Supporting Animate...

Prayer Partner
Be a prayer partner. Please pray for the Team in all the work that they carry out with over 5000 young people each year. Pray too for young people across the Archdiocese. They need your prayerful support in the decisions that they are make each day and in all that they encounter in school, media, home, work, university and college. Email us if you would be willing to join a network which prays for these intentions each day.

Animate’s funding comes from four sources, the Trustees of the Archdiocese of Liverpool, grant making trusts, individual donations and fundraising events. To develop the Team’s work, Animate needs to generate £30K each year on top of its regular income. To launch the Youth Café a further £20K is needed annually.

1 in a 1000
The simplest way to support Animate financially is to fill in a 1 in a 1000 form. If 1000 people invest £1 a week Animate will reach its total with ease. A regular gift would enable Animate to work with even more young people and so change lives for ever. Consider becoming 1 in a 1000 and giving just £1 a week. Please contact the animate team for the 1 in a 1000 donation form.

Donations
One off donations however small can be sent to the Animate office, cheques are made payable to Animate Youth Account. This year we have had a donation of £9K from an individual donor who had heard of the Team’s work. There have also been many other one off donations from £5 to £1000.

If you prefer, you can now make donations securely online... Please click here

CAFOD
We have also been successful in obtaining a grant from CAFOD to set up a resource base which will be known as the Romero Room. This grant will enable us to have a dedicated area devoted to development issues and justice and peace work.

Mini-bus
The Team mini-bus which was in need of major repair work was solved by an individual donor. A new mini-bus was donated with a tail lift for use of the Team and young people in the diocese and those who may be wheelchair users.

What you can do?
Your group or organisation (UCM, catenians, Knights of St Columba, parish etc) may feel able to raise money to support Animate’s work with young people. Coffee mornings, race nights, sponsored events may be dedicated to young people.

Half Marathon
Animate too is fundraising. Kirsty, Luke, Pete and Fr Stephen have completed the Liverpool half marathon (and suffered for it) It was a great experience being part of something so big, and its good to be able to raise £575 for  Fr Joe Bibby’s work in South America. The money raised altogether from the event is in the region of £2300.
 A huge thanks to all those who sponsored us its greatly appreciated and thank you to those who supported us in many ways.

Skills
You may not feel that you want to work with young people face to face but there are many ways that you can support youth work. You may be able to drive a mini-bus, have fundraising skills, write grant applications or offer accountancy support. There are many ways that you can help to underpin the vision of Animate.

Sponsored bike ride to Lourdes

Day 1, Le Puy-Sauges
First day, what a first day, 2 punctures and a broken toe clip before we even set off from Le Puy, once we got riding though it was very enjoyable, though a very challenging first day which ended with us putting tents up in a thunderstorm. I have to mention Woody here because he was such an inspirational scout as he used his shoe lace as a guide rope.

Day 2, Sauges – Estaing
Day two got off to a much better start and we had some really nice riding conditions, then the hills came, they were quite tough but strangely enjoyable, the views along the way were breathtaking and made the effort of climbing worthwhile.  That night we stayed in such a beautiful town and celebrated mass (on a football field) which was such an awesome experience.

Day 3 Estaing – Chelle Valley
Day three was much the same as day two but a lot flatter and a lot hotter, the temperature was very high. We rode through so many beautiful small villages until we reached the valley of Chelle which is really something to behold its beautiful, even though it took us 20 mins to find the person who was in charge of the hostal, it did get quite scary.

Day 4 Chelle - Auvillia
Day 4 was one of the longest days about 95miles, it was a really good day with a constant change of scenery, Auvillia was a lovely village where we met some great people and had one of the nicest meals I think I have ever had, it was a roast diner but with rabbit.

Day 5Auvillia - Condom
Day 5 was by far the hardest day for me, there were rolling hills that looked as though they would never end, plus it was raining and just miserable, but we pushed through to make it to our next stop where we met some pilgrims doing the same route but walking, one lady was walking from Bavaria it was amazing to be part of it.

Day 6 Condom - Lourdes
Day 6 final day, started by attending mass at the city’s cathedral, mass in French was quite difficult to follow but the singing was fun.  The weather was good and it wasn’t too hilly so we set off on our way to Lourdes, the day started great and then we hit the flat roads which were really nice to ride but boring after a while, we got a little bit lost in Tarbes well we took the scenic route, then it was onto the main road into Lourdes with cars coming past very fast.

I cannot explain the feeling of reaching the Lourdes town sign, it was such an amazing feeling, I couldn’t believe that I was there, and then meeting Fr Ste, my mum and other friends was just awesome I can’t describe the feeling.

For me it was such an amazing pilgrimage with amazing people and amazing places.
It was awesome to experience the Lourdes pilgrimage in such a special way.
It really has once again opened my eyes to see how much more God has to give.
Pete Jones