Orphans feeling at home in Worcestershire
ORPHANS from Portugal were given a warm welcome to Worcestershire when a group of youngsters freed up official funding to pay for their visit.
The 14 youngsters were invited to Redditch by a youth group from the Christ Church, Matchborough, in a bid to strengthen ties between the two towns.
Hundreds of pounds were awarded to the cause by Redditch Borough Council to welcome the Portuguese orphans, who are all from the Church of the Good Samaritan in Setubal, to the town as part of an exchange programme.
Over the past two years the Redditch church group visited Setubal to help provide food and shelter for the homeless as well doing their bit to clean up the streets.
Phil Williams, a community worker at Christ Church, said: “Links between the churches in Setubal and Matchborough have developed over the last ten years with many benefits to both communities.
“Young people from both churches have spent time working and living in each other’s community.
“Groups have visited each other and shared their mutual ambition of serving their local communities.”
Dr Maria das Marques Banheiro Meira, the Mayor of Setubal, and Dr Maria da Conceicao Corria Loureiro, the Minister for Social Affairs, were also at the welcoming reception at Redditch Town Hall.
The orphans were treated to a series of exciting cultural trips including a tour of Warwick Castle, visits to Forge Mill and Bordesley Abbey, a day with Youth Afloat on Arrow Valley Lake, and a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.
Funds were donated by Worcestershire County Council FLOSS Fund, a Positive Activities Grant from Coun Juliet Brunner, a grant from Redditch Student Council and donations from members of Christ Church.
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