Saints, Nuneaton had a super busy summer as they hosted an array of events and activities for local people.
Set up by Together for Change (TFC), Saints Nuneaton is a community regeneration project based in the heart of Nuneaton town centre, which works in collaboration with local churches and is led by the charity Together for Change.
Saints occupies the former Conservative Club in Nuneaton town centre, a 4-storey abandoned heritage asset built in 1898, which is one of the most prominent buildings within the town. At the heart of the space is a café and surrounding the café is a unique training room facility; a large children’s play space, and many spaces that are occupied by permanent market stalls (all hired by local small businesses). As a social enterprise, all income that is generated by Saints is fed back into their various projects. Their mission is to tackle unemployment and lack of education, enhance physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, and to inspire and connect people through the creative arts.
This summer Saints’ popular breakfast club was back giving children free cereal or toast plus fruit and a drink every day. Over the course of the summer 330 free breakfasts were given out.
The team ran six free all-age creative workshops that celebrated the heritage of Nuneaton. These included a weaving workshop, a mosaic workshop and a stained-glass workshop. They also had two free family fun days – ‘Shine’, a family fun day organized in conjunction with St Nicolas Church and ‘Curious Creators’ in partnership with Warwick University.
During the annual popular Nuneaton Carnival, Saints provided a sensory friendly space with ear defenders, a special quiet sensory area and giveaways for anyone who needed a break from the noise of the carnival.
To help prepare for the back-to-school season, Saints held a school uniform bank, where people could donate good quality preloved uniforms which were then available for free for others to choose and take.
Also, the team worked with young people who had finished school, providing them with volunteering days to give them hands on work experience to develop their skills.
After such a busy summer, Saints are now straight into a busy schedule of Autumn events. Keep up with what is happening on their website. Find out more about TFC here.