Following a community-led effort to support the people of Kingswood throughout the Coronavirus epidemic, a new group has formed and been working on a proposal to set up a new Community Hub in Kingswood, in co-operation with The Keepers, Wotton Area Community Hub. The Keepers is an established centre working to connect local people, providing access to a wide range of services and activities such as a Drop in Cafe, Online Skills Course, Chair Yoga, Health Visitor Drop in, Job Club, Cakes and Ladders, Food collection, etc. (see www.thekeepers.org.uk). The Keepers have been investigating how best to support nearby villages and have recently appointed an Outreach Manager, funded through the National Lottery, to lead this work. The Kingswood project aligns well with this initiative.
A Keepers in Kingswood has the potential to reach and connect more easily with local people and provide activities and access to services directed at the specific needs of the village. Furthermore, “Churches Together In Kingswood” have also engaged with The Keepers and recognised the benefits of working together. The team is looking at options for a base in Kingswood and are grateful to the churches for offering their facilities free of charge alongside other options in the village.
Following the model established by the Keepers, the new group has produced a survey to help us work out what people can offer and the needs that exist. Copies of the survey will be delivered to households in the village and will also be available for Kingswood residents to complete on-line. All households in Kingswood are invited to show their support and have their say by filling in the survey and returning it to Kingswood Spar shop by 30th September or alternatively, completing the online version at https://bit.ly/KeepersinKingswood.