Awards highlight heartfelt community stories

Published on 07 July 2012

Four diverse projects have been honoured as part of the 2012 Community Project Awards sponsored by the national church and home insurer, Congregational & General.

Winning a first-place prize of £3,000, The Edge Project was named the overall winner – a youth centre whose varied support programme has helped transform the lives of underprivileged young people in the Holmewood area of Bradford.

Three other projects were awarded joint second place: Our Tribe – an Edinburgh-based project whose work engages and embraces the lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender (LBGT) community and supports greater integration between that community and the local church; The Terminus Initiative – an ecumenical initiative involving four denominations in Sheffield, offering a variety of community services including a café, second-hand shop and a food-growing project; and The Avenue Centre – a project that works with families in the community surrounding Southampton, offering a raft of activities from art and cookery to walking and healthy lifestyle sessions. All winning projects received a commemoratory plaque during the awards ceremony, which took place at the United Reformed Church General Assembly 2012. Each runner up project received a cheque for £2,000.

Mrs Val Morrison, moderator of the URC General Assembly, who announced and presented these awards, made mention of the high quality of this year’s applications, of which there were 32. In her introduction, she stated that “each project responds to a local need, expresses the faith of the sponsoring churches, involves members of the church and community and could act as a practical pattern for other churches.” All award winners were applauded generously by General Assembl

Commenting on their first-place win, Adam Woodhouse, senior youth worker at The Edge, said: “We are thrilled to have been recognised by the Community Awards. To be have been named the overall winner is a wonderful accolade and we look forward to continuing our much-needed work.”

Comments from the young people who use the facilities at The Edge project included Darren Tatley, who said: “I probably would have been locked up if it wasn’t for this place. The estate needs stuff like this.” Connor Richardson, another young person who uses the centre, echoed this sentiment, stating: “When I used to hang around with the wrong people on the streets, I used to get in a lot of trouble; when I came here, I met new mates and it just made my life better.”

Maxwell Reay, a Metropolitan Community Church minister who works with Our Tribe, said, one of the three runners up projects, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the recognition that this award gives to the LGBT community and the support that the URC and the insurance company has given to the group. It’s a big thing for us – it’s really exciting.”

In the promotional film about the work of Our Tribe, General Assembly heard from Jo Clifford, a member of Augustine United Reformed Church and an attendee of Our Tribe, who said: “As a transgender person I’m very used to and very frightened of rejection from mainstream churches.” She added: “The fact that the URC welcomes and promotes and supports so sincerely with such a loving heart, what we’re doing here means a great deal to me. This award is part of that.”

The Revd Joy Adams, a minister with responsibility for The Terminus Initiative, described the awards as a “testament to the hard work of volunteers”.

In the promotional film depicting the work of The Terminus Initiative, Shirley Knibbs, a minister at St Michael Church,Sheffield, said: “The Christian influence that The Terminus brings to this estate spreads far and wide. It’s making a difference to people’s lives. They find it is a place they can come where they can be safe. It’s a place where they will be heard, they’ll be listened to. It’s a catalyst, it’s a centre of the estate.” She later added: “The Terminus is a place where miracles can happen.”

Tim Searle, who accepted the award on behalf of The Avenue Centre, said: “It feels strange for me – I’m a minister for a group of churches that includes venueSt Andrews, so my role in The Avenue Centre is a peripheral one. The previous minister, the Revd Cliff Bembridge, was at the church for 16 years and much of the energy, vision and leadership for where the Avenue Centre is today came as a result of his input. I want to dedicate the award to the staff, to the church members and most of all to the Centre users. It’s a privilege to walk alongside them, to be Christ in their midst, and to help in a small way.”

Videos featuring the 2012 Community Project Award winners have been uploaded to YouTube and can be viewed using the links below:

– The Edge project (Holmewood Community Church,Bradford)

– Our Tribe (Augustine United Church, Edinburgh)

– The Terminus Initiative (The Michael Church,Sheffield)

– The Avenue Centre (Avenue St Andrews URC, Southampton)