Some of you will know that Alresford Deanery of which Itchen Valley Parish forms part has an Overseas Mission Link with the Diocese of Lango in Northern Uganda.

We have over the last few years sent the collections that we raise at Candlemas which is this coming Sunday to Lango.  This post is to give you some background to Lango and what has been done with the contributions that we have raised in the past.

The link started in the 1970s with a visit to Uganda by Bishop John Taylor who was bishop of Winchester between 1975 and 1985.  Since then there have been various trips from Ugandan priests to Alresford and from Alresford to Uganda culminating in the trip by Revd. Stephen Mourant in 2017.  During that visit Stephen was able to visit projects which the Deanery of Alresford has funded and to see how to fund them in the next few years.

Most recently Alresford Deanery has been supporting two projects in particular:

Assisting the Mothers’ Union to complete their premises for work with all sorts of different people

Assisting in the completion of the Youth Vocations Centre in Boro Boro where youth vocational training is being provided – the provision of 10 extra sewing machines most recently has improved their facilities hugely.

The Bishop of Lango The Right Rev Prof Alfred Olwa wrote to ask whether we might be able to help them complete the project for the Youth centre – the total cost is estimated to be about £11,500.  More details can be obtained from Revd Stephen Mourant at stevemourant@btinternet.com.

Stephen kindly attended a PCC meeting before Christmas and gave a presentation on our link with Lango.  As a result the PCC agreed that its Candlemas collection would be given as Itchen Valley Parish’s contribution towards our Lango link.

Please note that Candlemas is next Sunday and so both collections at the service both the Family Service and the Book of Common Prayer communion will be given to our Lango link – please come with cash and give generously!

Alex Pease