The Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson MP, visited York on 4th February to learn how the local community, including volunteers, had helped after the recent flooding there. Representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in York were invited to meet with the Minister in the local Rowntrees Park, where 40 members had volunteered just a few days earlier to help clean up the flood-affected park. At the meeting were President Bill Kimberling, local church leader, and his wife, Sandra, with Elder and Sister Culbert, a full time missionary couple who have helped co-ordinate the Church’s flood relief efforts in the area.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
The Minister wanted to hear how the Church had contributed through its members and associated volunteers. He was struck by the news that over 300 people came to the LDS Church building in York on just the first day of its operation as a centre for flood relief. Elder and Sister Culbert explained how the Church received over 10,000 donated items and sent out teams of volunteers, regardless of their faith, to help those affected by the floods. As well as many individuals, businesses large and small had helped with donations of food and equipment, and the overall community effort from so many different areas had been outstanding. The Minister expressed interest in the interaction between volunteering organisations and their local authority.
President Kimberling told the Minister how the Church had ‘Helping Hands’ projects in all parts of the country and were willing to help the community if he, or his government colleagues, needed to call upon them. The Minister acknowledged and thanked Church members for all their efforts in providing help after the floods. In his government role Mr Wilson, MP, is responsible for supporting the civil society sector, which includes charities and volunteering.