COMMUNITY

Alfreton Singing cafe

Wednesdays 1.30pm to 2.30pm Christian Centre, Alfreton. Everyone very welcome.

The café is run by local church members who believe it is good to help our wider community. It began in the library and grew in popularity so we moved to our current venue. We have been running now for two years.

What We do -
We provide a warm and welcoming environment where guests can come along with carers or family members and enjoy a participative activity together. Our cafes start with refreshments and we also have a break for refreshments half way through. This gives guests a chance to connect with others facing similar situations or difficulties. We sing positive and upbeat songs and incorporate simple musical instruments such as tambourines. We use a large TV screen to display lyrics and pictures to help guests to follow, as well as trying to choose songs that everybody will know. The deep breathing that is often required with singing, paired with the physical movement that the instruments encourage helps our guests to feel energised.

Why we do it –  
We know from years of scientific research that singing improves the brain function. This has positive implications for emotional and physical heath and wellbeing. A somewhat underappreciated communicative tool, singing can help the mind access memories and feelings that have been lost as a result of mental health struggles. Whilst this is not a cure, it helps to ease the discomfort felt by so many.

What some of our guests have said...

“It has helped my daughter a lot. She has a learning disability. Joining in, getting out and meeting people, having a laugh and singing has really helped. She just loves coming here.”

“Good company and friendly staff. It’s something to look forward to every week. – I have lived alone for 16 years so it’s nice to meet other people.”

“It has helped because I have found somewhere to take mum who has dementia. Better than sitting at home. It’s a day where mum is occupied, so that makes my life easier. Plus we make friends.”

“It’s an activity that gets me out of the house and it’s local and fun, good to hear the old songs. Young and old mixing together.”

“It helped my husband who had dementia. He was more aware after a good sing song. Following his death it has helped me to cope. Please keep up this necessary help.”

“My husband has Alzheimer’s so this is an activity we can do together. It is an enjoyable afternoon which he benefits from immensely. The café is run by lovely people who understand his situation.”

“I support a gentleman with dementia. He really responds to the music. The gentleman has communication challenges but can sing all the words of the songs. I feel the team provide a stimulating, positive and inclusive environment. I think this is one of the best activities that I have attended for older people. The team are so positive and welcoming. I was a care manager so am speaking from a professional as well as a personal point of view. My gentleman really enjoys coming. It improves his mental wellbeing.”

Street Pastors

New Life Church was one of the four local churches who pledged their support for Street Pastors way back in 2011. We were at the centre of it from the start with Dave chairing both Christians Together for Chesterfield (CTfC) and the Management Team of Street Pastors for many years. Jacky took on the role of Co-ordinator for the Street Pastors working in partnership with the Community Safety Partnership . In 2018 we celebrated 6 years in operation with a visit from the founder of Street Pastors, Rev. Les Isaac. This year we have reached our 13th anniversary.

The Street Pastors work in teams on duty each Saturday night 22.00 to 02.00. Their role is to support the police working closely with them, club security staff and CCTV. The well-trained Street Pastors may be able to intervene to stop an argument becoming a brawl, saving valuable police time. They are on the lookout for the lost and the vulnerable people who are at risk. They offer practical help, for example flip-flops to girls whose killer heels are living up to their name, basic first aid and assistance in getting safely home. They are also well informed as to the help that is available for the homeless or those who are trapped by addiction.

The Street Pastors are a practical expression of the church serving our community at its point of need. Already official local government and police reports are recognising that the Street Pastors have contributed to the fall in reported crime in Chesterfield on a Saturday night compared to this time last year. Both partners are keen to extend the ways in which they work with the Church in Chesterfield to make our community a safer place to live.

Changes since Covid have had an impact on a volunteer numbers. The commitment of our volunteers is both a credit to them but also a measure of the joy they find in serving as Street Pastors. Please give some prayerful consideration to discovering if this ministry is for you.

The next round of training will begin soon. If you would like to know more contact me (Jacky) chesterfield@streetpastors.org.uk

School Pastors

Chesterfield School Pastors was founded in 2015 and comes under the same umbrella organisation as the Street Pastors – Ascension Trust.

Each week we have a team in Parkside School. The team provide ‘Pastors Club’ which is a ‘safe’ place to come at lunch time to play games or sit and chat. They spend time listening to children in a one to one mentoring type of role. They have also received training in a reading scheme which helps children to catch up if they have fallen behind. The school’s testing has shown significant improvements in reading age in children supported by the pastors through this scheme.

Children are recommended by the school pastoral team as students who may benefit with having a different adult to talk to and who can give them some support. The team have taken part in various events and activities through the school year.

We are delighted at the welcome we have received from the school and we understand the school are delighted with the work that we do. It has been a privilege to see the hard work of the head teacher, and staff, pay off in the last few years as the student’s results have been the best.

A second team of School Pastors is now operating at Outward Academy Newbold.

We are recruiting for both teams and will begin the next round of training soon. If you might be interested please contact me (Jacky) chesterfield@schoolpastors.org.uk

Food Bank

New Life Church Chesterfield were involved right from the start with the much needed food banks in our area. We have volunteers who have been working at the distribution centre in Loundsley Green since the project began and experiencing first-hand how important this work is. We are also represented at New Whittington Foodbank.

As well as the usual means of donating, each month church members have the opportunity to bring food donations for the food bank based on the most recent information regarding what is needed the most. We also help out with the food collection days which are organised in a local supermarket twice a year which usually generate around a ton of food for the food bank.

As well as receiving food, clients coming to Foodbank have the opportunity to talk with a volunteer, to engage with Citizen’s Advice for benefit assistance and other visiting agencies who can offer appropriate advice.

New Life Church Alfreton collect donations each week for the Loaves and Fishes Pantry in Alfreton who support local people in need.

Our Clay Cross home group have a longstanding commitment to supporting Living Hope foodbank based at Abundant Life Christian Centre.im Holmewood. Working to pack up bags of food, meeting clients and serving hot drinks but also helping out with food collections at supermarkets and manning the charity shop which helps to fund the work.

Pathways

Pathways is a Chesterfield charity doing an amazing job finding and caring for vulnerable people of no fixed abode whether they are sofa-surfing or sleeping rough. The provide practical help and advice, medical and mental health care. We firmly believe we should get behind organisations like this who are already doing such a good job. On a regular basis we respond to their appeals for support whether that is financially, donations of food and clothes.

Ukraine socials

When Russia invaded Ukraine and many Ukrainians fled to the UK for safety there were quite a few placed with local host families. A group of hosts was formed primarily at Central Methodist Church in Chesterfield. They began facilitating a weekly meeting for hosts and Ukrainian refugees on Saturdays at their building.

Initially it was so important to be able to meet and help each other out. There were donations of clothes, shoes and bedding which were urgently needed. Adam and Del from NLC offered their help and eventually they gathered a NLC team to be able to take on the meal part of the hosting on one Saturday a month. This has been a delight on our part and alongside our weekly zoom prayer meeting for the Ukraine situation it has been good to offer some practical help too.

As time has gone on the greater need is for time together, opportunity to celebrate Ukrainian life and culture and to organise outings together. Our role will no doubt change but we hope to remain a part of this story until peace is restored in Ukraine.

chesterfield baby basics

Baby Basics work with local midwives to identify mums and families that need some help when a new baby is born. They provide a large Moses basket full of items that a new mum and baby will need (plus a few treats). They also have a few items in store for older siblings if needed. Even the basics are so expensive nowadays so you can imagine how welcome it is to receive one of these baskets.

We are happy to help with items that are needed to make up these baskets and respond quickly when an appeal is made. I never cease to be amazed at the generous hearts of people at NLC.