From time to time we try and share a little bit about how the Hub ‘works’. We get quite a few questions about how we’re linked to St Mary’s Church so today Sally is going to give you a bit of insight into our partnership with St Mary’s Church, whose building we are using and - we hope! - helping to be custodians of. If you want to know more, just come along to a coffee morning, walk or lunch, or pop Sally an email at hello@bearwood.cc
It all started in 2018 with a phonce call to then Vicar Rev Anthony Perry. I literally said '“ Anthony, I’m getting lots of interest in the idea of a community hub on the high street - we need somewhere that people can drop in and connect. I know that the church hall buildings aren’t being used very much at the moment because of volunteer capacity. Can we talk?”.
Thankfully, Anthony said yes. We first met at a Church coffee morning. Then I made contact with a fabulous individual at the Church of England - Director of Community Regeneration, Fred Rattley. Over the next couple of years we had lots of meetings, drew up draft agreements, asked each other lots of questions about what could work or not work… There is lots of detail that I’m planning on writing up into a learning document for community organisations and faith based organisation with property, but that’s for another day!
Eventually we came out of the big lockdowns and had an agreement ready to go: Bearwood Hub would use the building to set up its activities and projects as long as we don’t encrouch on a Sunday or when Girls Friendly Society and Boys Brigade meet. And so we opened.
How does it work day to day then?
I have two main contacts at St Mary’s’ church council: Alison who I can talk to about access, joint projects, permission to add things or change things in the building; and then there’s Ben, the Church Warden who organises everything to do with the property, repairs, church newsletters and much more besides.
We are a completely separate organisation to St Mary’s. The Church are essentially our landlords and we are not a faith-based organisation. But it’s much more that. We are partners trying to make the space work as best it can for our local communities. Bearwood Community Hub currently shares 50% of its income from venue and office hire with the church, so that they can meet their responsibilities for the building and utilities.
What’s great is that we are in a position through this positive relationship, to think creatively about the future of the building, which is such a great asset locally, but we can do that together - hopefully as more than just the sum of our parts. We are also able to provide opportunities for greater cross-cultural and inter-religion appreciation and understanding.
When the Muslim members of the bakery team or one of our Sikh volunteers, or one of our non-religious participants is able to take a peek in the church or share a coffee with one of the St Mary’s congregation members at our coffee morning, we all learn a little bit more about each other and our values, and perhaps take a little bit of the mystery away.
We are also joining volunteer forces. At this Saturday’s cake sale, our bakery team will be selling the Community Bakery bread and their beautiful handmade textiles. We are bringing volunteers together to organise a big celebration for the Jubilee weekend - also World Environment day, very important to us!
And pretty much everyone that crosses the threshold into the church grounds, whether part of the church or a participant at the hub, has great ideas and plans for the front garden area, to bring it back to its former glory.
A really important part of our partnership is honesty and close working. The nitty gritty that helps make all the good stuff happen. We are very aware and respectful that this building is not ours, it is the Church’s. If I’m worried about whether something will work or be allowed, I can contact the church representatives and get an honest response. If congregation members are worried about something the hub is doing, it can be raised and we can talk about it.
We passionately believe that being open about problems and worries as well as being celebratory about the things that are working well, is the key to every happy partnership. It’s working for us so far, and I hope it’s working for St Mary’s too. The feedback so far is good!