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Scarborough Review
Cheer not beer for the breakfast boys
Fun casino raises £1,500 for Basics Plus Words by Dave Barry, photo by Stuart Baines Over £1,500 was raised for Basics Plus at a fun but cash-free casino. The event, at the Crown Spa Hotel, was organised by Scarborough Round Table 41 Club, a charity and business organisation. It featured casino games, entertainment by the Julie Hatton Dancers and a two-course meal. Basics Plus was formed in 1990 to provide training and work experience for people with special needs. Over the years, the charity has developed projects which benefit people with learning disabilities and provide valued and muchneeded services to the local community. Promoter Stuart Baines says: “Through a
Drawing inspiration from speaker Revd. Graham Parkins of the Community Angels
The lads get busy in the kitchen
Words and pictures by Mike Tyas IT’S 8.30 and the blokes are putting the world to rights. But this group of guys are not spending an evening down the pub supping a pint or two – far from it, although the Red Lion is just across the road. Rather, it’s very early on the first Saturday of each month when these men gather at the village hall in Cloughton. The common link which binds them is not their favourite tipple, football club or a moan about their other half, but their shared faith. This is a fellowship group run by the North Scarborough Group Ministry – a collaboration of local churches – when men of all ages can grab the chance to ‘be themselves’, according to local co-ordinator Ian Popely. He said: ‘Men come to the group to relax with other men. It’s a chance for them to be themselves, an opportunity for them to open up when otherwise they might not be able to.’ Ian, along with the North Scarborough group’s pastoral co-ordinator Don Maciver and David Oliver, a committed member of St Mary’s, Cloughton, set up the fellowship in March last year. ‘We felt there was no ministry of this kind for men in Scarborough churches,’ explained Ian. The format of the fellowship is simple. Breakfast – usually bacon, eggs and beans, toast and a cuppa, followed by a speaker from
a local faith group, community organisation or someone giving personal testimony, followed by prayers. Earlier this year the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, was a guest while on his pilgrimage across the York Diocese. ‘We’ve had inspirational speakers here,’ said Ian, adding, ‘you cannot but feel moved by hearing their stories. Having heard them, men may go away thinking how God has used that man, maybe he has a plan for my life too.’ Although many of the regulars would describe themselves as committed Christians, Ian stressed the fellowship group is not an exclusive club. He said: ‘What we do here is give men who maybe have never gone to a church or haven’t for a while the chance to dip their toes in the water, see what Christianity is all about and see whether it’s right for them. ‘You could say it is just like going to the beach – you don’t want to jump straight into the sea but might want to go for a little paddle first.’ Ian admitted during the early days the group’s founders considered holding the meeting in a pub but there were obstacles. He said: ‘We couldn’t find a night during the week that was suitable without a lot of the men being affected whether they were tired after work, involved with a church event, or the younger men wanting to spend time with their families and putting their kids to bed. ‘So, we decided on a Saturday morning. The breakfast is usually over by 10am. The guys have the rest of the day to spend with their families.’ The group has one more meeting before Christmas. Former Bishop of Bradford, David James, will be speaker at their special festive breakfast at South Cliff Golf Club on 3rd December. On a normal month, admission is £2. The organisers said anybody wanting to attend a future breakfast would be made most welcome. They are encouraged to go along on the first Saturday of the month to the usual venue at Cloughton, or contact Ian, 882355, or Don Maciver, 871210, to find out more. • The North Scarborough Group Ministry represents: St Luke’s, Stepney Drive; St Mark’s, Newby; St Laurence’s, Scalby; St Mary’s, Cloughton; St Peter’s, Hackness with Harwood Dale; St Hilda’s, Ravenscar with St John’s, Staintondale.
December - Issue 40
Basics Plus director Avis Turner with 41 Club chairman Gordon Hayes at the event range of activities, Basics Plus is making a significant contribution to the region's rapidly expanding social economy. “Indeed my youngest son attends and the benefit to him has been exceptional”.
Charity concert helps feed the starving Words and picture by Mike Tyas FUNDS raised from a charity concert in Scarborough will be directed to feed some of the poorest people in the world. Held at the Hackness Grange Hotel, the evening of classical music raised £800 from tickets sales and a raffle, with proceeds split to benefit international Christian charity Tearfund and the work of mental health charity Scarborough Survivors. Well-known Scarborough musicians Revd. Mike Leigh as vocalist, Frank James on piano and violinist Paul de Villaneuva were the performers. ‘The concert was very well received. It was a great atmosphere. We are very grateful to people who came to support it,’ said organiser Ian Popely. A former schoolteacher, Ian works as a volunteer for Tearfund as their East Yorkshire speaker, presenting talks on the charity’s work. He has also been a volunteer at Survivors for three years. ‘Both charities are very dear to my heart,’ he explained. Tearfund are currently focusing efforts in Chad as the central African country suffers from a second year of drought leaving many communities starving. A look at the charity’s website tells the story of mothers plundering seeds from ant nests to feed their children but one in five youngsters are not expected to live beyond the age of five. The charity has targeted feeding 600,000 people in the short term while investing long term to promote self-sufficiency and food security. Said Ian: ‘We don’t want people to remain as beggars, waiting for someone to put something more into the bowl. ‘Tearfund provides the wherewithal for people to have dignity by being able to provide for themselves and their families.’ Survivors, founded in 1994, is made up entirely of local people with experience of mental health problems, either themselves, or as a carer, close friend or relative. It currently has about 300 members.
Its resource centre at the top of Alma Square encourages members to participate in a range of regular activities, most of which are free. Survivors’ emphasis is on self help inviting members to support each other. The organisation, which relies on the hard work of its volunteers such as Ian, recently started running self-help groups discussing issues such as depression, stress and anxiety, OCD, and post-traumatic stress. Chief executive Andrea Woolcott said the organisation was grateful to all who supported the charitable evening. She added: ‘Trustees, members, volunteers and staff of Scarborough Survivors would like to express their sincere thanks for the support shown to this local independent charity at the music concert. ‘The £400 donation will be used to extend the activities we offer at our 9 Alma Square resource centre.’
Ian Popely, second left, with guest artists, Frank James on piano, Revd. Mike Leigh and Paul de Villanueva
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