Children and Families in the Holyford Mission Community

For the past six years we have had a dedicated Children and Families worker in our community of five churches.  For the past four of those it has been Kathryn Radley.  Kathryn, alongside an extensive team of volunteers, has done an amazing job.  She has built up Noah’s Ark, our thriving group for families and very young children.  She has led Messy Church with great creativity and flair. And she has run a lunchtime club at Branscombe School which has been hugely valued by the children and school community.  Kathryn has now moved on, but she goes with our love and thanks, and we will continue to see her around from time to time.

Over the summer months we have appointed a new Children and Families worker and I am delighted to introduce to you Linda Joy. Linda comes to us with great experience of working with children and is going to introduce herself in her own words:

Hello, my name is Linda Joy and I have recently moved to Devon from Northamptonshire.  I am an Early Years Teacher and Forest School Leader, and I have a passion for work with children and their families. As well as running a pre-school, over the years I have been involved in Sunday Schools, Messy Church, Café Church and Sporty Church.  Since arriving in Devon, I have joined the Holyford Community Mission working as Children & Families worker.  I am delighted to say that I will be working together with the excellent teams at Noah’s Ark and Messy Church and will continue to run a lunch time club at Branscombe School, where I hope to explore the Christian faith through Forest School sessions with the children. I hope to be popping up at the various locations in the Mission Community soon and I look forward to getting to know everyone and to having lots of fun times together.

We are delighted to have Linda with us.  She will be popping in to each of our churches over the next few weeks to talk to our congregations and our Autumn term programme is now up and running.  Please see below for dates for Noah’s Ark and Messy Church and we hope to see you soon.

Noah’s Ark : Thursday at Colyford Memorial Hall, 1.15-2.45

Oct 4th, 18th; Nov 1st, 15th, 29th; Dec 13^th.

Messy Church : 4-6pm at Reece Strawbridge Centre Colyton

Sundays October 14^th and November 11^th