Download - Newsletter 2015 (Summer/Autumn)
Abbey News
Inside this issue
A Summer of Fun ........ 1
Eid Reception ............. 1
Music Concert ............ 1
Tea Dances ................. 2
Community Champions . 2
Member Spotlight ...... 2
Staff Update ............... 2
Volunteering .............. 2
SW Timebank ............. 2
Active Together ......... 3
Mobile Childcare ........ 4
Upcoming activities .... 4
Have Your Say ............ 4
AGM notice ................ 4
Sight-seeing trips ........ 4
Summer Fayre ............ 4
Challenge Network…….4
Summer/Autumn 2015
34 Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BU · 0207 222 0303 · email: [email protected] · website: www.theabbeycentre.org.uk (If you would prefer to receive this newsletter via email, please contact us using the address above to join our mailing list)
65 years supporting healthy & cohesive communities in South Westminster
“The children are having fun & are engaged” - Parent
A summer of fun for local families!
We delivered 10 days of free activities for local families.
These included Zumba, arts & crafts, bouncy castle,
healthy cook & eat sessions, photography, table tennis,
story-telling & gardening! Families also enjoyed the
boat trip to the Tate & relished the chance to meet the
animals at Vauxhall Bridge Farm. Thanks to our team of
volunteers, crèche workers & partners SW Connects
who helped
organise such
a successful
and varied
programme
of activities.
Eid Reception
Trustee Jacqui, our CEO Lainya
and colleagues enjoyed the Eid
Reception at City Hall, hosted by
the Mayor of Westminster,
Councillor The Lady Christabel
Flight, celebrating the end of the
Muslim Holy month of Ramadan.
Above: Children & parents enjoy interactive story telling with Gladys, learning to growl!
Left: Local adults show off their up-cycling skills
Music Concert
We were delighted to welcome some talented
students from King David’s High School in
Manchester, performing a wide repertoire of
popular & classical music in mixed ensembles.
50 members enjoyed the afternoon as well as
soft drinks and refreshing ice cream served to
keep them cool in the summer heat!
To ALL our volunteers, ‘Thank you - we couldn’t do it without you!’
Member Spotlight!
South Westminster Time Bank
Big thanks to Chris Sweeny, co-founder
of Fitssi , for helping to connect SW1
through sports & fitness. Time bank
members are able to use workout
sessions at Pimlico Fitness.
Giving from the Heart - Volunteering
From April - July we’ve benefited from the skills & time of
many individuals through Volunteering, Timebanking &
local companies offering their support. In total they’ve
generously donated 2041 hours! Thanks in particular to
AIFS student Ricki Beigh, who supported our community
team for 3 weeks working on the Active
Together project. And school students
Mawaada, Meggi & Mio Fatlalla
who has been helping the Café &
really enjoyed the work experience.
Would you like to be a winner?
Then why not become a Community Champion?
We’re looking for volunteers from Churchill Gardens
& Tachbrook Estates to join an exciting wellbeing
community project. You will meet people, gain skills
& make a positive difference to others. For more info
please contact Nisha Subasinghe on 020 7227 0646.
Staff Changes—Welcome to new members!
Gena joins us as Chef. Come and taste
her delicacies in the Wash House Café
Nisha joins us as our
Community
Champions
Project Coordinator,
recruiting & training local volunteers.
After volunteering & training with
us Conan now joins the team as
Finance Assistant.
Ian joins us as our Engagement &
Enterprise Manager overseeing
our Community & volunteering
programme.
You make me feel like dancing!
Tea dances held in May & July saw over 50 members
from a range of backgrounds enjoy live music, raffle
& refreshments. We were dazzled by dance moves &
wish to thank all the volunteers who helped to make
the events such a roaring success. The next Tea
Dance is planned for Wednesday 18th November.
“I really enjoyed dancing & being able to meet
with friends. Great atmosphere!”
“I think that the Abbey Centre is doing good things in welfare and wellbeing services. “
Jessica Sutro has been a
volunteer for our Homeless
Welfare Service since
February. Local full-time
worker & multi-tasker ,Jess
enjoys giving her time for a
good cause & being help-
ful, preparing for the ser-
vice and welcoming
vulnerable people as they
arrive to the centre.
Our Abbey Growers have
been very busy planting
nutritious vegetables &
herbs from seed that have
transformed the garden!
We’ve harvested fresh bay
leaves, spinach & lettuce;
& our beans & courgettes
are coming along a treat!
Thanks to Laing O’Rourke
for the water tap, ramp &
other improvements.
Abbey BookWorms
Our fortnightly book club,
is going well with members
enjoying a range of popular
titles including ‘To Kill a
Mockingbird’, ‘Call the Midwife’ & ‘Catcher in the
Rye’. Abbey BookWorms meetings take place every
other Thursday from 2-4pm in the Wash House Café.
For more info please contact Ian on 020 7220303.
Above: Fresh bay leaves grown, picked, packaged & ready to sell in the Wash House Café!
Active Together - Project Update
A look at the activities we run for older members.
including weekly Bowls, Scrabble Group and a
fortnightly Film Club. For more info call Ian on 020
7227 0650 or [email protected]
Abbey Housemates
Abbey housemates has so far enabled 6 older people
to host volunteers at home or at the Abbey Centre to
build social connections. If you know of someone
who would enjoy being a host or would like to
volunteer as a housemate contact Ian Corpuz.
Pimlico Now & Then—Reminiscence Project
Silver members share with younger Pimlico students
their memories of the area and how its changed!
Arts & Crafts—Flower Pressing
Thank you Fleur Press for hosting a free paper
making workshop. Members got creative & made
beautiful handcrafted greeting cards, flower
bouquets &other paper art. We even used some
for table decorations at our Tea Dance!
Mason gets to grips with some planting
Gerry shares his passion
for the power of scrabble
to keep minds fit and agile
as we get older! Here he
donates a scrabble game
to Ian for our members to
enjoy– thank you!
Abbey Grow & Eat Gardening Club
A member
proudly shows
a handmade
rosette made
from coloured
paper!
Membership of the Abbey Centre is FREE!!! Join us and enjoy being part of your local community.
Some Autumn Events & Activities
Parenting Programme 10th Sept - 17th Dec Thursdays 9:30am - 1pm
Belly Dancing 14th Sept—14th Dec Mondays 2-3pm
English Pronunciation 21st Sept - 7th Dec Mondays 10am-2pm
X-PERT Diabetes 21st Sept - 2nd Nov Mondays 9:30am-12:30pm
Mad Hatter's Tea Party 27th September 1-3pm
Silver Sunday Concert 4th October 3pm
Community Interpreting 13th Oct - 1st Dec Tuesdays 10am-1pm
Tea Dance 18th Nov 2-5pm
To view a full list of our current activities please visit our website
www.theabbeycentre.org.uk or pick up a copy of our latest activity leaflet
facebook.com/theabbeycentre
@theabbeycentre
Have Your Say!
Join us online and at fun meetings for
a chance to give your feedback and
opinions on our activities & services.
We’re always keen to hear what our
members & guests have to say so keep
an eye out for the survey going out in
late summer/early autumn.
Annual General Meeting—22nd October
The next Annual General Meeting of Abbey Community Association Ltd will be held on Thursday 22nd October 2015,
from 2-4pm at 34 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU.
Summer Table Top Sale
Big thanks to members of the Monday
Club who raised £340 at our Summer
Fair selling bric-a-brac. All proceeds
will support our ongoing community
programme of activities.
The Challenge Network
A group of students from The Challenge Network joined us
over August to plan and host a Mad Hatters’ Tea Party for
our Silver members
on 27th September.
It will be a lot of fun!
Don’t be late for this
very important date!
Abbey Community Childcare
Did you know that we run a mobile
crèche? The social enterprise helps
to provide work for local women &
offers childcare for those aged 0-8yrs
onsite at your venue. To find out
more or to make a booking contact
call Assia on 020 7227 0643. Mobile, inclusive, affordable
Sight-seeing
Thanks to funding from The Big Lottery 100
members & their families enjoyed coach day
trips to Windsor Castle in April & Broadstairs
in July. It was a chance for those of all ages to
escape the city, make new friends & have fun!
I enjoyed the
trip so much &
have made new
friends. It was
my first visit to
the seaside in
the UK –
thank you!