American Volunteers Create Beautiful Things in Stafford and Cannock
A team of volunteers from America is in Staffordshire this month to work in the community and stage free family fun events
The 60-strong choir from Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Alabama will join forces with members of CreateChurch:Cannock and Stafford's Rising Brook Baptist Church to revamp Cannock's cinema and help families with light DIY or gardening projects.
At the end of the week-long event, dubbed Beautiful Things, there will be free family fun activities in Stafford and Cannock.
The team will spend Wednesday, 12 June, working in the Electric Palace Picture House in Cannock, replacing seats, painting walls and tiling toilet facilities.
They will then move on to the Bevan Lee estate in Cannock where they will help households with activities such as gardening, painting and cleaning. Flyers will be distributed to the estate beforehand and people can opt in to receive assistance if they wish.
The choir will also be visiting primary schools in Cannock and Hednesford to teach the children songs which will be performed at the fun day on Saturday, 15 June, when families can take part in free activities such as face painting, bouncy castle and a football cage, as well as enjoying a free American-style barbecue.
Sponsored by solicitors Pickering and Butters, who have offices in Stafford and Rugeley, the fun day will take place at the Signpost Centre, Highfields, Stafford, from 10am to 1pm, and at Cannock Park from 3pm to 6pm. All are welcome.
Steve Graham, church leader at CreateChurch:Cannock, said, 'We are really excited to be partnering with our friends from the States. The whole purpose of this week is to help the local community and let them know that the church is interested in both the people and the town. There are lots of people out there that believe Cannock is a great place and we hope this week will show our belief in that.'
The Staffordshire churches became partners with Shades Mountain Baptist Church thanks to Alabama couple Richie and Denise Bruce, who live in Stafford and attend CreateChurch:Cannock.
Michael Adler, worship pastor at Shades Mountain Baptist Church, said, 'We already have many UK friends whom we have grown to love during the planning process of this trip.'