A YORKSHIRE Dales church is taking welfare and worship from the tops of Barden to the depths of Semerwater with the launch of a new exhibition trailer.

The trailer, named Church About the Dale, will be providing active support and advice on debt, isolation, poverty, farming and community involvement across the isolated areas of Wensleydale.

The trailer is the inspiration of the Church of England and their Methodist colleagues in the Wensley region - which holds more than 60 places of worship, each serving between 50 and 10,000 inhabitants.

The Reverend Ian Robinson, rector for Bedale with Burrill, Thornton Watlass and Leeming, said: “We hope to be able to demonstrate the ways in which the church is not only relevant but also active in people’s lives and in providing support."

Social issues such as loneliness and isolation are bigger issues in the rural community because of cuts to services such as the buses, libraries and post offices, and are exasperated by the lack of internet access, leaving the rural communities without the most basic level of support, according to a recent consultation paper from Ripon Cathedral.

Mr Robinson said: “The paper sums up our purpose behind the trailer project.

“We believe that the trailer could give hope and a sense of purpose to people across the Dale, and more widely as we consider its use in other places.”

After 18 months of planning, the trailer was unveiled at the end of July in preparation for the Pilgrimage of Blessing it will undertake between August 23 and 31.

When fully kitted out, it will have hospitality space, seating, tea and coffee facilities and display space for leaflets and brochures about social issues and the Christian faith.

The area dean, the Rev Michael Hepper, added: “We are already involved with Hope Debt services, providing debt counselling and advice to the Dales.

“With the trailer we can take the services out into the field and provide local advice and referral.

“In terms of isolation, we will be providing space when on tour for people to meet, to sit and to talk. We will also be taking referrals for visitors from the churches to call and help relieve isolation."

For more information on the trailer and the pilgrimage’s route through Wensleydale visit http://www.church-about-the-dale.org.uk/.