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Norwich parishioners create penny paths of peace

St George’s Parish in Norwich has decided to get ‘Hands On’ and link with a Colombian community to help create a brighter future for young people.


The parish – which has been involved with the charity CAFOD for many years – decided to get involved with their ‘Hands On’ scheme, that links UK communities with Colombian families and runs workshops to help educate young Colombians about the importance of peace.

Coming together with the 17th Norwich Explorers Scouts, the CAFOD group at St George’s Parish organised events to fundraise for the ‘Hands On’ project and educate parishioners about the realities of life for Colombian young people.

As part of the launch, the Explorers Scouts organised a coin trail – where pennies were laid in long lines to create ‘paths to peace’.

“Learning about other people’s lives and finding ways to help them has inspired me to keep working for change and actively helping people in need,” said young parishioner Henry.

Ellie, another young person who attended the event, said: “Working with CAFOD has not only been beneficial for young people in Colombia but for all of us too.” 

This event was followed by a quiz night, led by the Explorers Scouts – a great night, enjoyed by all.

On reflection, CAFOD volunteer Alex Savage, said: “It soon became apparent how little everyone knew about Colombia and how much fun could be had discovering this fascinating country together.

“The fact that the young people of the parish are the same age as the Colombians that they are supporting helped them to relate to the challenges they face and to share their motivation for building peace.”

CAFOD has been working in Colombia for over 50 years, and the ‘Hands On’ project will run peace-building workshops in 34 schools, teaching young people how to avoid a life of violence, and aims to reach over 5,000 in three years.

Find out more at cafod.org.uk/Fundraise/Hands-On

Pictured above parishioners at St George’s helping create paths of peace out of pennies.

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