>>> STOLEN BUS - CAN YOU HELP?

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:40:55 +0100

We need your help! Our Mercedes 609D Minibus was stolen from outside an audio outfitters in Perry Barr just a week or so before it would be ready for us to use as a means to serving children and young people.

The Diocese of Birmingham has generously given us the bus and it has been undergoing work to enable us to run music and careers workshops as well as general drop in sessions. A couple of projects with similar goals and values to us were also going to use the bus.

We are desperate to see this vehicle recovered - it holds far more value to us and what we can do with it than it’s commercial or insurance value. We have no idea where it is so wherever you are reading this please keep your eyes peeled just in case. We’re praying for it’s safe return! For more details please read on...

The registration number is N632 SOP although this may have been changed. The original colour was a faded yellow with blue logos for the Allen’s Croft Project on either side. It may have now been repainted but these graphics could still show through at an angle due to the sun bleached bodywork.

On the passenger side of the bus at the back there is an air vent for a generator - this is a distinguishing feature as few buses have generators on board! On the driver side there is a valve for filling a water tank. We have now ripped the water tank out but the valve may still be present or an attempt to cover it up may be obvious.

There should be around 35,000-36,000 miles on the clock - anything sub 50,000 would be highly irregular on a vehicle of this age as they can do up to 500,000 kilometres.

The inside of the bus has a new graphite/black floor and speakers lining the length of the ceiling on both sides. Apart from this the inside may either be empty or fitted with 10 seat belted seats.

Again if you see anything resembling this please get in touch (office@urbandevotion,org) but also feel free to pass this web page on to others. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Love & Blessings,
All at UDB

>>> LOOKING BACK ON JUNE...

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:17:52 +0100

June began with the nation riding high on a wave of optimistic euphoria. Could their heroes fulfil their potential?

Fast forward a few weeks and England had been unceremoniously dumped out of the World Cup and Andy Murray had fallen at the penultimate hurdle in his quest for Wimbledon glory. Undaunted, Urban Devotion continued nonetheless excited by the prospect of serving a whole bunch of children and young people in achieving their potential.

We piggybacked on the World Cup with a series of lessons in several local primary schools focusing on the differences between nations, the inequalities and richness that permeate the various cultures. Children got to eat cake, write and record lyrics and play football!

We also enjoyed our first foray into teaching at Kingsbury School. We had a great day with Year 10 helping them to think about what it means to have faith when other people might believe something different. As a team we were also privileged to meet a holocaust survivor who shared his story in another session during the day.

We held a couple of community events that took advantage of football fever - notably a post Kidsclub parents event and also a special Father’s Day Breakfast featuring a full English breakfast and a giant game of parent and child football.

If you would like to know what we have been up to in more detail please get in touch with us - office@urbandevotion.org.

Love & Blessings,
The UDB Team

P.S. If you would still like to make a donation to our Sponsored Abseil you can still do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/udbabseil

>>> THANK YOU!

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:49:49 +0100

A huge thank you to everybody who supported our Giant Abseil either by cheering us on, praying for us or donating!

Some of the team had to overcome significant fears but incredibly all climbed up the rickety steps to the top of the belltower and then descended to the bottom with varying degrees of panache!

If you have not made a donation and would like to then don’t worry - you can still do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/udbabseil

>>> JUSTGIVING.COM/UDBABSEIL

Tue, 25 May 2010 14:29:52 +0100

This Saturday we are involved in a great Giant Abseil fundraising event with people raising money for several Birmingham-based charities that are close to their hearts.

If you are interested in supporting UDB please visit www.justgiving.com/udbabseil or email office@urbandevotion.org for further details.

If you would just like a fun day out why not come along to Aston Parish Church on Saturday 29th May from 11am?