Young people share hope in Milton Keynes

During the half-term break next week (27-31 October) more than 130 young people aged 11-17 will be out across Milton Keynes challenging the negative stereotypes which are usually associated with them

By giving up their school holiday to run a variety of community building and social action projects, they will demonstrate that young people are not lazy, apathetic and good for nothing.

Through an initiative called Hope MK, a small army of 130+ young people will spend their mornings with the Hope MK team being trained and equipped, before heading out to projects taking place in communities across Milton Keynes each afternoon.

Projects include children’s work, drop-in cafes, a social media project, Messy Church, community clean-up/gardening, & play sessions. All the activities are free, and everyone is welcome to join in.

The team will be dressed in purple and yellow hoodies to make sure they stand out, but also to challenge the widely held misconception that wearing a hoodie means you’re a threat or a nuisance. At last year’s event over 100 young invested a total of 5400 hours in communities across the city; this year we anticipate that will increase to 6500 hours!

‘Seeing so many young people committing to give up their half-term break to invest their time and energy to bless communities across MK is amazing,' said Ricky Rew of the Hope MK Team and Spurgeon Baptist Church.

'We hear so much about young people leaving the Church, so it’s great to know that these guys are leaving for the right reason: in order to go and serve others & share the hope that can only be found in Jesus Christ.’

The initiative ends with an event for Year 7-13s from 7:30pm on Friday 31 October at St. Paul’s School to celebrate all that’s been achieved through the week, and will feature a variety of activities including sumo suits, inflatable demolition derby and gladiator podiums, and human foosball.

Twenty churches, six local and four national organisations have been working together for a year to plan and prepare for the event.

Hope MK is a partnership of churches and organisations across Milton Keynes.