War Cry 4 February

Visitors discover York’s coolest tourist trail

WAR CRY

4 February 2023

50p

Raising their game

Teams compete for the Six Nations trophy

Refugees find homes and hope through The Salvation Army

What is The Salvation Army?

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.

What is the War Cry?

The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.

WAR CRY

Issue

Editor: Andrew Stone, Major

Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow

Production Editor: Ivan Radford

Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku

Staff Writer: Emily Bright

Staff Writer: Claire Brine

Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk

Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston

Graphic Designer: Mark Knight

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk

The

Tel: 0845 634 0101

Subscriptions:

Founder: William Booth

General: Brian Peddle

Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill

THIS month marks the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The ensuing warfare has brought death and destruction, resulting in millions of people fleeing as their homes and way of life have come under attack.

Those victims of the war are some of the 100 million displaced people in the world. Some of these Ukrainian refugees have sought sanctuary in European countries including the UK, where The Salvation Army has joined with other organisations in helping them to settle into a new society and culture.

Ben Still works as the church and charity’s refugee response manager, and in this week’s War Cry he tells us about the support that The Salvation Army provides, not just to Ukrainians, but to refugees from across the world who have come to this country to escape oppression and injustice.

Sadly, it is not only people fleeing crises overseas who have experienced mistreatment. In this issue, we also speak to Mark Screeton, who runs In2Out, a charity that supports young offenders.

In his interview, Mark explains how a significant number of the people mentored by the charity have faced trauma in their childhood. ‘A lot of the people we see have very difficult family situations,’ he tells us, as he describes how almost 60 per cent have grown up in care.

Mark also explains what motivates him to carry out his work.

‘In2Out is an organisation built around our Christian foundations,’ he says. ‘Our staff, trustees and many of our volunteers all understand this fundamental calling, to recognise in each of these damaged young people someone created in the image of God, deeply loved by him.’

It is because Christians are convinced of God’s love for everyone that they endeavour to help those who have been mistreated by others. They believe that, in doing so, they are demonstrating that love to some of the people who need to experience it the most. Front-page

INFO INFO

Players battle for possession of the ball during Scotland’s win over England in last year’s Six Nations

Six Nations rivalry warms up

TACATTITUDES KLING

PASS the remote – this year’s Six Nations tournament kicks off today (Saturday 4 February) with Wales versus Ireland and England versus Scotland being broadcast by the BBC and ITV respectively.

Armchair fans and those in the stadiums can expect hard-hitting tackles, fast-paced passing, sensational sprints towards the try line and graceful kicks for goal as the six teams – England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy – vie for the championship trophy in the annual rugby showdown.

The rivalry between the countries is fierce, although most teams appear to be united by a mutual antipathy towards England. Some people conjecture that this comes from political differences, England’s historical oppression of other countries or the media’s bias towards the side.

Ahead of the Six Nations, England’s defence coach Kevin Sinfield was widely reported as admitting that his team are the most unpopular in the tournament. But he said that others’ animosity should not be the drive behind England’s play.

‘It’s not lost on me how much there’s a dislike for us,’ he said. ‘But if we think we’re going to get a team ready to play because the opposition don’t like us … [the motivation] needs to be much deeper and much more powerful than that. We want to win games because we want to represent our country the right way.

‘If we’re going to get more kids playing our sport, then it’s got to be much deeper than building a gameplan around teams hating us.’

spoke to people about the kind of love that God – their ‘heavenly Father’ – had for them all.

Jesus subverted expectations when he told them: ‘You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in Heaven’ (Matthew 5:43-45 New International Version).

Hatred can corrupt our motivations

Kevin seems to advocate playing out of a love for the game, rather than out of a loathing of the opposition.

Sporting rivalry is one thing, but holding a grudge towards something or someone in other areas of our lives can be quite another. If we let it, hatred can corrupt our motivations in life, and build bitterness, resentment and anger in our heart.

But we have a choice. We can decide to act out of love instead. One of the most well-known teachings on the subject of hatred versus love is that of Jesus, who

Jesus lived out these words when he prayed for those who sentenced him to death on a cross, despite his being innocent of all wrongdoing. In doing so, he demonstrated God’s love for everyone, regardless of their background, past or beliefs.

Jesus invites us to receive that same unconditional love from him and find freedom from the anger and hatred that we may feel in our lives. With him, we no longer need to keep score of all the wrongs committed against us. Instead we can encounter life to the full, free of bitterness. All we need to do is try exploring a relationship with him.

Feature by Emily Bright

j TEA M TALK

Ref comes to white decision

Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters

FOOTBALL fans with their eye on the ball will know that, for the first time, a white card was issued during a women’s match in Portugal. As Sporting Lisbon took on Benfica in a cup game, referee Catarina Campos brandished the card after medics from both clubs stepped in to help a spectator who had fallen ill.

Though I know little about the game they call beautiful, the news about the introduction of a white card caught my attention. I wondered what its purpose was and what it meant for football.

Shown in recognition of fair play and good sportsmanship, the white card is a direct contrast to red and yellow cards, which highlight rule-breaking and bad behaviour.

According to the Daily Mail, Portugal introduced the card as part of a series of initiatives to try to ‘improve ethical value in the sport’. The move was adopted by the Portuguese Football Federation and currently isn’t being used in any other country. Time will tell if football bosses in the UK consider it a strategy worth bringing into play.

First World War victim honoured

A SALVATION Army church leader who was one of the first civilians to be killed in the UK during the First World War has been honoured with a plaque in Hartlepool.

The plaque will be displayed at the Heugh Battery Museum in the town, which commemorates the bombardment of Hartlepool by the German navy.

Adjutant William Avery, who led a Salvation Army church in Hartlepool, was killed on 16 December 1914 after being struck by shrapnel from an exploding shell that hit his home.

The plaque was presented to the museum by his grandson James Gilman.

James says that William had been disabled in his 20s on board a ship while working as a deep-sea fisherman in Cornwall, and one day bought a one-way rail ticket to London, where he signed himself up to be a Salvation Army officer. William worked for The Salvation Army with his wife, Julia, for 20 years before his death.

White cards are a contrast to red and yellow cards

Over the next months it will be interesting to see the impact of the white card on football, players and fans. Surely highlighting fair (and not just foul) play is bound to make a difference to those playing and watching it. Is it possible that, as the white card is used more and more, yellow and red cards could be needed less and less? Perhaps I’m overly optimistic, but I’d like to think that may be the case.

I also believe that the principle behind the white card could be worth applying to my own life. I’m highly skilled at noticing faults with the people around me – but how often do I Iook for, acknowledge and appreciate their good points? How might my own character be different if I chose to encourage others openly, more than criticise them?

Perhaps, as more and more referees in Portugal show the white card, I should make it my goal to do the same. Who knows what positive results await.

WAR CRYWnRLD

TV presenter makes faith a life issue

‘MY job is not to talk about being a Christian – my job is to live it,’ TV presenter Dan Walker revealed in an interview with Church Times He told reporter Susan Gray that he is not ashamed of his faith and it is a big part of who he is. He said that he had ‘what people refer to as a conversion experience’ aged 12, when he heard somebody preaching and was aware of his need of a saviour.

Having turned down the request to write an autobiography, Dan has written a book about people ‘who’ve been to some of the darkest places, and are permanently trying to find the light at the end of a long tunnel’.

The book, Standing on the Shoulders, features the stories of people such as Mina Smallman, a former archdeacon who forgave her daughters’ killer, three fathers bereaved by the suicides of their daughters, and the convicted murderer Steven Gallant, who saved lives during a terrorist attack.

Dan said: ‘There are obvious things that resonate with me as a Christian: forgiveness, redemption, and sacrifice. There is a humility that flows through every chapter, which hits some of the tones the Christian story hits.’

‘Extreme levels of persecution’ for millions of Christians

NORTH KOREA is the country where Christians face the most severe persecution and discrimination, according to an annual report.

Open Doors, a global network that supports persecuted Christians across the world, has released its World Watch List 2023 report, which shows the 50 countries in which Christians are most oppressed. It has found that more than 312 million Christians face very high or extreme levels of persecution.

Other countries in the top 50 include

Afghanistan, China and Nicaragua.

In North Korea, which tops the list, a new anti-reactionary thought law criminalises any published material of foreign origin, which includes the Bible.

Timothy Cho, a North Korean escapee who is now the Open Doors spokesperson for the region, told Christian news website Premier: ‘This new law brings a new wave of persecution.’

When asked how Christians are

still able to share their faith, he said: ‘Just imagine a country that doesn’t have mobile phones or internet but you have human community. That’s how the story can pass on one by one… We need hope, without hope, humanity couldn’t come all the way until this moment. And that hope we find in faith, which I did in prison.’

He added: ‘Christians talk about it, and they pray… They know they can be killed, but they know their faith will not be destroyed.’

Premier League footballer passes on his skills

FORMER Premier League footballer Julio Arca has begun providing weekly football and fitness sessions for residents of The Salvation Army’s Swan Lodge, a centre for people experiencing homelessness.

During his career Arca played for Sunderland and Middlesbrough, and was part of the Argentinian squad that won the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in 2001.

Swan Lodge’s support worker Andy Smith, who runs football sessions for the residents, said: ‘We are all so excited to have an icon like Julio coming to train us. A lot of our residents are huge footy fans.

‘Julio will not only be helping our clients hone their football skills, but will be providing general fitness training for those who want to improve their health.

‘We’ve been running football sessions for our residents for years now and have seen what a difference it makes to them, not only with boosting physical fitness, but helping to build teamwork skills, resilience and improving mental health.’

Julio Arca with players from Swan Lodge

Refugee response – ‘Anyone could be in their situation’

Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

WITH more than 100 million displaced people in the world, the need for neighbourly love is great. Ben Still, The Salvation Army’s refugee response manager in the UK, says: ‘It’s clearly an issue that’s not going away any time soon, so we can’t just ignore it.’

Since September last year Ben has been working in the newly created role, which reflects both the need and the church and charity’s commitment to meet it. One of its biggest contributions to the crisis in recent years has been through community sponsorship.

‘Community sponsorship is where a church or community group – as opposed to the local authority – takes responsibility for resettling a refugee family into their area,’ says Ben. ‘They find a house, raise money, put together a support plan and then support the family’s resettlement for the next year.

‘The Salvation Army has been involved in that since the scheme started in the UK in 2016, and it has welcomed eight families in different places in the UK. Community sponsorship has been shown to be a very effective way of resettling people. The outcomes for those people are generally a lot better than those who have been resettled statutorily, because they’ve got a whole community of people who are coming around them. It’s a slower

process, but it makes a deeper change.’

Before his appointment as refugee response manager, Ben had already been volunteering in community sponsorship with E123 Welcomes, a group that his Salvation Army church in Stepney, east London, had helped to form in 2019.

The group welcomed a family in June 2021, which, he says, was a ‘positive experience’.

He says that he was motivated to play

a part in community sponsorship after becoming frustrated by the language that people were using about refugees in 2015.

‘I thought community sponsorship was a good way of helping people to engage with refugees and to understand their story and why it’s important to do what we can to support those fleeing from war and persecution – and to try to change some of the national conversation around the issue. The evidence is that community

Ben helps Nawal and Nasra with paperwork at their home in London. They are part of the refugee family sponsored by Ben’s community group, E123 Welcomes

Ben Still RESET/MILE91

Later this month it will have been one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then almost eight million Ukrainians are estimated to have left for neighbouring countries. The Salvation Army has been part of a scheme that has helped to place refugees from the conflict with host families in the UK. BEN STILL, the church and charity’s refugee response manager, talks about its involvement and about its wider work among refugees

A refugee resettlement centre in Poland

sponsorship does do that over time as people get to meet refugees in their communities.’

The work that was carried out in developing community sponsorship, says Ben, laid the foundations for the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Since war broke out in Ukraine in February last year, countries across Europe have sought to help. More than 157,000 Ukrainian refugees have been welcomed into the UK, and many Britons have taken their European neighbours into their homes.

The Salvation Army is a partner of Sponsor Refugees, which is run by community-organising alliance Citizens UK. The project facilitates groups that want to welcome a refugee family into their neighbourhood.

Ben explains: ‘We help with matching, so people who are linked to The Salvation Army and want to host refugees will contact us and then we arrange a match between them and a Ukrainian.

‘A number of our churches have welcome hubs and drop-in sessions for Ukrainian guests. Some also hold a session where local statutory services, such as people from the NHS, the job centre or the housing department, will

come so that people can engage with all the different services in one go.’

Through The Salvation Army’s partnership with Citizens UK, Ben went to Warsaw to visit some refugee resettlement centres.

‘These are places where people who are leaving Ukraine are first registered,’ he explains. ‘Essentially they are big warehouses. There are huge empty rooms with rows and rows of beds, where there are thousands of people sleeping, waiting to be able to move to somewhere more permanent where they can start a new life.

‘My visit highlighted to me the fact that there are people and families living in situations that you wouldn’t imagine people would be living in. They’re on top of each other on camp beds in a large room. We, as a country, have done amazingly in responding to this need, but we need more hosts because there are still a lot of people who need a safe place to be.

‘There are at least one million registered Ukrainian refugees in Poland. They are from all walks of life who do all sorts of

jobs. I was talking to a surgeon in one of the centres who was hoping to be able to work in Poland.

‘The reality of the situation hits you. There was a mum walking out of the centre in minus two degrees all wrapped up, with her little boy trailing behind her, who must have been the same age as my son. You realise that it could quite easily be anyone in their situation. And if it was me, how would I want to be treated by the countries that could help?’

Ben’s Christian faith is intrinsic to his desire to help.

‘I couldn’t see how I could have faith and not do something to respond to refugees,’ he says. ‘There’s a huge need for the church to be involved in refugee resettlement and welcoming people who are coming to our country seeking sanctuary from oppression and injustice.’

l For more information email refugeeresponse@salvationarmy.org.uk

There are still a lot of people who need a safe place

CHANGED AND OUT INSIDE

Interview by Emily Bright

HARRY and his mum moved into a new area when he was 16 years old. At that time she was frequently self-harming, and he was the one who had to call for ambulances. Looking for somewhere to fit in during a tough time, Harry fell in with a bad crowd who dealt drugs and burgled houses. Criminality became his new normal. Eventually, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison, and ended up serving seven and a half months. Two weeks into his sentence, he discovered that his mum had cancer, and she deteriorated quickly. He was allowed to visit her at the hospice, where a chaplain introduced him to youth charity In2Out, which mentors teenage

offenders in prison.

At first Harry saw engaging with In2Out as an excuse to leave his prison cell, but he began to trust his mentor, who provided emotional support in the wake of his mum’s death. The charity gave him career advice, and taught him people skills and how to cook. He is now a doting young dad, with a job, driving licence and healthy lifestyle.

In2Out works at Wetherby young offender institution. The charity was established in 2013 when one of the chaplains felt there needed to be support for young people once they left prison. Originally working with young men, the charity now also works with young women

Mark Screeton

MARK SCREETON, executive director of In2Out, explains how the organisation reduces youth reoffending and why he thinks young people should be given multiple chances to start afresh

at the young offender institution.

‘We meet with young people in custody who want a shift in their lives and don’t want to come back to prison,’ says Mark Screeton, executive director of In2Out. ‘We can begin to work with them and form a trusting relationship with them.

‘The young people are in a moment of crisis, thinking: “I’ve been sent to prison. Where do I go from here?” And we can say: “There are opportunities and potentially a different path for you. We’ve seen it evidenced in other young people’s lives. If you want our support, we’ll stick with you as you go through that.” That’s

not a message they’ve heard very often.

‘While they’re in custody, we get to know them and listen to their story. We start to understand where they’ve come from, their family dynamics. We talk about the challenges that they expect to face when they get out, such as where they’re going to live, what they’re going to do and if they’re going to be able to see family and friends. We can help them find the answers, or at least think through the options.’

people supported by In2Out have come from ‘varying degrees of broken homes’.

‘I think last year it was close to 60 per cent of the young people that we supported had been in care,’ he says, ‘whereas about 1 per cent of the general population has been in care.

‘It’s almost like the care system is a conveyor belt into prison, which is quite shocking. A lot of the people we see have very difficult family situations. Many have dropped out of school, so their education has not been complete. There are a lot of learning difficulties, which can mean that they don’t necessarily fit into the

Mark says that many of the young Turn to page 10 f

The people we see have difficult family situations

mainstream systems of education and they are at a massive disadvantage that can often lead them to be excluded from school, with the knock-on effect of them getting sucked into negative peer groups and gang affiliation. Such associations can lead to them committing serious crimes and ending up in prison.’

To break the cycle of reoffending and prepare the young people for independent living outside prison, the charity runs the Lifeskills challenge, a 12 to 15-week course which, Mark explains, teaches them everyday skills.

‘They need to cook for themselves, to be able to clean their home, and to understand how bills work, how to write a letter, how to update a CV. We talk through the things they’re going to be challenged with when they get out, help them to work out a solution and build their confidence.’

After the young person is released from prison to stay in a family home or hostel, their mentor is often the first face to greet them.

‘We will continue to mentor the young person, so we’re able to bridge the chasm between custody and community,’ says Mark.

‘Many people who find themselves in prison find the transition from prison back into the community difficult. What’s maybe slightly more peculiar for this group of prisoners is that many of them are still children, with stories of quite extreme neglect and abuse. So that continuity is even more essential, because it’s

often what they’ve lacked in their early childhood. When it comes to release, it will be their In2Out mentor who picks them up at the gate.’

Mark explains that, after leaving prison, the young people are given ‘a leaving custody kit’, which can include food vouchers, clothing and a mobile phone and credit so that they are able to communicate with their In2Out mentor, their youth offending team and their probation worker.

‘We give them that basic package to get them started,’ he says. ‘In those first weeks it’s about sorting the practical stuff

out: getting them a bank account, helping them get ID, registering with a doctor or dentist, signing up for college courses and looking into apprenticeships.’

The mentors also encourage the young people to develop positive social networks through volunteering, joining a gym or sports club or engaging with a faith community. The charity also teaches them to identify and manage triggers for their offending behaviour, making sure they react in a healthy way.

Mark says that In2Out supports the young people for as long as needed.

‘Ideally, over time, the amount of contact they need or want with their mentor trails off, but we’re still there. So we say to a young person when they sign up that, as long as they are serious about change, we’ll be involved for at least one year after their release.

‘But that’s not a bookend. We’re still

We sort the practical stuff out

supporting young men that we started working with when they were 17 or 18 and they’re now in their mid-20s. If they’re in a bit of a mess or don’t know what to do, they can call their In2Out mentor and ask for some advice and talk things through.’

In2Out’s hard work has paid dividends, Mark says.

‘In the national statistics for 15 to 18-year olds leaving prison, between 65 and 70 per cent will reoffend within 12 months. With our lads, the figure is always less than 25 per cent.

‘If a young person does reoffend six or nine months after coming out of prison, that’s always disappointing,’ he adds. ‘But it may be that, if they have been a serial offender for many years and they have managed to stay out of trouble for six to nine months, that is progress. Looking at

it in a black-and-white way ignores the complexity of the issues. We would go back and visit that young person who does reoffend.’

Mark highlights how the In2Out staff approach such visits with grace and sensitivity.

‘We ask: “Where do you think it went wrong? What was going on?” And then we ask them: “Do you want to try again?”

‘Most of them don’t expect to see us again, and those that do might expect to be told: “You blew it.” And so to have grace given to them is a big deal for them, and sometimes these kids can get emotional. They will say: “I can’t believe

you want to give it another go. And this time, I am on it. I’m really going to do it.”

‘That’s what it takes sometimes. Each time they’re getting a bit stronger and more resilient. They’re realising that actually they can get knocked down or trip up, but they can get back up again if the right support is there.’

Focusing resources and energy on rehabilitation is the only real way to tackle offending, Mark says.

‘If we want a safer society where these young people are contributing and are maximising their potential for the community, then you have to engage with them. If you don’t, you will just end up locking them up for the rest of their lives.

‘The young people have made mistakes, often very serious ones –there’s no getting away from that. But they deserve a second chance because it’s in everyone’s interest that we try. We show them that it’s possible to get on to a different track.’

The staff of In2Out are driven by their Christian faith. Mark explains that the grace they show to the young people is ‘what God does for all of us, every day, through Jesus’.

‘We don’t live any more under the condemnation of our sin because we’ve been given grace,’ he says. ‘In2Out is an organisation built around our Christian foundations. Our staff, trustees and many of our volunteers all understand this fundamental calling, to recognise in each of these damaged young people someone created in the image of God, deeply loved by him and deserving of forgiveness and grace as we are.

‘That’s why we’re persistent in our pursuit of the young people we work with. They’ve learnt not to trust people. They will push you away, or they’ll try to see whether you will walk away. Often our persistence is the thing that breaks through that, like going back to them if they’re brought back to custody. It’s this idea of God running after us. He doesn’t give up, so we won’t give up either.

‘What strikes me is how powerful it is to be able to speak God’s love to these people. They’re desperate for hope, grace and God’s love in their life, even if they don’t know that they are. And every day, we get the chance to show them that.’

l Harry’s name has been changed

They’re desperate for hope

Prayerlink

YOUR prayers are requested for Andrew, that he will accept the help being offered to him.

The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

jBecoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Walking with Jesus

The Holy Spirit

THE Holy Spirit is the tangible, life-changing and life-giving presence and power of God. But this is not just an energy source, like a mobile phone power pack.

The Spirit is represented by different symbols in the Bible – sometimes as a peace-bringing dove, sometimes as wind, sometimes as fire. All these symbols highlight the free, wild and transformative nature of the Spirit. We often perceive the presence of the Spirit by the effect on things we can see, in a similar way as we perceive the wind as it blows through leaves on the trees.

It was the Spirit landing on Jesus’ disciples like a fireball that ignited the worldwide movement we now call Church. This fire turned scared, timid people into world-changing warriors. This supernatural energy does not come from within us.

We receive the Spirit when we surrender to Christ and accept that we are no longer running the show.

Relying on the Holy Spirit is like jumping into a river and letting the current direct us. We can listen to what the Spirit is saying to us in dreams, in our thoughts, through the Bible and through other people. We need to keep our spiritual ears open for the wisdom that comes directly from the Spirit. The more we listen, the more we recognise the Spirit’s voice.

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen

The Spirit is also all about bringing peace and reconciliation. This is the symbol of the dove again. People often think in terms of us and them, in or out, right or wrong. The Spirit cannot be pinned down by anyone’s version of right or wrong. The Spirit is always moving between and through us, creating communities rooted in God’s love, reconciliation and peace. Address

When we first explore Christianity, we may have lots of questions. In this series, some of the basic principles of the faith are explained The Spirit cannot be pinned down

QUICK QUIZ

1 2 3 4 5 6

One of Van Gogh’s series of paintings titled Sunflowers can be seen in which British gallery?

In CS Lewis’s children’s book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, what item of confectionery does the White Witch use to tempt Edmund?

Ed Sheeran and Fairground

Attraction have both had No 1 hit singles with which title?

Who presents the BBC1 series The Repair Shop?

In which county is Corfe Castle?

Who created the comic strip Peanuts?

N-ICE sculptures

A trail of impermanent ice carvings in York is leading visitors past a centuries-old building

Feature by Claire Brine

HOW cool! Visitors to the city of York are being invited to take a walk through history and step into the future while admiring a collection of carefully handcrafted ice sculptures as part of the York Ice Trail. Running today (Saturday 4 February) and tomorrow, A Journey Through Time features 36 sculptures, each of which represents a different time or space dimension. Live ice-carving displays and interactive experiences are also dotted round the city, so families are hoping for a brrr-illiant day out.

According to the trail map, the frosty journey includes a stop at Middletons Hotel in Skeldergate, where visitors can check out a number of mythical ice sculptures, including The Enchanted Unicorn and The Monstrous Chimera. The towering York Minster also plays a part in the walk, as people pausing on the south piazza are able to view an icy creation called Gothic Grotesque, inspired by the building’s medieval architecture.

People find connection to the past

Unlike the frozen sculpture, which can do nothing but slowly melt, the minster is an impressive building that has been standing for centuries. Today people of all faiths and none continue to gaze upon it, finding connection to the past and inspiration in its craftmanship.

Some visitors recognise that the place of worship points towards a timeless, powerful story which changed the course of history. It’s the story of a God who loved the world right from the beginning and whose love will never melt away, no matter what the future holds.

One Bible writer summed up the story of God succinctly with the words: ‘His love endures for ever’ (Psalm 136:1 New International Version). Many experiences that we face in life are fleeting. Sometimes we try to cling on to people and places because we want them to last for ever – even though we know they cannot. But countless people throughout history have found that a relationship with God knows no end. Whoever seeks his love is guaranteed a warm welcome.

1. The National Gallery. 2. Turkish delight. 3. ‘Perfect’.

4. Jay Blades. 5. Dorset. 6. Charles M Schulz.

12. Youngster (8)

15. Pardoned (7)

16. Stain (6)

18. Boss (5)

20. Cruel giant (4)

HONEYC O M B

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these words associated with encouragement

Roast cod with tomatoes

Potato, cheese and leek pie

SERVES 2

EQUIPMENT

Scales

Measuring jug

Fork

Pie plate

Small saucepan

Whisk Rolling pin

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry

Salt

85g margarine or butter

220g plain flour, plus extra for surface

100ml water

Milk, to glaze

For the filling

200g potatoes, diced small

1 leek, finely chopped

85g cheese, grated

For the white sauce

200ml milk

10g plain flour

20g butter

Salt and pepper

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.

To make the pastry, add a pinch of salt and the margarine or butter to the flour and rub together with the tips of your fingers, lifting the mixture quite high and dropping it to give it air. Do this until it is fine like breadcrumbs, then add a small amount of water to the mixture and start to make the dough by stirring together with a fork. Keep adding small amounts of water until it forms a ball of dough. Do not put in too much, otherwise the pastry will be tough.

Flour the work surface and roll two thirds of the pastry until it is less than 0.5cm in thickness, then line a pie plate with it. Add the potatoes, leek and cheese to the pastry base.

To make the white sauce, pour the milk into a saucepan, then add the flour and butter and bring everything gradually up to simmering point, whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth and glossy. Turn the heat down to its lowest possible setting and let the sauce cook very gently, stirring from time to time, then add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the filling in the pastry base.

Roll out the remaining pastry for the lid, moisten the edges of the pastry and place the lid on top of the filling, pinching the edges of the base and lid together.

Prick the sides of the pastry, and brush with milk. Cook in the oven for 40-50 minutes, then serve.

Recipe provided by the Victory Programme

Jesus sAId: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’