The Bishop of Liverpool, Rt Revd James Jones, visited Centre 63 today. Centre 63 is described by the Diocese of Liverpool as a groundbreaking project for young people in Kirkby and Knowsley.
He met with young people who have benefited from the Youth Enquiry Service (YES), toured the building and sat down to discuss strategies for improving people’s lives in Kirkby with members of staff and the Centre 63 Board.
Bishop James was clearly impressed by what he saw and heard and is set to become a Patron of the Charity. Funding valuable work like that of Centre 63 in the voluntary sector is becoming increasingly difficult during these times of economic hardship, yet the work is more necessary than ever. Centre 63 depends on a mixture of funding from charitable trusts and from the public purse. With this mixed funding it is able to provide a service in Kirkby that the local authority might not otherwise be able to. It is also able to make use of its grassroots nature and its premises independent of any authority figures to make its services accessible to those who are put off by more formal settings. These things were commended by the Bishop and continue to be welcomed by many local people.