[Gayle]

I've found out a little more about this scheme and this church and as usual it looks like the local papers have made a mountain out of a molehill.

I called into the church on spec and asked about the project and they were more than pleased to tell me all about it. There was no secrecy or cover up involved and they let me read all their documents on the subject and showed me around. Anyone could do the same! I know for a fact that a couple of representatives from the Labour party phoned up and visited the place this week to be briefed, I'm sure the Conservatives could have done exactly the same without the sensationalist approach.

The project is called RESTORE, it is about rehabillitating ex offenders or ex drug users. Currently, the have 10 people on the project (not 100s like you've been led to believe). All of them had drug or alcohol problems (NO paedophiles) which led to a life of crime. These 10 people are now clean of drugs and therefore, no longer likely to go back to criminal ways. They are being helped to get jobs, sort out accommodation or find a college course. One example that I was told about was a young man who's now studying at Acc & Ross college - the church has bought him the education and the tools that he'll need to get him back on his feet. They also provide one on one mentors to support the people on the project, to provide friendship and to help them stay away from the people who led them into drugs in the first place.

All of the people who are on the project are people who lived in Hyndburn before they went to prison (no one is being imported from anywhere else).

So what's better - these people get sucked into a life of drugs and crime, go to prison then when they return they're just left to stroll right back into the same lifestyle - or they come out of prison onto this project and get their lifes back in order?

As you know, I'm not a particularly religious person but I have to say that this church looks like it's doing some good work in the community. They have a regular 300 people attending services (this is at a time when attendances at church are dwindling), the run toddler and parent groups, after school clubs, support for deprived families, help elderly people etc. We should be looking to support this type of thing and not passing them off as crackpot christians.

One thing that I particularly liked when I was shown around was the number of teenagers that are involved. At a time when Oswaldtwistle is really struggling with a teenage problem to see so many young people helping out as volunteers is a fantastic thing. Apparently these are people who have given up their 'gap' year to help run the place.