Kings is involved in a variety of activities in the local community - some regular, some one-off events. Mission and community work at Kings is coordinated by Paul Burgess, with a little help from the interns and others.

We encourage everyone at Kings to get involved in our outreach activities - whether this is once a term, once a week or more regularly. Remember to check the noticesheets and term guides for details of what's on.

Also check out the King’s Community Projects report.

Mission and Community Activities 2010-2011

We have now been using the Appleby Rooms for the last three years as a base for several of our community outreach activities

After Hours Cafe

This initiative started in 2009 off the back of the success of the 'After Hours Cafe' at June Project. This is now the third year we have been running and we open the Cafe' every Friday night 11pm-2am during term time at The Appleby Rooms. We recently started acoustic sets run by musicians from Kings, who love to perform in a chilled out environment. As well as having a base inside the warmth of the Appleby Rooms we go onto the streets and have a stall outside the DSU. The basic premise of this activity is to reach out to clubbers: giving them hot drinks, building relationships and showing them the love of God. We do not do this work alone and have volunteers from the CU each week.

If you are interested in getting involved either helping out on a team or playing acoustic sets contact Pete Gower or Josh Bargh.

Student Drop-In

Wednesdays, 1pm-5pm, The Appleby Rooms. What started as a time for pastoral support for Kings students has also proved to be an excellent outreach opportunity. Each week, Interns and others have braved the cold outside to offer free hot drinks to passersby and many of our students and others have also dropped in to pick up a drink and a snack inside.

'The Orchard' After School Café

After-school café for primary school children and their parents/carers.

The Orchard café is open on Thursday afternoons in term time from 2:30 – 4pm at the Appleby Rooms. The purpose of this venture is reaching out to the community around the Appleby Rooms, and in particular to Parents and Children at St Oswald's Infant school next door. The Orchard will offer fairtrade tea, coffee and refreshments for parents and carers and activities and games for kids in a safe, staffed environment.

For further details contact Becca Kay. Also if you would like to volunteer get in touch.

‘PipSqueaks’ Parent & Toddlers Group

Tots and toddlers aged 0-4 years.

Pipsqueaks is our tots and toddlers group and is registered with the pre-school alliance and meets every Wednesday morning during term time. This is held at the Appleby Rooms from 9:30 – 11:30am. Pipsqueaks offers parents and carers the opportunity to meet with other adults in similar situations and to share experiences. Also it offers a fun packed morning of interactive activities for the children and their carers. There is a story time, singing, actvities, toys and healthy refreshments. If you are a parent/carer of a pre-school child or so to be mum we would love to see you.

For further details contact Abi Northover. (Likewise if you would like to volunteer at Pipsqueaks we would love to have you on board)

Mission Activities Continuing

As well as some new mission activities we've started this Autumn, we've also been continuing with many of the mission and community activities that are already well-established in the programme at Kings. Here are some of the regular activities continuing this year:

Community Coffee Mornings

Fridays (Monthly), 9.30am-11.30am

The Coffee mornings started at Christmas in 2006 with a successful Christmas Coffee Morning for some of the elderly people in Gilesgate that we met during NE1. The Interns and others have continued to hold monthly coffee mornings on Fridays - at McNally Place Community Centres. This is a great opportunity to get alongside people in the Gilesgate community (especially the elderly). If you like the idea of getting to know people and blessing them with tea and coffee and cake then speak to one of the Interns or contact the office for more details. If you can't make Friday mornings but you like making cakes, feel free to get in touch!

Saturday Projects

As a result of the feedback, momentum and enthusiam gained from the June Project in addition to our seasonal activities we have just added a morning of mission each term. The type of activities you can get involved with are: garden clearing, bulb planting, door to door give aways, coffee mornings, face painting, sports, drama, music and first contact.

Becca Kay is heading up this work. Keep an eye out for dates and times!

At Kings we like to get out and about and serve people in our community in practical ways. Over the past few years we've done decorating, garden projects, planting bulbs, planting trees, wrapping presents and litterpicks among many other things! If you'd be up for getting your hands (and possibly your boots) dirty serving those in need and being salt & light in the community then contact Paul Burgess at the office or speak to your Cell or Pastorate Leaders.