This is a text-only version of an article first published on Wednesday, 15 May 2019. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
THE Door looks at a project that has seen churches play a major role in protecting children's centres in Oxfordshire despite government cutbacks. by Gwen DaviesThis time last year we were facing the loss of Oxfordshire children's centres and a very small window of opportunity when communities could bid to take over their activities from Oxfordshire County Council.
What a difference a year makes, and what a difference the county's churches have made.
Churches have proved how crucial they are in bringing people together from across the community to do a fantastic job stepping in where no-one else can, or wants to. As a result, there are 27 community run projects and seven of those are run under the umbrella of faith groups.
More than anything, local churches have demonstrated the strength of their faith in responding to the needs of their wider community, and their ability to take a risk and work closely with those outside their own church. On show was the determination and persistence to ensure local families didn't lose out.
The Church demonstrated it is a trusted and stable organisation with the structures and policies in place to take on community projects. The move to early years support being run entirely within the community is uncharted territory and the diverse groups involved have different ways of working.
But they are unified by their desire to provide safe, high quality early years support, and reassure families, referring agencies and funders that their provision is of good quality.
Everyone is positive about the future but there are gaps in provision, particularly in rural areas, and churches are indicating that they want to do more. That also means that all the support organisations such as the diocese, children's charity Viva Network, the county council, and Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action need to think differently about what support for the voluntary, community, and faith sector looks like. Over the next few months there will be joint networking, training and advice sessions to help existing groups manage their new projects and to guide those communities, local organisations, churches and faith groups who are taking the first steps in thinking about what they can do. Gwen Davies is the Oxford Diocesan Projects Officer.
"GroW" plants seed of togetherness in Wantage and Grove
GroW is a vibrant and active partnership between parents, children's organisations, councillors and St John's Church in Grove.With funding from Oxfordshire County Council, Wantage Town Council GroW is planning sessions in St John's Church, Grove and the Beacon event venue in Wantage. With funding from Oxfordshire County Council, Wantage Town Council GroW is planning sessions in St John's Church, Grove and the Beacon event venue in Wantage. There will be a focus on areas of social deprivation and the scheme initially expects to support more than 100 families.
Grove and Wantage are experiencing rapid housing development and GroW knows that in the future it will need to expand. Planning for a replacement for the children's centre was not easy as local organisations and activists in both communities were reluctant to take on responsibility for such a large project with such a small window of time.
For several months it looked as though the opportunity to bid for council funding would be missed, but St John's Church stepped in with the rector, the Revd John Durant, as the steadying and supportive influence. From there things changed rapidly and some amazing people got involved.
They ran consultation events, wrote articles, designed posters, helped shape the project and actively engaged with potential funders and supporters.
The project became GroW. The 12-strong GroW Management Group is a community-led sub-group of the PCC, which recruits and manages staff, manages the business plan and finances, and reports to the PCC. John said "GroW is very exciting and it is great to see young parents volunteering to support and encourage each other.
Part of St John's vision as a Christ-centred church is to help develop good community so I am delighted that GroW is drawing people together to ensure Grove and Wantage continue to be caring neighbourhoods".
Kidlington Hub "buzzing" with activity
St John's is a church on Sundays and, during the rest of the week, 'buzzes' with people, community activities, and the new Kidlington Community Hub which has taken over from the closed Kaleidoscope Children's Centre.Craft activities at St Mary's.
Photo Martha Simpson
Children join in worship at St Mary's.
Photo Martha Simpson
Snack time at The Hub.
Photo Martin Davis The Hub is employing staff to work alongside church staff and volunteers to run 'open to all' sessions and transform the outdoor space into a usable, educational outdoor play area, with storage and additional office space.
But this wouldn't happen without people and funding. The Revd Martin Davis knew the Community Hub needed to belong to the whole community to succeed and, together with the Revd Laura Biron-Scott, set up a management team which included representatives of the PCC, service users, Kidlington and Hampton Poyle Parish Councils, and local schools.
The PCC is still the accountable body for the Kidlington Hub, but the Management Team manages the Hub, service planning, and compliance. Laura said: "We have been overwhelmed by everyone's confidence in us to run services which are for everybody in the community. " The Churches Together in Kidlington grant of £12,000 helped the Hub obtain £30,000 from Oxfordshire County Council, £7,000 pa from Kidlington Parish Council and £4,000 pa from Hampton Poyle Parish Council. "There is something happening every day at the Hub, including Special Stars for children with additional needs, stay and play sessions for children aged up to five, the community health clinic, and midwife appointments.
Church and school team up in Chipping Norton
Although Chipping Norton is seen as an idyllic place to live, many families experience rural deprivation with little or no access to transport, and are often reluctant to seek help when they need it.An early bid to Oxfordshire County Council from the nursery at the ACE Centre was only able to address part of the gap in provision left by the closure of the children's centre. It focused on education and health in the under twos, but it didn't address the more universal play and support needs among the wider community, including lower income families, families from the travelling community and those who have English as a second language - a gap which St Mary's Church felt strongly about. St Mary's had been working on what response the church could make to the closure of the children's centre, and the needs of vulnerable families.
They recognised early on that collaboration and communication with other groups involved in care for under fives in the area was vital in ensuring the best provision for families across the town throughout the week.
A collaboration with St Mary's CE Primary School resulted in a second successful bid to Oxfordshire County Council to offer a place for parents and young children living on the least well resourced side of town to enjoy soft play, to connect with each other and also to access further services. This funding from the County Council, along with other funding from the church and other sources, means that St Mary's can make a three-year appointment of a Children and Families Worker who has a dual role of community outreach and children's church ministry. Curate, the Revd Martha Simpson, said: "The ACE centre was so well used and loved that it does leave a big gap.
But our churches are rising to the challenge. "There's a lot of need here that doesn't always get seen - physical poverty as well as complex social and emotional situations.
We've lost that first line of support that can mean things don't deteriorate further, and is vitally important to any parent with young children at some point. "That's what we're really working on providing with our two weekly under fives groups and this new post - brilliantly run, friendly and accessible sessions where people can find support and company whatever their need. "