Temple Charity

Supporting the charitable work
of the Church of England
in the area of the ancient ecclesiastical parish of
Temple or Holy Cross and Archdeaconry of Bristol

St Stephens Southmead

The support of Temple Ecclesiastical has enabled St. Stephen’s Southmead to employ a Children and Families Worker, with a particular remit of working with 0 – 5 year olds and their families, for three years.

The investment in this role has enabled this area of ministry to thrive, including a weekly Toddler group that supports numerous local families from the community, and the running of Kids Matter, a parenting programme specifically designed for families facing disadvantage.

The programme has been run 8 times, supporting 37 parents and reaching 84 children, using both the church building and local schools to strengthen links in the community. Sunday morning provision takes place for the 10 families that currently attend, and was maintained throughout Lockdown with both ‘Zoom Breakout Rooms’ for young families and doorstep deliveries of activities to help children stay connected with the church.

Going forwards, St. Stephen’s hopes to both maintain and grow ministries with families and children, in order to see faith in Jesus grow in the community of Southmead.