Welcome to a bumper November edition of ROCNI's Action Group News!
It's been a jam packed month with Winter Coat Projects, Project Can Do programmes as well as celebrating ROC's 20th Anniversary. Scroll down for our latest news and opportunities to get involved in ROC's work in Northern Ireland.
Thank you for your continued support as we seek to 'empower people of goodwill to work together for safer, stronger communities'.
Join our brand new Whatsapp Community Group Chat to find out regular information about ongoing projects across Northern Ireland!
The ROC Winter Coat Project 2024 is underway with three initiatives completed and two taking place this month. Already hundreds of coats have been donated and given away, helping many in our communities keep warm over the winter months.
Thank you to Newtownabbey Methodist Mission in Rathcoole, St Columba's Church of Ireland in Omagh and Glengormley Methodist Church in Newtownabbey who partnered with us to kickstart this year's campaign. The generosity in our communities is incredible and once again many coats as well as hats, scarves and gloves have been donated. At the pop events there is joy and gratitude as coats are picked out, tried on and taken home.
There's still time to get involved, whether donating items to our upcoming projects or hosting a Winter Coat Project which can be done in a number of ways:
During existing activities/events: Newtownabbey Methodist Mission have successfully used this model where coats are displayed at regular gatherings like weekly drop-ins, allowing people to take what they need.
Hosting a Winter Warmer Event: A special community event featuring information stands, refreshments, activities and coat/winter clothing stands. It takes a bit more organising, but can be an innovative way encouraging people to attend. This has worked well over the past two years in Glengormley.
Winter Coat Pop-Up: A temporary transformation of a church hall or community space into a 'coat shop' for 1-3 days, with light refreshments available - our most popular model of doing the Winter Coat Project!
Would you consider hosting a Winter Coat Project in your area?
Completed projects in Omagh, Newtownabbey and Glengormley
Upcoming projects in St Paul's and Bangor/Orchardville
Project CAN DO in Ballyclare!
For the past five weeks, Keeva has delivered our health and wellbeing Project Can Do programme in Ballyclare partnership with St John's Church of Ireland. The new group of parishioners and folks from the local community spent Monday mornings exploring the 'Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing' to support our mental health and wellbeing. We looked at building connections within our community, keeping active, taking opportunities to learn, giving to others and finally taking notice. There was plenty of discussion, ideas shared with lots of laughter and encouragement too.
Thank you to Frances from St John's for all her hard work behind the scenes to make it happen and to Margaret for keeping us topped up with tea, coffee and lovely treats. Thank you St John's for partnering with us and being our host venue, and to Impact Network for funding the programme.
Interested in hosting a Project Can Do programme in your community? ROC Staff can deliver the five-week health and wellbeing community programme for your school parents group, church and community groups. It's a great way to build connections with your local community and improve personal wellbeing as championed by recent participants:
'Very relaxing - taking time out to do something different helped me'
'I find this a very relaxing experience'
'Lovely to meet new people and share our thoughts'
Are you interested in running our own Project CAN DO! in your local setting. Visit our resource page here or contact us at northernireland@roc.uk.com or 02890351020!
We're delighted to partner with St Michael's Church of Ireland in the Lower Shankill to facilitate our health and wellbeing Project Can DO! sessions in their new 'Fit for Life' programme. We'll be facilitating monthly sessions on the Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing with follow-up events and trips in connection with each theme.
If you're in the area, pop in and be part of 'Fit for Life'.
We are piloting a new Community Safety themed Project Can Do programme for parents of primary school aged children in North Belfast. Thanks to funding from the Northern Ireland Police Property Fund, we're able to facilitate the five-week programme in nine primary schools. The programme in partnership with the Neighbourhood Police Team explores various community safety topics including keeping your property safe, keeping safe online as well as keeping safe in your community. The programme is informal yet informative and helps provide up to date information and resources to parents.
We recently completed our first programme in Currie Primary School with parents commenting that:
'Everything explained so simple so I could understand everything even with my language barrier. Thank You.'
'It was very educative and engaging. I now understand much better how to confidently protect my home.'
We currently have availability in the New Year to deliver the programme in four schools in North Belfast. If you would be interested in finding out more, click on the link below or contact the ROCNI Office.
ROC Webinar Resources
Did you miss our recent ROC Webinar? Fear not, we have uploaded the masterclasses onto ROC's online shop which you can download to watch at a time to suit you. Choose from 'Building Blocks to Community Transformation' and the topical 'Using AI for fundraising' - with more Masterclass videos coming soon.
We also have a range of helpful resources on our website to equip you and your team and churches with the skills they need for community transformation. Click here to find out more.
The last Friday of each month is 'Coffee & Connect' at the ROCNI Office (Vine Centre, 193 Crumlin Road, Belfast, BT14 7AA). It's a time set aside specifically for Action Group members, leaders, project volunteers, friends and supporters of ROC to join the team for a cuppa and chat as well as meet others connected to ROCNI.
Our next Coffee & Connect is happening on the 29th November. You will be very welcome to join us!
People of Goodwill
Are you an organisation based in Northern Ireland? Do you have a project you would like us to share? Then why not get in touch to be featured in our series!
To feature in our PEOPLE OF GOODWILL series. Contact us at benmcgurk@roc.uk.com or 02890351020
Organisation Highlight
Are you and your organisation interested in featuring in our monthly Action Group News?
Get in touch with us to find out how you can feature as our 'Organisation Highlight' each month!
Email: northernireland@roc.uk.com or 02890351020
We are very grateful for the supporters, trusts and funding bodies who have financially supported us since we launched in May 2012. Every generous gift has enabled us to grow and develop ROC's work in communities across Northern Ireland.
Like many community and voluntary sector groups, ROC has been impacted by funding budget cuts. There are a number of ways you, your church or group can help us...
Would you consider giving a one-off donation or a monthly gift to support our work here? Further details on how to make a donation, click the link below. Or could you host a fundraising event on our behalf...a coffee morning? a sponsored walk? a supermarket bag pack? Invite the ROC Team to speak about our work at your church groups or services! If you would like to get involved or have a fundraising idea, please contact the ROC Team for further details.
Finding the Peace Fund
In response to recent UK riots and protests, Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) and Welcome Churches have united to promote peace, healing, and reconciliation in affected areas. The 'Finding the Peace' partnership aims to show how love can overcome fear during these challenging times.
Together, we are launching collaborative projects that foster cross-cultural understanding and contribute to neighbourhood peace. These initiatives will include community listening, celebrations, and welcoming newcomers. As we rapidly develop the 'Finding the Peace' initiative, we seek support to help bridge divides and foster unity in our communities. Your generosity is crucial to helping more communities find lasting peace.
Gifts made to Stewardship in support of 'Finding the Peace Fund' will be split equally between ROC (roc.uk.com) and Welcome Churches (welcomechurches.org). Donor contact information will be shared with both charities, unless donors choose to support the initiative anonymously.
Organisation Highlight - Welcome Churches
Welcome Churches are a charity dedicated to ensuring that no refugee or person seeking asylum arrives alone into the UK. We know the important role that the church has to play, and the readily available community that there is in every town and city across the UK. Welcome Churches seeks to train and equip the local church to provide hospitality, friendship and help to those in need.
Welcome Churches' referral system allows refugees and people seeking asylum to refer themselves or be referred by a third-party to a local Welcome Church. Their refugee-facing website FindYourWelcome.org, empowering refugees to access information in their own languages about life in the UK and to refer themselves for a welcome from a local church.
For more information go to https://welcomechurches.org/ or email patrick.purdy@welcomechurches.org
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