Church in the Dales is taking welfare and worship from the tops of Barden to the depths of Semerwater with the launch of a new exhibition trailer.
The trailer, named Church About the Dale, will be providing active support and advice on debt, isolation, poverty, farming and community involvement across the isolated areas of the dale.
The trailer is the inspiration of the Church of England and their Methodist colleagues in the Wensley region which holds over 60 places of worship, each serving between 50 and 10,000 inhabitants.
Revd Ian Robinson, Rector for Bedale with Burrill, Thornton Watlass and Leeming, says, “We hope to be able to demonstrate the ways in which the church is not only relevant but also active in people’s lives and in providing support.”
The image on the left shows the unveiled trailer with the oldest and youngest members of the joint congregations of St John's, Bellerby, and St Matthew's, Leyburn.
‘Social issues such as loneliness and isolation are bigger issues in the rural community’ because of cuts to services such as the buses, libraries, post offices, etc. and are exasperated by the lack of internet access, ‘leaving the rural communities without the most basic level of support’, according to a recent Consultation Paper from Ripon Cathedral.
Revd Ian Robinson explains, “This sums up our purpose behind the trailer project.
“We believe that the trailer could give hope and a sense of purpose to people across the dale, and more widely as we consider its use in other places.”
After 18 months of planning, the trailer was unveiled at the end of July in preparation for the Pilgrimage of Blessing that the trailer will undertake between the 23rd and 31st August.
When fully kitted out, the trailer will have hospitality space, seating, tea and coffee facilities and display space for leaflets and brochures about social issues and the Christian faith.
Area Dean for the Wensley Deanery, Revd Michael Hepper, explains, “We are already involved with Hope Debt services, providing debt counselling and advice to the Dales. With the trailer we can take the services out into the field and provide local advice and referral.
“In terms of isolation, we will be providing space when on tour for people to meet, to sit and to talk. We will also be taking referrals for visitors from the churches to call and help relieve isolation.”
Revd Hepper claims that, “Handling poverty is a greater difficulty. We won't have monetary resources but will be offering signposts to other services and facilities and also referring individuals and families to food banks with whom we are building relationships.”
He adds, “Having the trailer will also mean that there is greater opportunity to show support and solidarity to the farming communities offering services to tie in with the agricultural cycle.
“It is important to recognise that this cycle is not the same in each community as the terrain, climate and nature of the farming changes, so the timing of the cycle changes. The trailer will be able to respond to this effectively and provide a focal point for on farm and moor services of blessing.
“This will be very evident at our service on Sunday 30th August when the trailer will be used at the remote lake Semerwater in Raydale as the focus of the annual lakeside service.”
Trailer launch at Ripon Cathedral
At the weekend the Church About the Dale trailer visited Ripon Cathedral for its first service. Canon Ruth Hind from the Cathedral joined Area Dean, Michael Hepper as a short service of prayer focussed on prayer for the area, its churches and chapels, schools, hospitals, 
farmers and crops. Canon Ruth said, “As Canon Evangelist of Ripon Cathedral, I am delighted to support the launch of a project which intends both to serve the rural community and speak of the Good News of Jesus. Prior to working at the Cathedral I was Assistant Area Dean of Wensley and so I am very aware of the hard work and determination it has taken to get this far and am delighted to pray for the success of the initiative “
Revd Robinson mentions, “It can be used as a speaking space or platform but also providing comfort and time and space for conversation while also being used as a place for prayer.
“Clearly it won't be able to accomplish all this tasks simultaneously, but at different venues it will undertake different functions.”
Wensley Deanery have hosted a marquee at the Wensleydale Agricultural Show for several years but have recently recognised that having a more permanent ‘show case for the church’ could be extremely beneficial.
Funding for the trailer came through prayer and fasting as churches and individuals loved the project and donated funds specifically for the purpose.
Revd Michael Hepper says, “We came to recognise that in an area as wide and varied as this deanery, with a strong emphasis on farming, a large number of town and village markets, fetes, agricultural shows and festivals, the church was rarely visible outside the centres of population with church buildings.”
He explains, “Across the dale churches are varied, as everywhere else. Many have relatively low attendance yet, when considering the size of population, serve a very high proportion of the population.
“In this deanery alone we have over 60 places of worship, the largest centre of population having around 10,000 inhabitants, the smallest under 50.
“However, the congregations feel under threat of closure so the encouragement of the trailer will help them recognise that they are part of something lively and growing.”
Revd Hepper mentions, “In more populated areas the trailer will be able to be visible at events and to offer a place of attraction to draw new congregations to special initiatives run by the churches.
“In most of these smaller villages the church is central to the life and spirituality of the communities, even to those who do not regularly attend.
“The churches are indeed the spiritual lifeblood for the dale.”
The trailer will visit and bless each community in Wensleydale, beginning with a Service of Blessing at Ripon Cathedral on the 23rd of August at 3:00pm, and ending at the Jonas Centre, Leyburn, for a Closing Service with Bishop James at 4pm on 31st August, followed by a BBQ.
Revd Ian Robinson says, “Now we are ready to launch with a further pilgrimage, once again offering blessing to all our communities and demonstrating the life and vitality of the Church About the Dales.”
For more information on the trailer and the pilgrimage’s route through Wensleydale, please visit the Church About the Dale website: http://www.church-about-the-dale.org.uk/