Sue Devereux
9 November 2011
The six Side-by-Side mentors from St Joseph’s parish Upper Hutt have won an award for service to The Mayor of Upper Hutt presented an award for service to the community. The award was for first place in the ‘Health and Wellbeing’ category.
Over the last three years, the mentors have been walking alongside families with small children, listening to and affirming the parents, connecting them to services as they were needed, and reminding them that the whole church community cares about them.
Each supports two or three families, they also offer a cup of coffee and a chat for mums dropping their children off at school, care for parents in the holiday playgroup and keep an ongoing connection with those who prepare their children for baptism.
Earlier this year they organised a community evening talk for parents on ‘Helping your child to problem-solve’.
This group, led by Betty Scobie, still believe they don’t do much – perhaps because this sort of ministry comes naturally to them – but the results speak for themselves. The Upper Hutt community congratulates them on the difference they have made to their community – and so do we all! Read more… (A ministry for even the busiest)
Image: Jessica Setu, Betty Scobie, Gloria Barton, Ann Peebles and Frances Smith. Absent is Gerry Hutchings.