Education - We are working in partnership with The Lighthouse Group (TLG) to serve young people excluded (or at risk of being excluded) from secondary school. We are intending to create an inclusion unit to re-integrate them into mainstream education or training.
Young People - TLG always works in partnership with a local church. In their other UK centres, 90% of the young people return successfully to mainstream education.
Part of their success is because their vision is also to integrate them into a network of church support via Christian staff and an open, church run, youth club. We plan to set up and lead this.
Arts - Our area is a hotbed of artistic activity and political radicalism. There are also a lot of people who live their lives out on the street. We celebrate the many local murals, including several by Banksy.
Our vision is to inspire questioning, discussion and hope, as well as building new and deeper relationships, by telling St Marks gospel story in a surprising, subversive, culturally relevant mural, wrapped around the outside of our building. Phase 1 nearly finished, with over 60 people helping out. Come and take a look.
Café & Community Hub - We want to follow Jesus’ example and offer warmth and friendship, hope and healing, to all people at all times. Our café will be a gateway to other facilities in the building, and a space to meet, support and serve.
We want to be able to better use our building to support, strengthen and inspire our community, building links and breaking down barriers. As well as all the other services outlined, we hope to have rooms available for use as new initiatives arise. Kitchen now installed, look out for coffee mornings in December.
Holistic Healthcare - We know the wholeness and healing that Father, Son and Spirit bring. We intend to offer space for prayer, counselling and consultation to address physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs in a project led by a local GP.
Funding partners have been instrumental in getting us to the stage we are at. We’re very grateful to everyone who’s helping us along the journey including:
Quartet Community Foundation; Westhill Endowment; Baptist Union; We: Network; Medlock Charitable Trust; Church Urban Fund; Hope Community Church; Hope Church (NFI); Bible Society; Allchurches Trust; Walton BC; Thornbury BC; Walton BC