Bus to tour York as mobile church youth centre (From York Press)

Bus to tour York as mobile youth centre for St Michael le Belfrey Church

8:43am Friday 16th November 2012 in News

Lee Kirkby, the new youth worker for St Michael le Belfrey Church, on the double-decker bus which will tour York as a mobile youth centre

THE new youth worker at one of York’s busiest churches is preparing to hit the city’s streets – with the help of a vintage London bus.

Lee Kirkby has been appointed at St Michael le Belfrey Church in Minster Yard and says he wants to take the church into the community, using the bus to visit various neighbourhoods to meet and chat to young people and to host events.

He said: “My real passion is going out there and reaching people. We are here to invest in the young people of York long-term – not just for one event.”

He said St Michael’s would work with other churches and youth organisations and said it was more sensible to approach people in their own neighbourhoods than to expect them to come to the church.

Lee, 25, grew up in Beverley and was England’s youngest verger when he was 13. Before being appointed to his new job, he was Youth Minister at Beverley Minster, overseeing major changes in the church’s youth work and launching a number of successful new projects, including a monthly youth café event that often attracted 200 people.