Bishop Lee has celebrated the results of a survey which demonstrates the extensive engagement of Christians in Swindon with children and young people.
The survey, carried out by Swindon Youth for Christ on behalf of Swindon Churches Together, found that full- and part-time employed workers and the many volunteers who work with them together deliver 204 hours of face-to-face work with 826 children and young people each week through 83 different sessions.
This equates to a total of 41,393 connections with children and young people every year.
These engagements take a wide range of forms, including youth clubs and work in primary and secondary schools, mentoring, chaplaincy, groups for families and Christian faith study groups. Regular, large scale events such as assemblies were not included in favour of occasions where respondents actually spoke individually with children or young people.
Bishop Lee said:
This report reveals and highlights the great depth and breadth of childrens and youth work carried out by the Christian faith community in Swindon. A huge contribution is being made at a time when services for children and young people are suffering serious cuts. This should be celebrated, supported, encouraged and recognised.
The survey was based on interviews with representatives of 13 churches or Christian organisations across a spectrum of denominations, including Anglican. It aimed to follow up on, and delve deeper into, the results of the 2011 Swindon Churches Together church audit, which revealed that the primary engagement activity of the church in Swindon was work with children and young people.