Ecumenical Groups
In Ecumenical Groups, people from all the local churches, of whatever denomination, work together for the good of the community
Bingley Community Kitchen - Helping vulnerable families in the holidays
This is run in the old kitchen in Trinity All Saints CE Primary School (was Holy Trinity school) in Bingley which has recently been fitted out for use as a Community Kitchen and was officially opened by the BBC's Harry Gration on Wednesday 26th June 2019.
Bingley Community Kitchen now has it's own website - see bingleycommunitykitchen.org.uk/ for more details.
During lockdown, the kitchen has produced take-away meals for a large number of local families who would otherwise be in difficulties.
People can support the project financially, and in prayer. There is now a Just Giving Page set up for Bingley Community Kitchen.
In summer 2019 it was used for 4 sessions with 8 families attending each session. The idea is that the parent and one child work together to cook a meal for their family, while other children are looked after with a selection of craft activities and games. All the families then eat together and are given a bag of goodies to take home.
Applications for places were made through school, and priority given to struggling families. Help was needed both in the kitchen and with the craft and games for other children in the school hall and grounds. Some examples of the tasks volunteers are asked to do are:
KITCHEN TASKS
Include:
- Setting out equipment before families arrive.
- Supervising weighing out of ingredients.
- Helping parents if they are unsure
- Preparing goody bags to go home.
- Supervising washing up/putting away of equipment.
- Support the setting up of the dining table.
CRAFT/GAMES ROOM TASKS
Include:
- Supervising activities (eg making pasta pictures, vegetable printing, making Krispie buns)
- Playing simple board games.
- Supervise ball games/skipping/hoola hoops outside.
- Supervising hand washing.
- Encouraging children to try different food from the ‘tasting table’
Who can use the Community Kitchen?
If you are on any benefit, e.g. free school meals, universal credit and pension credit, you are eligible to use BCK! People can ring Chris or visit BCK on Friday between 12 and 2pm at Church Street, off Leonard Street Bingley with proof of the benefit they are on. Pay £5 for a bag of 15 items of food plus free foods donated from local shops and supermarkets.
If anyone has queries or would like to volunteer please contact Kathy
or ring 01535 663375.
Thanks for your support with this.
Open the Book
In Bingley, on Wednesday mornings (not every Wednesday!), a group of us go into one of three local schools and
present assemblies in which we act out bible stories. It is not onerous because as we do it we read
from the book rather than memorising the words, the book being “The Lion Storyteller Bible”. You do,
however, need to feel comfortable speaking out to a hall full of young people, so I realise it is not
everybody’s cup of tea!
Open the book is a fantastic way of telling children the key Bible Stories and helping them think
about what it means for their life and our community.
Rewind/FastForward
For several years now Year 4 Primary School children from all the schools in Bingley and Eldwick,
including St Joseph’s, have attended sessions at either
St Wilfrids CofE Church in Gilstead or
Bingley Baptist church on Park Road
where the real meaning of Christmas or Easter is explained.
In the summer, a session
called Fast Forward helps Year 6 Primary School children to think about things as they go forward
to a new school. Volunteers are always welcome if you would like to help. The sessions happen on
one Tuesday and one Friday each term and you can help at one session or all of the sessions each time.