On the 11 January, Elaine Smith stepped into her new role of Community Development Worker for the charity Together Leicester.
We met with Elaine and asked her to introduce herself and tell us a little more about her new role... "My name is Elaine Smith and I am a local Leicester lass who has been kicking around the diocese in different guises for a while. Some of you might know me from the Friday lunchtime prayers at the Cathedral, some might know me as a member of St Christopher's Church on the 'Saff', I am the Community Missioner at St Chad's in North Evington and a tutor on the JiF (Journey in Faith) course at St Crispin's. I am a commissioned Church Army pastoral Evangelist, so for me, this is my dream job."
"My brief is to promote and enable churches, or groups of churches, based in the county of Leicestershire to do all the necessary ground work to set up Community Kitchens, including putting in an application for further funding from the County Council. In our post-pandemic world where food and heating and prices are soaring, and many wages are frozen, or jobs lost completely, food and food poverty will become ever more important. As churches, we are in the perfect position to serve our communities where we have not only the care of souls, but also the care of bodies and mental wellbeing. We have been a trusted part of our parishes and benefices for generations, we are not going to up-and-leave when things get tough. If your church community has a passion for those on the edges of society, for those who are just about managing, and those needing help, then drop me an email at elaine.smith@togetherleicester.org.uk and we can have a chat either in person or online. No one deserves to go hungry."