The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, will face questions and quizzes in the Deanery of Guisborough (parishes grouped around the Guisborough / Redcar / Saltburn area) during a Mission Weekend from Friday 27th April to Sunday 29th April, as he sees a slice of local life and joins local church members in sharing their faith.

Friday 27th April

At 9.45am Archbishop Sentamu will arrive at St Thomas’ Church, New Marske (TS11 8EG) to join Area Dean of Guisborough the Revd. Canon Rachel Harrison and parishioners for a short service of Morning Prayer.

The Archbishop will then join parents, children and the group leaders at ‘Tom’s Tots’ a church-run pre-school playgroup. The Archbishop will tell a Bible story, chat with parents and children, and the children have learned a song to sing for him.

At 11.00am the Archbishop will visit Kilton Thorpe Specialist Academy (KTS) (Brotton, Saltburn TS12 2UE), an all-age special school, to join a weekly community coffee morning hosted by students. The coffee morning introduces students to work placements in catering as well as raising funds for the school, in which 160 pupils are served by 100 teaching and support staff including specialists in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, counselling and speech therapy. In addition to Early Years Foundation Stage provision, KTS has a thriving 14-19 unit and specialist provision for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties as well as those with an autistic spectrum condition

At KTS the Archbishop will meet Rector of Brotton the Revd. Jonathan Rhodes, and Kath Cuthbert who is Secretary to the Parochial Church Council in Brotton and a Teaching Assistant at KTS running the café for students aged 15-19. As well as chatting with students, staff and local residents enjoying the coffee morning, the Archbishop will give a short talk and take part in a question-and-answer session.

At 1.00pm the Archbishop will visit Redcar Market (Redcar High Street) for a walkabout where he will meet up with traders and customers at a coffee caravan.

At 2.30pm the Archbishop will visit Wheatlands Primary School (Redcar TS10 2PU), which has strong links with St Peter’s Church in Redcar. He will meet members of the school’s leadership team and join Year 5 and 6 students, their families and school staff for a ‘Meet the Archbishop’ event where he will speak about his life, faith and work and answer some questions.

At 7.30pm the Archbishop will join the Archdeacon of Cleveland Samantha Rushton and the Bishop of Whitby Paul Ferguson at the popular weekly quiz night and supper in The Railway Arms at Brotton (High Street TS12 2SP), whose landlord Graham Cutler is a well-known local campaigner on community issues. Dr Sentamu will take part in the quiz and speak in the interval.

Saturday 28th April

At 9.30am the Archbishop will join men from churches across the Deanery of Guisborough for breakfast at The Riverside Café at Skinningrove (Saltburn TS13 4AU). The Riverside Building is a former school now run as a Community and Employment Centre where the Archbishop will meet local Rector the Revd. Adam Gaunt, Mayor of Loftus Councillor Mike Hodgson and Councillor Barry Hunt of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, site administrator Sharon Walker voluntary trustee (and Financial Adviser to the Deanery of Guisborough) Alan Gardner and Sister Anna Bowes who helps with the Breakfast preparation. He will speak informally to people over breakfast and encourage men in their membership of and life in the church before taking some questions.

At 2.00pm Dr Sentamu will meet people on the seafront at Saltburn during a walkabout with members of Emmanuel Church. He will chat with local people, share his faith with them and hand out literature as he goes.

At 7.00pm the Archbishop will arrive at St Peter’s Church, Redcar (Lord Street TS10 3JL) for ‘Ask, Share, Hear’, an outreach event with live music and personal testimonies at which he will join a panel with the Bishop of Whitby and Archdeacon of Cleveland Sam Rushton at St Peter’s for an extended evening of questions and answers fronted by local radio personality Julie Donaldson (Zetland Radio).

Sunday 29th April

At 9.15am the Archbishop will arrive to preside and preach at a Service of Holy Communion at The Dunes, a sheltered accommodation complex (Low Farm Drive, Redcar TS10 4FQ) which is currently the temporary home of St Hilda’s Church, Kirkleatham, pending the replacement of their building which was recently demolished due to structural issues. After the service Dr Sentamu will mingle with residents and staff of The Dunes at their weekly Sunday coffee morning.

At 11.30am Archbishop Sentamu will arrive at St Nicholas’ Church, Guisborough (Westgate TS14 – note local road closures) from where he will join celebrations and community events around the start of the East Cleveland Klondike Grand Prix cycle race (part of the Spring Series HSBC Elite Cycling Series) at 12.00 noon. He will take a walkabout in the High Street and chat with those involved in activities in the church, including a cycle exhibition, craft stalls and face painting, and he will take part in a drumming workshop outside the church.

At 2.00pm Dr Sentamu will arrive at Easington Village Hall (next door to All Saints’ Church, Grinkle Lane, Easington TS13 4NT – note local road closures) to participate in the village meet for the Klondike cycle race (see above). He will mingle with local spectators and volunteers from the church and community offering refreshments and running games and children’s activities.