New bus to aid outreach to Armagh's marching bands

A project led jointly by the Church of Ireland and Church Army will next month welcome its first ministry bus for outreach to marching bands in Armagh.

The bus is to be inaugurated on 6 March by the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Rev Alan Harper, as part of the Zacchaeus Outreach Project.

The official dedication will be joined by Vice Lord Lieutenant of Tyrone, Peter Acheson, and representatives of the Ulster Bands Association and the Ulster Scots Agency.

The bus will be used to transport volunteers to band parades and band meetings, where it will then act as a hub for anyone wanting to come and talk about faith and issues affecting everyday life.

The project is to be coordinated by Church Army sister and diocesan evangelist Valerie Thom and has the additional support of the Church of Ireland Priorities Fund, churches in the Armagh Diocese and the Armagh Diocese itself.

Archbishop Harper said he was pleased to see the Zacchaeus Outreach Project working with bands "so directly".

"It is always most effective to work with and listen to people 'where they are at', so this café-on-wheels is an innovative approach to really being there for people," he said.

"I commend everyone who has been involved in making it happen, not least Sr Valerie Thom, the diocesan evangelist, who has shown personal dedication in getting it going and I feel sure it will lead to meaningful engagement and further valuable work."