St Luke's Church Eccleshill, Bradford, UK

Women re-ViTal-ized

A group for young and young-at-heart women has entered its second year in the north-east of Bradford. Named "ViTal, it calls together women in the three parishes of St Cuthbert Wrose, St Luke Eccleshill and St James Bolton.

ViTal members

The group grew from a "Girls' Night Out" event which took place when David James, the Bishop of Bradford, visited the area in the summer of 2003. St Cuthbert's Church, Wrose, invited women from surrounding parishes to a fun evening, and the idea of inter-church collaboration in such events was born. At a number of smaller events the foundations for the group were laid, and ViTal was officially launched in January 2005.

Secretary Beverley Nuttall, from St Cuthbert's says: "We decided there was a need for women to be able to get together to chat, laugh, cry and let their hair down if necessary. We chose the name ViTal as we believe Jesus is vital to life as well as the air you breathe, the food you eat and the water you drink."

ViTal runs a programme for the year which includes three large "Girls Night Out" events and regular smaller monthly meetings. The organisers hope that the friendship, encouragement, support and fun that ViTal will provide will become as important in other women's lives as it is in their own.

ViTal is supported by the three churches, and by Calverley Deanery as part of the "Deanery Devolution" process of Bradford Diocese.