AFIA helps send children to summer camp

Sometimes, the most powerful stories begin with something as simple as a chat after church.  

That’s exactly what happened one Sunday in Honiton, when Mothers’ Union member Julia Beaman struck up a conversation with Sharon Blyth, Exeter Diocese’s Children and Families Mission Enabler. Julia shared about MU’s Away From It All programme (AFIA), a wonderful initiative that helps families facing adversity get a much-needed break.  

As they talked, Sharon mentioned a church in North Devon where they were struggling to support young people to attend a Christian Camp financially. The camp was managed by the Diocese of Exeter, which pioneered the first diocesan ‘Camp in a Camp’ at Spree South West, a Christian festival for children and young people held annually at Westpoint, Exeter.   

An application was submitted, and £500 from the AFIA fund was granted. The donation helped cover the cost of catering for 45 people and two team members to support the young attendees at the camp.  

Sharon shared that “many smaller churches can struggle to provide meaningful and relevant experiences for children and young people. Spree SW provided an amazing opportunity, with the Diocesan camp involving seven churches coming together to create new bonds and a team. We are so grateful for the Mothers’ Union donation that enabled us to do this well.”  

What began as a chat over coffee turned into an unforgettable experience for dozens of young people, and a shining example of how AFIA is helping to spark joy in lives everywhere.