Saints, Nuneaton had a super busy summer as they hosted an array of events and activities for local people.
Set up by Together for Change (TFC), Saints is a pioneering ten year project to help tackle unemployment and poverty in Nuneaton with the aim of raising the aspirations of local people and inspiring them into work. It is an ecumenical venture, with the project being run jointly between TFC and eight Nuneaton churches and Christian organisations of varying denominations, all with one common goal – to bring community transformation to the heart of Nuneaton.
Saints is based at St George’s Hall, a former nightclub. At the heart of the space is a café and surrounding the café is a unique training room facility; a large children’s play space, and many spaces that are occupied by permanent market stalls (all hired by local small businesses).
This summer Saints’ popular breakfast club was back giving children free cereal or toast plus fruit and a drink every day. Over the course of the summer 330 free breakfasts were given out.
The team ran six free all-age creative workshops that celebrated the heritage of Nuneaton. These included a weaving workshop, a mosaic workshop and a stained-glass workshop. They also had two free family fun days – ‘Shine’, a family fun day organized in conjunction with St Nicolas Church and ‘Curious Creators’ in partnership with Warwick University.
During the annual popular Nuneaton Carnival, Saints provided a sensory friendly space with ear defenders, a special quiet sensory area and giveaways for anyone who needed a break from the noise of the carnival.
To help prepare for the back-to-school season, Saints held a school uniform bank, where people could donate good quality preloved uniforms which were then available for free for others to choose and take.
Also, the team worked with young people who had finished school, providing them with volunteering days to give them hands on work experience to develop their skills.
After such a busy summer, Saints are now straight into a busy schedule of Autumn events. Keep up with what is happening on their website.