May 5th, 2025, 8am MDT
The Northampton England youth were able to see the interests of the Latter-day Saint Church of Jesus Christ recently as representatives of King Charles III of England and show some of what they are doing to serve others.
Over the course of months, young people collected thousands of stamps for charity. The stamps were donated to charity Oxfam, and were sufficient to provide wells in Africa. Northampton, England, is about 69 miles or 110 kilometers north of London.
The effort was visited in March from James Sanders Watson, mid-Li, Northamptonshire.
Watson is the representative of the King of the County, and as a result, the office is primarily and most importantly obligated to maintain the dignity of the crown.
In an online news article in Northamptonshire, Watson said: “It was a joy to have a very wonderful evening with Ketterling and the youth group in Northampton at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Everyone was very involved in all the activities from the very active game of Oxfam stamps and dodgeball.”
About 50 young men and young women from the stakes between the ages of 11 and 18 were there for activities that night.
Following the King’s example, the Debbie Twiger stakeholders have explained that the adjutant is seeking to promote a good atmosphere and spirit of cooperation through the encouragement given to voluntary service and merciful organizations, and the interest taken in the industrial and social life of the county.
Bishop Keith Reynolds of Kettering District said, “We were pleased that Middle Li and his wife were present tonight and met some wonderful young people who live by his teachings to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and help others around them.”
Young people in Kettering Ward have collected stamps for Oxfam charity and have collected them previously last Christmas, and have since continued to collect and donate.
After King Charles’ Corner Ceremony in May 2023, youth and church members across the UK served the community through JustServe as part of great help.
Other service projects from stake youth in Northampton England
Young people in Northampton stock have served in many other ways to celebrate their community.
As part of the December 2024 Stake Youth Christmas Activities, all young people spent time writing Christmas cards across four care home residents (based in Northampton, Bedford, Kettering and Huntingdon) as part of their Kindness postcards.
In October 2024, a young woman from Duston Ward participated in a service activity supporting Northampton baby basics. They have put together a large basket full of all the practical essentials a new mother and baby may need over the first weeks or months of birth. The basket featured items such as diapers, toiletries, clothing, blankets and some chocolate treats for moms.
At the Young Women’s Camp in August 2024, 32 young women, ages 11-13, and their leaders hiked from the campsite in Hutton to the No Thlee House School. While there, the young women and leaders weeded, cleaned outdoor furniture, prepared the grounds and cleaned the chicken coop.
Helen Boyen, the president of the stake’s young woman, said helping the chickens was the most popular choice. “The girls worked hard, had lots of fun and made a lasting impression on the staff there.”
Young people from all over the stake gathered cream eggs in April 2024 for Northampton’s North Ukraine Association. The Stake Youth Committee has decided on a target target of 500 cream eggs in a month, more than double that number. The eggs were sent to Ukraine along with other items donated by stake members.
Additionally, in April 2024, stake youth activities gave us the opportunity to participate in services that support missionary tools. Christian charities collect unwanted, easy-to-use tools, renovate them, sort them into trade toolkits, and send them to developing countries for the creation of a livelihood. Young people renovated various tools during their activities and were handed over to charities for future use.
