Feature: Wallasey Village URC Community Coffee Morning campaigns to end loneliness
Friends of Wallasey, a campaign to end loneliness in the Wallasey and Wirral area, is a successful ‘adult youth club’ at Wallasey Village URC, with some of the group joining church services from this weekly community event.
Claire Carson and her husband Benn own Levara Properties, the sponsors and organisers of “Friends of Wallasey”.
Claire, who set up this community coffee morning, got to know Wallasey Village URC through bringing her children to Little Stars, a stay and play group for babies and toddlers. She started to think about what groups were available for adults in the local area.
“I wanted to create a space where people could go for human interaction, outside of children and toddler groups and for different ages, and this fitted in with Wallasey Village URC’s community work to campaign against loneliness.”
The Friends of Wallasey now meet every Tuesday and have gone from a group of 25 people in the early days to around 100 most weeks. Ann (pictured with Claire by the event banner) was one of the first to attend after she saw the group advertised on Facebook.
Revd Jeff Hughes commented: “People come to this group and they quickly become regulars, often getting involved in other activities at our church including carol services and harvest festivals as well as some coming to Sunday service. “
Worship Leader and Elder Ron Taylor is a familiar face at the group and makes everyone feel welcome and connected. He said it is one of the main social events of the week for a lot of those who attend. “It’s become an adult youth group and it’s a brilliant and positive weekly event.”
People at the community coffee morning describe it as ‘very friendly’ and ‘welcoming’ and offers a ‘feeling of belonging’ with big groups of friends getting to know each other just from coming here.
Revd Jeff Hughes continued: “We’re proud of this community outreach and thankful to Claire Carson for getting this started and working with us at Wallasey Village URC.”
There have recently been three baptisms by Immersion and eight people brought into membership at Wallasey Village URC (of which seven had come via the coffee morning and one through Little Stars/Breakfast Church).