29th August 2025

Ignite Project aims to fire up County's young people for Jesus

A major new initiative that will see the Good News of Jesus blaze across the hearts of children and young people in Lancashire launched this week.

The Ignite Project is part of the Diocese of Blackburn’s ambitious vision to see Jesus made known amongst the younger generation in the County. Funding for the project follows a generous grant from the national church. Read more about the whole of Ignite’s work here where parishes can also find out how they can get involved.

The Diocese knows that employing a youth or children’s minister is the biggest common factor to seeing sustainable growth of ministry to those age groups. So we are strategically placing 30 youth and children’s leaders in parishes across Lancashire to enable greater engagement with local young people.

These leaders will be employed locally in, and work for, parishes across the Diocese.

The Ignite Project launch took place at the Diocesan Offices on the edge of Blackburn and the first cohort of Ignite Leaders and the clergy from the churches where they are based were welcomed.

The Ignite Leaders vanguard present on the day were Hattie Boak who is working for Rufford St Mary's and Tarleton Holy Trinity Church and Tash Green, working for All Saints Higher Walton and Holy Trinity Hoghton.

Rachel Gardner, Youth Innovation Lead at St Luke's Blackburn, gave the opening address and talked about how Jesus places the child in the midst of the Christian community so we should be doing that too.

Meanwhile, Rev. Jono Peatman, curate-in-charge at Christ Church Wesham, led the group in sung worship during a day which included talks; workshops; introductions to Diocesan team members and the Ignite Project team; lunch – even Ignite branded cupcakes!

At time progresses, the group will meet regularly at community-building and training days called the Forge. The Forge days will feature guest speakers who are experts in youth and children's work, tools for wellbeing, training and more.

The whole day was well-received by all who took part. Rev. Hannah Boyd, from the Higher Walton and Hoghton churches, said: "I am excited about what the future will hold: building on existing work and going from strength to strength, drawing in the wider church. It will be great to be part of this work as we continue to reach the children and young people in the wider area. Today has been really helpful.”

And Fr Mark Soady from Rufford and Tarleton commented: "I am very excited by the project, it's a symbol of how much importance the Diocese and the wider Church of England are putting on children and young people that they're investing in this project, it's a privilege to be part of this pioneering work."

Ignite Project Manager, Sam Lee, added: "It was fantastic to be able to gather the first cohort together to explore the vision for growth of youth and children's work in each parish, to pray together and encourage each other. I'm excited to see where their ministries lead and how the Ignite Project grows in the coming years."

Captions for the photos above, top to bottom:
Pictures taken by Heather Lee for Blackburn Diocese

• Back row (l-r) Rev Jono Peatman, Rachel Gardner, Fr Joe Kochanski, Rev Ian Sarginson, Fr Mark Soady, Rev Hannah Boyd, Ali Demet, Sarah Earnshaw. Front row (l-r) James Lapping, Tash Green, Hattie Boak and Ignite Project Manager, Sam Lee
• Ignite Project merchandise is already available!

Ronnie Semley, August 2025