Steering teenagers away from trouble

High praise for busy group

A GROUP which helps young people to turn their lives around has been nominated for a Pride in Oldham award.

The pastoral team at Firwood Church, Westwood, works with around 80 young people each week to steer them away from trouble.

It runs a range of activities such as football and dance sessions, residential trips, a youth club and outreach work.

And it’s success stories include Allan Cocking, from Middleton, who turned his back on crime, alcohol abuse and drug addiction to become a volunteer youth worker with the group. He went on to receive an Urban Hero award from the Christian charity The Message Trust.

The team includes youth pastors Stephen Evans and Phil Marsh.

Stephen explained: “We work with a lot of marginalised young people and people at risk of social exclusion.

“I love seeing the transformation in people like Andy, seeing what he was initially like, struggling with alcohol and drug addiction.

“In the last 18 months to two years he has grown as a person. He is starting at Manchester College with hopes of going to Manchester University next year.

“That’s what the gospel is about, seeing young people transform. There’s countless young people like that who we come into contact with and see grow in confidence.”

He is surprised at the Pride in Oldham nomination and added: “It represents what the whole church is about and is a reflection of the work of so many people in this church.”

Congregation member Daniel Francis made the nomination and said: “The team is doing a lot of work with dysfunctional young people from poor backgrounds.”