference or Whitehough and seeing at first hand young people having fun, building friendships, being challenged and encouraged and moving on in their relationship with God. It makes all the planning and organising that I've been involved in for months beforehand worthwhile.

To make up for being stuck at a desk all day I love being outdoors; going for walks, growing vegetables and fruit  in my allotment, and in the summer sitting in the garden with a good book or a few friends.

Some of my best moments recently have been completing the Yorkshire 3 peaks challenge, eating the best home grown strawberries ever, seeing God  answer prayers both large and small and experiencing the reality of the fact  that with God at my side I won't be defeated by huge life challenges.