SCHOOL AGE

 

School’s

Andi Markham our volunteer joint leader of Kidz Club currently goes into 41 schools in the Kingstanding, Sutton Coldfield and Erdington areas, taking 49 assembly’s every half term (every 6 weeks), making a total of 297 assemblies every year. Andi also takes six assemblies per year in the Solihull area. Andi is involved in one lunch time club every week and two after schools clubs every week. He also does one hundred PSHE (physical, social health education) lessons in nine different schools in the Sutton Coldfield Area.

 

School Bullying

 

During school term-time between 9:30am and 3:00pm Monday to Friday, we provide a service for local schoolchildren who have been bullied. Birmingham City Council Education Department and Social Services support this facility, which is run in conjunction with the Flexible Learning Centre. The Church Minister, Pastor Jonathan Skelton, is a governor at Hawthorn Junior & Infant School.

 

Kidz Club

Leader Andi Markham/Trina Fernando

 

Kidz Club is a weekly activity for 5-11 Year olds, where we have some 180 on the register, which attracts a weekly average attendance of 90. We are very fortunate to have a truly talented team of volunteers who, through games, songs, object lessons and friendship have an opportunity each week to show love and acceptance to many children.

 

December 2006 was a great month. Firstly, the Christmas Spectacular, attended by many children and families from Kidz Club and, secondly, another brilliant performance from Red Balloon Theatre Company. A great family occasion! We were able to invite Hawthorn Primary School to an afternoon performance of the Pantomime.

 

The Panto has good moral teaching incorporated. This event was available to Kids Club children and their families. Many of our kids are from single parent families and this event allowed our volunteers to support these parents. We see this as very much a community event, open to all, regardless of colour, creed, background or circumstance

 

During March, we held a cinema night when we watched Happy Feet, which looked great on the newly erected projection screens. Many children and their families attended, not just through links with Kidz Club but through Playgroup and Parent and Toddler groups too.

 

Weston Park Trip

 

Our summer outing to Weston Park was blessed with fair weather and a good time was had by all. Some of the helpers were very enthusiastic when it came to rounders! This was open to all Kidz club children & their families, promoting family time together. We feel this is another opportunity to support local families, especially those who are single parent and financially challenged.

 

We continue to be blessed in all areas of staffing and finance, as well as numerically. Our Hope is that more friendships will be made with the families of the children that are attending. During the next 12 months we hope to provide new experiences for the children in our deprived area. Whilst providing a safe friendly and accepting environment. The activities planned for the next 12 months will promote togetherness, a sense of community, recognition for achievement and good behaviour, and quality of time with children and families with volunteers who are interested in the individual child and their needs. The activities will be of both social and educational benefit to the children.

 

The helpers faithfully give their time every week to serve the children in our community, through fun, laughter, games and most importantly acceptance and love. We are looking to promote Kidz club more over the next year, in particular to form links with more schools in the area and build relationships with the children and their families

 

Reality

Youth Leader Mike Green,

Assistant Youth Leader’s Richard Harper, Andy Woodfield, Lynette Stables

 

Reality is a weekly activity for 13-19 year olds, which attracts 35 plus young people and has 78 names on the register.

To promote friendship, teamwork and participation, develop specific life skills, partake in experiences that other activities or groups would find difficult to provide. Positive activities for young people in an area with few leisure opportunities for young people apart from wandering the streets. Independence at a young age, interaction with peers in situations that can help them further develop their social skills. Quite a high proportion of these young people could be described as coming from areas that are socio-economically deprived and again a high proportion come from single parent/carer families. Many of these young people lack a positive role model which we hope to provide.

We take youngsters on weekends away; day trips, adventure holidays in North Wales at Min Y Don; with paint balling and orienteering, events, youth camps; Alton Towers; Tobogganing; Concerts. Reality youth were the first winners of a national 5 a side football competition

 

We have done many activities during the past year which included football: basketball: weekend trips: Alton Towers: Malvern Hills; lads nights: girls nights: theme nights; bonfire and fireworks nights and Pizza fights (only kidding) it is amazing the leaders and I have any hair left. Reality is somewhere that young people can have fun

 

Last year we started youth activities REALITY ROX for 11 to 13 year olds and currently have thirty eight on the register

 

Football and coaching

 

From May 26th to 30th May 2008 we ran a football coaching week at The Pavilion Moor Lane for 8 to 16 year olds (boys and girls) of the area, teaching football skills. Coaching Lesson’s were done by professional coaches from Sportwise Ltd. (www.sportwise.org). The event comprises of a team of varying professionals ranging from sports coaches and ex professional players through to qualified PGCE teachers, personal trainers and sports science staff at masters degree level. Youngsters also met and were trained by Premiership, championship and ex professional footballer's including Darren Moore (Derby County, Ex captain of West Bromwich Albion), Fabrice Muamba (Birmingham City and England under 21), James Chambers (Leicester City), Mike Tindall (ex Aston Villa) and Steve Spooner (BCFC Academy Coach)

 

Each day ran from 09-30 am to 14-30 pm with lunch from 12 to 1300 hours. Groups were split into ages, size and ability, besides coaching in various football skills and five a side games. During lunch youngsters were able to sit and relax interact and put questions to the professionals. Aston Villa F.C. kindly gave us 10 free stadium tickets plus guests for the winners and a Darren Moore/James Chambers cup was presented to the winning team.

 

One of our assistant youth leader's/helpers? Richard Harper in conjunction with Faith And Football has started in September 2008 running a Kingstanding Youth Football League, and that these football community leagues are open to all boys and girls aged 7 to 13 years of age every Monday and Friday at Birmingham City University grounds, The Pavillion, Moors Lane, Witton from Monday 20th October Mondays (7-10 years), Fridays (11-13 years) also in another part of North Birmingham, Handsworth, he has started the same and is running 5 teams who have all played 8 matches each.

 

The church also has an 11 a-side football team (EK Corinthia) which plays in the West Midlands Christian League (www.wmcfl.co.uk) the team is made up of christians from within the church and also friends from outside in the community. The Team has been running since 2007 and is in Division 2 and will be pushing for promotion in the coming seasons!