Seven Sowers Charitable Trust

This Parish is registered with the Parish Giving Scheme which allows you to give to this Parish securely and safely online. Please click 'Regular Giving' to set up a monthly, quarterly, or annual Direct Debit or ‘One-Off Gift’ to make a single gift using your Debit, Credit Card or Apple/Google Pay wallet.

Welcome to the Seven Sowers Charitable Trust (the Trust). We are a registered Charity no 1151633, set up by the Rector and PCC's of the Seven Sowers Benefice in 2004 to fund Benefice-wide projects across our seven parishes: Beercrocombe, Curry Mallet, Hatch Beauchamp, Orchard Portman, Staple Fitzpaine, Stoke St Mary & West Hatch. The Benefice also includes an eighth parish, Thurlbear, where the ancient Norman church was sadly declared redundant in 1998, but is still a beautiful atmospheric, spiritual setting for Special Benefice Services and School events a handful of times each year. Since 2009 the Trust's main project has been employing a Children's worker and our current Children's Schools and Families Worker, CSF Worker Holly Stevens, is funded wholly by funds raised by the Trust.

Holly's role covers a number of areas. She has contact with almost 300 children most weeks, as she visits all three of our schools each week in term time. She shares bible stories with them and reflects on how our God is a loving, forgiving God and that we are all precious to Him, we are his special creation. Holly leads our monthly Messy Church, which is thriving, with mums, dads & grandparents as well as children coming along. We learn as we have fun together, trying out crafts, games, prayers etc that Holly has so cleverly prepared for us.

Whilst some of the funding for this work comes from the PCC's, the majority comes from individuals, mostly parishioners in the Benefice, who recognise the importance of this work, fulfilling Jesus’ Command in Matthew 19:14 to "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God". As The Seven Sowers Benefice we are sowing seeds. Some grow and bear fruit quickly, for others it will take time. But the seed is sown, and this work will continue to nurture it and help it to flourish one day.

If you too understand the importance of this work, teaching families and youngsters in our benefice that God loves them in this relevant and relatable way, please help us if you can. If possible please set up a Direct Debit which gives us certainty for future planning. If you can opt for your giving to increase annually with the cost of living, that helps us meet future costs even more, and you can always opt out of any increase if you change your mind. If you prefer to give a one-off donation, that too will be very gratefully received and put to good use.

Thank you for looking, and thank you for any help you can give.