2021 was a fantastic year for the Hubb and despite the difficulties of covid and the restrictions that were in place, our members managed to spend a lot of time together as a community. We look back at a fantastic year of fun, food and family.
There were so many projects going on, with lots of involvement from the community and the members of the Hubb, who all worked together to make last year as full of joy as possible.
We had lots of meet ups at the allotment, which was such a great resource to have when socialising indoors was restricted, and we had different activities taking place there, including the shed project, creative activities for children over the school holidays, a gardening club, drumming workshops, and even Chai and Chat, which was very popular as always.
The diverse allotment space gave our members a chance to get involved with DIY projects, growing veg, spending time outdoors and meeting and connecting with some other members of the community who have plots on the allotment. It was great to see everyone sharing advice, seeds, and samosas!
As well as all the fun at the allotment, we continued our activities at the Hubb at St Margaret’s Church, with sessions including reflexology, yoga and crafting – see our previous blog post on the Our Stories in Stitch project here for a look at one of the projects. We also started the BMen group, a space for men from all beliefs and backgrounds to come together and socialise.
During the summer we had an event outside the church, with visitors having a go at making jewellery, sustainable newspaper plant pots, playing ukuleles, doing craft activities and of course getting some tasty food, all for free. It was a lovely day and even the rain couldn’t dampen our spirits.
There was also some winter festive fun at the Hubb, with a raffle, fire engines, a mobile police station, jewellery making, a Dhol player, Father Christmas, badge making and lots of delicious food and drinks. It was a lovely day that was enjoyed by the community.
To say thank you to some of our amazing members who have helped to make the Hubb a success, we had an end of year celebration before Christmas. The members who attended decorated light up bottle centre pieces to take home, along with a wellbeing goodie bag, and some enjoyed playing pass the parcel for the first time ever.
After a difficult couple of years, it was quite emotional, and they shared what the Hubb and their community means to them. One member said: "This group really helps me; it feels like a family".
Another commented that “This place is a lifeline for us”, which one of the other members agreed, adding “If it wasn't for the Hubb I don't know what I’d do.”
And, capturing the spirit that we try to foster, one member said: “Three generations of my family attend the Hubb, it's like a second home”.
We are so proud that our community has come together to support each other and build a place that feels like home for each other. We provide the space and activities, but it is our wonderful members who bring the feeling of family and togetherness that makes it so special, so we want to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone involved for being part of it.
We hope to keep building on our community and welcoming new members of the family in, so watch this space for more information on the activities that will continue to take place in 2022.
Comments