Blog
Christmas wishes from WCYP
“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!" With rising living costs maybe Christmas is looking a little bit different this year. Maybe a few less presents or wearing a few more layers round the house....
Meet Matt
Hey! I’m Matt and I’m new here at the Weston Church Youth Project. I grew up in and around Southampton and have always loved Weston – I used to come to Weston Shore as a kid, and more recently have been involved at the Hope Centre (on Drayton Close) and WCYP. I love films, art, cooking, drama, travelling, watersports, being...
Sunny fun for everyone! ☀️
May half term is nearly here so we've rounded up all the crazy fun to be had across Southampton and beyond throughout May and June. Boredom? No thanks 🙅 Southampton's Platinum Jubilee Beacon Trail Located around Southampton are seven magical characters on a day trip from Buckingham Palace. Join Sir Barnaby Beacon on the...
Meet Charlotte!
Hey guys! My name is Charlotte and I have recently joined Weston Church Youth Project as the Youth Activities Co-ordinator. I’m in charge of our fun sessions we have at WCYP but I’ll talk more about what that means in a little bit. I live with my parents and my brother in a village called Stubbington which is also where I...
Hello from Ellie!
Hi! I’m Ellie, some of you will already know me from Holy Trinity Weston as I’ve been working at the project’s faith groups. Recently, I have taken on a new role of Youth Development Worker, more about that later! What can I say about me? I grew up in the Fareham and Gosport area which is near Portsmouth and currently live...
Awesome Autumn Activities for Children and Families
Back to school doesn't mean back to boredom! Take a look through our list of activities happening around Southampton and Hampshire over the coming weeks ? Ali's Autumn Art Club 2021 Ali's Art Club is back with a bang for another school year! Led by artist Ali Eales, each of these online sessions for 7-11 year olds explore a different artist...
Support us with AmazonSmile!
Have you ever wanted to find a way to support WCYP without actually having to spend any extra money? We've got a solution! AmazonSmile is a way customers can support their favourite charitable organisation every time they shop with Amazon, at no additional cost. Customers who shop at smile.amazon.co.uk will find the same Amazon they know and love, with the added...
Super Summer Activities for Kids ☀️
The summer holidays are on the horizon, so we've rounded up all of the activities that will be taking place in Southampton and beyond for some fantastic family fun! Wild World Heroes: Summer Reading Challenge 2021 The Reading Agency has teamed up with WWF for a very special nature-themed Challenge that will inspire you to stand up for the...
Goodbye to Dean!
We're so sad that this month we said goodbye to the fantastic Dean after 9 years as he starts on the next chapter of his life! Dean started with us in 2012 as a sessional worker before becoming our Fun to Engage Worker a few years later. He's been a fantastic friend to both young people and adults and we're...
Activities for Kids - April 2021
Who's excited that things have started opening up? We sure are ? check out all the fun activities going on around Southampton! Easter Spotter If you're planning a visit to Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in April with children, remember to book your self-guided Easter Spotter until 30 April for £1. This event is run by Sir Harold Hillier Gardens - for more...
Activities for kids!
Who's getting bored in lockdown? We've put together a list of activities for kids that the whole family can get involved in! Tudor House History Club Mondays from 22 February to 29 March, 4.30-5.30pm, £7.50 each or £36 for all six sessions. Led by learning officers Andy and Kate, each session explores a different theme or period of history; from the rampaging...
Rachel's hello :)
Hello! I am Rachel, your new Project Manager here at WCYP. It has been a busy 2 months since starting at the beginning of August. I wanted to pop on here to give you a bit of background about me, and give you a long overdue update of what we have planned for the Project during this very confusing...
Jenni's goodbye!
It's less than a week now until we move to Bristol, where Tom will begin training and studying to become a vicar in a few years! I am still on maternity leave but won’t be returning to WCYP, and I feel so sad to be leaving after 10 years of working for this amazing organisation. In the past few...
Saying goodbye to our treasurer
Richard Boulter, our faithful treasurer for the past 6 years, is stepping down from his role this week and passing on the baton to one of our trustees. We caught up with him to find out a bit about what it’s been like working behind the scenes for WCYP, how he spends the rest of his time and how he’s...
Spotlight on Maddie
We thought it'd be nice to share something from the point of view of a WCYP member, so we'd like to introduce you to: Maddie! We had a lovely chat with Maddie on the phone the other day about her experiences with WCYP and how she's finding lockdown. Maddie, you've been coming along to WCYP for years! Do you remember...
Grief and Loss Course
Before this pandemic hit and the schools were closed, we were in the middle of running a Grief and Loss Course at Chamberlayne College, for students who had experienced a significant loss of any kind. I thought I’d post about some of the content of this course for anyone who would appreciate it. Hard Work Within the course we talk about how...
An update from our staff...
Hi everyone! As a country we are now into our third week of social distancing measures; how is everyone finding life? We hope you’ve been able to choose gratitude at times when things have felt frustrating, to stay connected with loved ones and to find some enjoyment in each day! Unsurprisingly, it’s a very strange time for us at WCYP....
One day at a time!
I don’t know about you, but the current situation with the coronavirus and all of the related restrictions has left us feeling a bit unsettled. Most of us aren’t at school or college and many aren’t able to work, and our day to day lives feel very different. Even if we are able to get out of the house,...
What are you grateful for today?
Who joined in with the ‘Clap for Carers’ yesterday evening? Wasn’t it amazing how the country came together to say ‘thank you’ to our amazing NHS and keyworkers? Here’s a video if you missed it https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52058013 I personally found it incredibly uplifting and quite moving to be on my doorstep joining in with the whole of Weston clapping and cheering....
Covid-19: Some thoughts
What a surreal time we are living in! We announced on 17th March that we will not be running any of our activities for the time being: mentoring, group sessions, open access clubs etc. Schools, public gatherings and events may eventually all stop for a while but where possible let's do what we can to stay positive. This unique season...
Are you comfortable?
When you hear the word ‘comfort’ what do you think of? Andrex toilet paper, freshly washed bed sheets, relaxing on the sofa with a duvet a hot drink and a good movie. We all love a bit of comfort in life it makes us feel secure and safe, it gives us a sense of peace and rest in our minds....
A Wale of a time
When was the last time you went for a long walk? No, I mean, a really long walk? As the seemingly never-ending month of January comes to a close, here at WCYP we are making the final preparations for our annual youth retreat to the Brecon Beacons mountain range in Wales. On this trip we spend 3 days staying in a...
Help young people in the community by volunteering in 2020
With the New Year approaching, people are starting to think about their New Year’s Resolutions and how they can do their bit. One of the ways people can help is by volunteering in their community and we’re asking people to get in touch with us if they can spare a few hours per week to help us offer fun drop-in,...
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
I wonder how you feel about Christmas? Are you the kind of person who gets the Christmas tunes on in November, loves a cheesy Christmas jumper, fills their home with fairy lights and buys pumpkin spice everything? Or maybe you don’t love it... maybe Christmas songs irritate you, your family always argue or you spend Christmas feeling lonely. Or...
Great News For Resilient Kids
We have recently had great news for our Resilient Kids Group. Thanks to The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation and The Co-Op Community Fund we will be able to restart the group in January. Over the last three years Resilient Kids has helped many children to grow in confidence and resilience. Our previous members have enjoyed the benefits...
We’ve received a £308,038 National Lottery Grant
We’ve some wonderful news! We’ve recently received a three-year, £308,038 National Lottery Community Fund Grant to continue with our work. We are so incredibly thankful to them for their continuation funding towards our Fun to Engage programme. Four years ago, the Big Lottery supported us with a grant to develop our work and this new grant will allow...
Moving On...
It’s with real sadness that I write this blog to let you know that after nearly 11 years I’m going to be leaving Weston Church Youth Project at the end of October. Since moving to Bournemouth just before Christmas, I knew that once I’d settled there I would start to look for other job opportunities closer to home, which...
