The Archbishop of Wales, the Most Reverend Dr Barry Morgan, will officially open the new offices of Church Army project Valley of Hope in Aberdare on Thursday (11 March), at 1 pm.

Valley of Hope supports ex-offenders and other vulnerable people in settling back into the community. These spacious offices have been secured for the project with significant help from the Welsh Assembly Government. The offices will be a base for the team, but also include space for ministry and groups to meet as well.

The Archbishop, who will say a prayer of dedication at the event, has already visited the project, about which he said: "The Valley of Hope Project tries to help those whose lives are in desperate straits, and gives them the confidence to enable them to start again. That – to my mind – goes to the heart of what the Gospel is."

Also in attendance will be Church Army's Chief Executive, Mark Russell, who will give a short speech about the Project's amazing successes. Mark says: "The Valley of Hope led by my friend Ralph Upton is doing amazing and stunning work in Rhondda Caff Tynon. I had the privilege of visiting Aberdare and seeing at first hand the lives being changed and transformed. This is what the Gospel is all about: bringing freedom to the captive."

Those gathered will include staff, supporters, clients of the project, the Welsh Assembly Government team who support the work (including Angela Guitiererez), and representatives of the local community.

One Valley of Hope client has commented: "If it wasn't for the Valley of Hope, I would be dead. Dead in my box."

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