St Michael’s & All Saints Church in Crewkerne, has been awarded £730 Community Funding from Abri for their community coffee mornings, which take place at Monmouth Communal Lounge and St Johns Communal Lounge.
Two local volunteers, Angie and Pam, linking with Birchfield Community Project, the community arm of St Michael’s & All Angels Church, help set up the coffee mornings at the two locations earlier in 2023. They take place on Tuesday and Thursday each week from 10:30am-12:30pm and all are welcome. The Birchfield Community project aims to improve the sense of community and increase opportunities for people in the Birchfield area.
The funding received from Abri, one of the largest housing providers in the south, will allow the Birchfield Community Project to keep delivering the coffee mornings and help them to expand their offering to the local community. More activities within and alongside the coffee groups are planned, such as craft and garden events, as the project continues to support local people, reducing social isolation and promoting wellbeing, community cohesion and connection during the cost of living crisis.
Mr Farhad Chermahini, Pioneer Minister at St Michael’s & All Angels Church said: “The coffee morning groups are open to everyone in the Birchfield community and we have about twenty regular attendees. Angie and Pam; our invaluable volunteers; keep everything running smoothly and so far, they’ve proved very popular; last month we completed wellbeing surveys of all those attending and 100% reported an improvement in their wellbeing from attending the groups, highlighting the ease of access and location as well as the relaxed and welcoming nature of the coffee mornings. It’s a great start and with the help from Abri’s Community Fund, we have even more planned for the groups.”
The Community Fund is part of Abri’s commitment to empowering lives and creating thriving communities, making them better places to live. Abri has awarded over £90,000 from its Community Fund to support local organisations and projects between April 2022-March 2023.
Applications are decided on by Abri’s Thriving Communities panel, made up of customers and those living in its communities.
Shanie Clarke, an Abri customer and Thriving Communities panel member, said: “The coffee mornings are more than just a chance for locals to meet up and chat, along with reducing social isolation they provide a vital chance to signpost people to all sorts of help and opportunities. I am particularly pleased that these groups are so accessible, located across two of Abri’s Independent Living Schemes and just a 5-minute walk apart. It really is a fantastic initiative for those who are unable to travel further afield and knowing plans are in place to line-up more activities for those taking part just makes it even better and even more inclusive.”
Other successful applications for Abri’s Community Fund include:
- £2,000 to Youth Options receives for Millbrook Youth Support
- £357 to Christians Against Poverty for their Life Skills Courses
To find out more about upcoming activities available at the coffee mornings, local residents can check the Birchfield Community Project Facebook page or listings in local free paper The Yeovil Press. Project leaders are also planning a leaflet drop so as many people as possible in the community are reached.
Abri’s Community Fund opens for applications four times a year, and organisations can apply for up to £3,000 to support a project in one of Abri’s communities. The next application window is 1-31 July 2023.
Projects with a cost-of-living focus will be prioritised. Application forms, and window dates are available on Abri’s website at https://www.abri.co.uk/services/enterprise-investment/community-funding.