International volunteers lend a hand to holiday club at Daventry Methodist Church

Sara, Caroline and Lena from Germany, America and Ukraine respectively helped run the daily club for Daventry children as part of the church's Grace Project.

About 65 children attended the club, which was fish and chip chop themed.

Rachel Coupe, director of the Grace for the Next Generation organisation, said: "Everyone had an amazing time playing games, making marine crafts, hearing stories, and jumping for joy.

"The holiday club was so popular that several families changed their holiday plans so that the children could attend for longer than they'd originally booked!"

Moving creations during the week included the figure of an articulated man and a model Jesus disappearing into a cloud.

The children took part in a wet sponge relay race, parachute games and, during the goodbye party for the volunteers, a barn dance.

There is an open invitation for anyone to come to the all-age service at Daventry Methodist Church at 10:30am on Sunday, September 10 where news of the next volunteers and events for the new academic year will be announced.

The Grace Project exists to help churches to reach children. It currently provides churches in England and Wales with a full or part time professional children’s worker - someone with experience, training and the skills needed to develop and sustain a children’s work programme.