Million Minutes announces grants to young people ahead of new siLENT challenge

Catholic youth charity Million Minutes this week announced the awarding of a number of grants to youth projects around the UK. Grants were awarded to groups of young people in schools and parishes who had shown their commitment to putting Catholic social teaching into practice to help to improve their world.

The youth2YOUTH group at St Cecilia's Catholic High School in Preston is one of the recipients, drawing young people together from rural communities and the inner city. Together they plan to gather the views of young people and to develop a social action project to respond to young people's concerns.

Harriet and Kayleigh, young people in the Preston group, jointly explained their hopes: "This project would be really great to improve our self confidence and self esteem as young people, and to be able to show we care about others. It will give us a real voice and the opportunity to make a change and a real difference to speak out on local and global issues."

The Brentwood Catholic Youth Service also received funding to support the training of one of their young leaders, reflecting Million Minutes' desire to enable young people to grow as leaders.

"We're delighted to make these awards and support young people to transform their lives and the lives of those around them," said Danny Curtin, a Trustee of the charity. "Million Minutes is funded entirely through sponsored activities by young people and those who want to support them. It's a fantastic witness to the power of young people."

Founded in 2011 by a group of young Catholics, Million Minutes has given away thousands of pounds to projects all over the UK that support young people to transform their lives and the lives of those around them. Million Minutes are once again raising money through their siLENT fundraiser which encourages adults and young people to put down their smartphones, log out of Facebook or find 24 hours to stay silent to raise money for Million Minutes.

People are invited either to join in for the whole of Lent by finding time for silence each day, such as by giving up Facebook, or by staying silent for 24 hours over any one of the forty days.

Students at St Austin's RC primary school in Stafford is holding a mass Lenten silence across its year groups to raise much-needed funds for Million Minutes.

"We're really proud of our pupils for taking on such a tough challenge," said Helen Perry, the school's Catholic Life Co-ordinator. "Silence is right at the heart of our Catholic tradition, but it's something very hard to find in today's increasingly busy world. Million Minutes have made it easy to join in with their resources for primary schools like ours."

Million Minutes boasts high profile support from best-selling cookery writer Delia Smith as well as youth champions and peace activists Margaret and Barry Mizen.

Margaret recently said: "Young people face so many challenges today, but they have so much potential to change their lives and the lives of others. They get such a bad press, but we've seen so many great things that young people have done. Giving up things like Facebook or staying silent will give us all the time to think about the good that we can do in our society and help each of us concentrate on what we can actually do as Catholics. We know that young people are amazing. We want everyone to join Million Minutes' siLENT this year to raise much needed funds for projects like ours and many other around the UK."

Resources specially designed for young people in primary and secondary schools and in youth groups can be downloaded from the Million Minutes website.

siLENT starts on Ash Wednesday, 5 March and runs until Good Friday 18 April. Sign up online at http://po.st/siLENT14