Transforming Communities Gift Day
8 June
St Stephen’s is excited to be holding a Transforming Communities Gift Day on Sunday 8 June. This day will be focused on raising funds for four selected projects which resonate with our vision of Loving God, Growing Disciples and Transforming Communities. This new annual Gift Day is designed to raise one-off funds for churches and groups which are not St Stephen’s existing long-term mission partners, but which we recognise are doing inspiring work to transform communities. This initiative provides us with an opportunity to show courageous generosity as described in our commitment to Grow and Resource the wider church, one of the three pillars of our new Grow church strategy. The target for this year’s Gift day is £40,000.
The four projects to be featured this year are below.
St. Peter’s Church Norbiton - The ‘Community Engagement with Cambridge Road Estate residents’ project
This project will use the church’s Archway parish rooms at the heart of the Cambridge Road estate to connect with the local residents. The Archway rooms will be used to accommodate mother and toddler groups, host welcome teas, hold worship services, run training for lay pioneers in estates ministry, provide a space for community activities, and also provide gifts and essential items to local residents. Through these activities St Peter’s aims to connect with dozens of unchurched residents on the estate. They have asked for £11,200 to support their activities in 2025. For more information on the work of St. Peter’s Norbiton please visit https://stpetersnorbiton.org.uk/
Hope Church Hounslow - The ‘Community Connection and Engagement’ project
This project aims to help, support and love people who are in need, lonely and often have very little. Hope Church uses two main tools to support vulnerable people in their neighbourhood –
· Good Company – a lunch club for the over 50’s, which provides a hot meal each week followed by a variety of social activities, as well as an annual outing.
· Hope Haven – a weekly drop-in café for those seeking asylum and refuge. This provides a safe space for social interaction, distributions of essential items, English-language conversation workshops and emotional support.
Through these activities they aim to improve emotional well-being, strengthen community bonds for those who are isolated, enhance social support, and improve English skills for those where English isn’t their 1st language.
Hope Church Hounslow has asked for £12,000 to support its work this year. For more information about Hope Church Hounslow please visit https://www.hopehounslow.org.uk/
Safe Families for Children - The ‘training and equipping churches to serve families at risk and in need’ project
Safe families and Home for Good are focused on empowering and supporting parents and carers so children and families can flourish. They do this by inspiring and equipping churches to create communities of care, hospitality and belonging, and influencing systemic change for children and families. This project will provide training to church members on how to become a foster carer, adoptive parent or supported lodgings host, and how to support vulnerable families to care for children experiencing trauma, ADHD, autism and other challenges. By the end of the year they aim to see more churches connected, trained and equipped to explore the part they can play in helping children grow up in safe and supportive families. Safe families has asked for £8,000 towards the costs of their work this year. For more information about the work of Safe Families please visit http://safefamilies.uk/
The Nehemiah Project - ‘A New Future : addiction recovery programme for vulnerable men’ project
The Nehemiah Project is a Christian charity based in south London, which provides an abstinence-based addiction recovery programme. They primarily work with men aged 30-55 years, who have experienced childhood trauma, chaotic and dysfunctional lives and have often spent years going in and out of prison. This project will support the costs for their 30 residents to attend a New Future - a 13-week course with sessions every weekday morning, comprising process groups and educational sessions. Course modules include resources to manage drug and alcohol misuse, physical health, mental and emotional health, motivation and taking responsibility, meaningful use of time, self-care and living skills, financial skills, social networks and relationships, and managing tenancy and accommodation. The Nehemiah Project has asked for £10,000 towards their costs in 2025. For more information please visit https://www.tnp.org.uk/