This summer more than 300 spent a day at Crealy Adventure Park near Exeter on a trip organised by the Holiday Club run by St Francis of Assisi Church in Bridgwater. This was just one of four trips out held during August for children, families and carers of this large urban parish.
St Frances is one of Bath and Wells Magnificat parishes, which celebrates ministry that "lifts up the least, the lost, and the last” in an area of multi deprivation. The name Magnificat comes from Mary’s song.
Acknowledging that many local families have very little, the purpose of the Holiday Club has always been to give children from poorer families a chance to have fun during the summer school holidays. The Club has run for over 25 years growing from small beginnings to what it is today. As well as trips out for the whole family there were four half days of fun, games and activities with crafts for children spread across four weeks in August. This years’ theme was the Olympics, when four teams of children battled it out, with games like foam javelin throwing, to reach the highest score. They were all finally awarded medals and sweets at the end.
St Francis Church is at the heart of its community, located in the centre of the housing estate it serves. The Club, now subsidised by grants, arose in response to the community’s needs. Gerald Swayne who runs the Club with his wife Sandie and ten other volunteers commented: “There’s no point in having a church in the middle of a deprived community that doesn’t support that community in some way or another.”
The costs and numbers involve this year have broken all previous records. Total cost £14,500, funded by a £7,900 National Lottery grant, £5,500 from the families themselves and £1,100 from the church congregation. 90 families took part with 206 children and 167 adults. Gerald believes it’s a small church making a big impact on the lives of children who have very little. He said, “their teachers have told us it makes a difference to the children who have got nothing, that don’t go anywhere, whose parents can’t afford a holiday and haven’t got a car. They say they will come into school at the beginning of their new term, bubbling over with where they have been with the Holiday Club.”
“We know there are parents who would be stretched even by the charges we make, so we always include on the booking form, 'Please remember that in genuine cases of financial hardship or large families we are prepared to negotiate charges discreetly.' Only a few ask for our help and then do so reluctantly.”
“For some years (not this) the Club has offered 30 places for one of our trips completely free, to a local school who runs a children’s group throughout August for particularly challenged families”
The Revd Catherine Carlyon, Vicar of the Benefice of St Francis of Assisi, Bridgwater, said, "’The annual Holiday Club has become a significant event for the life of St Francis church and a great way for us to really get to know the community in which we minister."
Gerald also has advice for others in the Diocese who may be thinking of doing a similar activity. “Start in a small way. Think in ones, twos or tens and see what happens. If God is with you then it will grow and that’s exactly how it’s happened at St Francis”