 On this page you will find information about groups and facilities operating in the Twerton, Whiteway and Southdown areas. The idea is to build up and maintain a database on everything that is a help to the community in South West Bath. You can either search through and click on the links below, or scroll down this page to find out about what is available. Index |
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ABC Toddler Group |
Holiday Playschemes (Culverhay School) |
ABC Toddler GroupThe ABC Toddler Group used to meet in the Church Rooms at Twerton High Street but has relocated to the Rose Cottage Community Centre and Cafe in the same street. Running from 10am to 11.30am on Mondays and costing £1, a typical morning includes story time, song time and craft activities. You can see a photo of the playhouse at Rose Cottage here. Telephone: Caroline on 0781 4382266 Bath and North East Somerset Credit UnionBath and North East Somerset Credit Union (BANESCU) was formerly known as South West Bath Credit Union. Its aim is to provide safe savings and affordable loads for people living in the BANES area. The Credit Union offers an accessible collection to manage your account with confidentially. Its services include low cost loans (at no more than 2% interest each month, with a typical rate of 1% per month), children's savings clubs, free life insurance on your savings, and free loan protection insurance. Collection points in South West Bath are: Thursday - Rose Cottage, Twerton High Street, 11am to 12 noon Bath and North East Somerset Credit Union Telephone: Nikki Mason 0117 9865888, mobile: 07968 732858 Bath Area Play ProjectBath Area Play Project (BAPP) provides a range of play opportunities for children and young people. These include: Community Play Rangers - children's workers who organise play opportunities designed to encourage youngsters to make more use of parks and open spaces, reduce their fear of bullying, and help them feel they have someone ready to listen to their needs and to turn to for advice. Sessions are "open access" meaning that children and are free to come and go as they please and are not registered. Children help plan the sessions and choose the kind of activities that they would like. Playranger sessions run from 3.30pm to 6pm. Mondays: Brick Fields (Lymore Avenue) Creche - an OFSTED registered creche facility at The Hut, Newton Road, Twerton. This is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm in term time. It is for children from birth to school age and can accept a maximum of 6 babies per session. The day is split into three sessions: 9.15am to 11am, 11.15am to 1pm, and 1.15pm to 3pm. Mobile Toy Library - used on Mondays from 1.30pm to 3pm at Southdown Methodist Church Centre, and on Thursdays from 10.15am to 12 noon at First Steps Children's Centre, Twerton. Telephone: Kerry 01225 400018. Teenage Rampage - a weekly session organised by Bath Area Play Project for young people aged 13 to 19 with disabilities. They meet for various activities at The Hut, Newton Road, on Tuesdays from 7pm to 9pm. Turtle Toy Library - the Turtle Toy Library is open to any family living in Bath and North East Somerset with children under 16 years of age. It is also open to groups that work with children e.g. nurseries, pre-schools and out of school clubs. BAPP have links with the Bath Childminding Network who use the Toy Library when they meet in The Hut, Newton Road, from 10am to 12.30pm on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month. Stay 'n' Play - for disabled children and their families. This takes place at The Hut, Newton Road, on the 1st Saturday of every month from 10am to 2pm. There is a soft play room, sensory room and a garden, and each month has a special theme with activities and play opportunities for all ages. Many people bring a packed lunch and spend the day there. Tea, coffee and cold drinks are available and there is a microwave for heating food. Plates and cups are available too. SOFA Activities - a free programme of fun activities such as canoeing and karting during the school summer holiday, for young people aged 12 to 16 years (19 if disabled). The programme includes transport with pick-up points (Culverhay School is the nearest in this area). You need to book your place using a form which can be downloaded from the Bath Area Play Project website. Holiday Playschemes - for children aged 5 to 12. The Twerton playscheme takes place at The Hut, Newton Road. This playscheme welcomes all children, especially disabled children. It is "closed access" which means that parents and carers must book in advance by completing a Registration Form and a Booking Form. For disabled children who require transport there is a Transport Request Form. These forms can be downloaded from the Bath Area Play Project website. The Whiteway Summer Playscheme is held at the Southside Youth Centre, Kelston View. This playscheme is "open access" meaning that children are free to come and go as they please. Children attending this playscheme are asked to get a consent form signed and returned to the Playleader. This too, can be downloaded from the Bath Area Play Project website. Bath Area Play Project Telephone: 01225 832479 Bath City FarmBath City Farm is a charitable trust which raises farm animals in fields between Twerton and Whiteway. The trust organises volunteer days, school visits, educational courses, after schools and holiday activities for young people, and community events. Bath City Farm is open all year round and can be accessed by various gates and stiles located around the site. The car park is available when staff are on site, which is usually Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 2.30pm. There is no entrance charge and visitors are free to roam the fields and see the animals at any time. There is a picnic area overlooking the city and the goats, chickens and ducks can be fed fruit or vegetable peelings but not bread. Sheep nuts can be purchased when staff are present. 
The activity room at Bath City Farm The Roots & Shoots under-5s group is held on Tuesday mornings from 10am to 12pm. Outdoor activities for the children include gardening and helping to feed the animals. Volunteering sessions are held on Mondays from 10am to 3pm. School visits should be discussed and arranged with Bath City Farm by telephone beforehand. When there are sufficient staff on site the farm can accomodate up to 50 children. The Community Play Rangers run afterschool play sessions for children aged 5 to 13 at the farm, on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3.30pm to 6pm (see Bath Area Play Project). You can see a video clip of piglets at Bath City Farm here: piglets. Bath City Farm Telephone: 01225 481269 Bath City Football ClubBath City Youth FC run numerous football training clubs for under-7s to under-16s. Youngsters are taught football skills at Kingswood School's astroturf, and teams are entered into various leagues such as the Midsomer Norton League. At the time of writing (autumn 2008) there is an under-13s girl team, with plans to run more girls teams. Once a year, all the teams get together to play at Twerton Park and this is followed by an awards presentation. Bath City Football Club provides two rooms called Randall's and Charlie's where community events are held. Bath City Football Club Telephone: 01225 423087 Bath City Football Club Community GroupBath City Football Club Community Group meets regularly at the Football Club. This is a group of people looking to develop sports and leisure facilities in the Twerton area, specifically, but not exclusively, for young people. For further information contact: Martha Cox Telephone: 01225 477669 Bath YMCA Roundhill CentreBath YMCA offers a free six week gym course called Activate at the Roundhill Centre. There are fitness machines in the building and trained staff provide advice on exercise and healthy eating. When the course has finished the gym costs £2.50 per session. The Roundhill Centre is open at the following times: Mondays - 9am to 12 noon and 5pm to 10pm The Bath Shotokan Karate juniors meet at the centre on Thursdays from 6.15pm to 7.15pm. (The adults' club meets at Culverhay Sports Centre which has a separate entry on this page.) Telephone: 01761 417255 or 07979 702818, website: www.bathshotokan.talktalk.net. The YMCA is looking to re-establish an afterschool club. If successful, children aged 4 to 11 will be collected from Southdown Infant School and Southdown Junior School, for a two hour session priced at £4. You can see a couple of photos of the centre here: Roundhill Centre. Bath YMCA Roundhill Centre Telephone: 01225 401000 BingoThe Bingo in Twerton used to be held in the Church Rooms at the top end of Twerton High Street. Now it is held at the Cleeve Court elderly persons' home on Tuesdays from 6pm and the Carrswood Day Centre on Fridays from 7pm. Cleeve Court and the Carrswood Day Centre are situated next to each other, opposite Cleeve Green in Twerton. Breastfeeding Peer SupportThis local organisation offers friendly relaxed drop-in groups for pregnant and breastfeeding mums, good information about breastfeeding, a library of slings, DVDs and books to borrow, and low-cost maternity bras. Time Bank members can receive free training to become a breastfeeding peer support volunteer, and earn time credits for volunteering as a peer supporter (see Time Bank). Drop-in groups meet at the times and venues shown below: Friday 10am to 12 noon - Southdown Methodist Centre Telephone: Catherine 0799 0914568 Carrs Woodland ForumThe Carrs Woodland Forum is a local group of people who maintain and look after the Carrs Woodland consisting of an area of trees, grassland and a brook to the west of Twerton. They work together with Bath and North East Somerset Council, Wildspaces, Envolve and Newton Mill Camping Park. Volunteering with the Carrs Woodland Forum would be well suited to people who are interested in supporting local wildlife, helping to organise events, and undertaking practical conservation work. The footpath running through the wood can be accessed via Walwyn Close. You can see a video clip of a walk organised by the Carrs Woodland Forum here: Insect walk. Telephone: Miriam Woolnough on 01225 477612 Christians Against Poverty - debt adviceChristians Against Poverty (CAP) is a national charity with a branch at Roseberry Road, East Twerton, open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm. The charity works in partnership with local churches and provides poverty relief through debt counselling, advice and practical help. 
Help is usually given as follows. A debt counsellor makes a home visit to gather financial information and to explain how CAP tackle debt. The counsellor also offers to pray for your situation, which is an entirely optional part of the service. They then draw up a budget which gives priority to essential bills such as mortgage repayments and electricity bills, and contact those companies to agree upon repayments. The budget is designed to see you out of debt in a reasonable time and includes savings for Christmas or emergencies. The counsellor visits again to discuss the budget and how to make payments. An account is set up for you to pay off bills and debts by making one weekly or monthly payment to CAP, which is distributed to your creditors on your behalf. Christians Against Poverty Citizens Advice BureauxThe Citizens Advice Bureau runs sessions giving financial advice to families about debt, welfare benefits etc. The aim is to help relieve the stress of managing debt, or to help families avoid difficulties in the future. The sessions are held in First Steps Twerton Children's Centre, at Poolemead Road every other Tuesday morning. Telephone: 01225 444791. The Citizens Advice Bureaux also offer advice on welfare benefits and other subjects at Meade House, Wedgewood Road, in one of the rooms used by the Southside Family Project (you have to make an appointment for this). Telephone: 01225 331243. Community Learning ServiceThe Community Learning Service is funded through the Learning and Skills Council, to help adults over 19 years with little or few qualifications gain the confidence and skills to return or move on at work, or back to learning. From September 2008 it will be continuing to offer free taster activities and workshops but also offering longer courses and opportunities to progress onto courses such as Beginners IT, Confidence Building, Preparing for Work or Learning, Family Learning and National Tests in Literacy and Numeracy. The Community Learning Service Bath team: Meg North, Jane Fell, Christina Chow, Naomi Stone and Community Development Worker Martin Sadd are based at the FOTEC Learning Centre in Twerton High Street. You can read a news item about the Community Learning Service here. FOTEC Telephone: 01225 396192 Cook It ProjectThe Cook It project forms part of the Primary Care Trust's obesity strategy. We aim to work specifically with families across Bath and North East Somerset to improve the diet of pre-school children. We support the work of health professionals such as Health Visitors, Community Children's Nurses and Community Workers. We deliver one-off taster sessions on healthy eating at Family and Children's centres through existing groups such as Stay and Play. The sessions can be tailored to the group's needs and can cover areas such as weaning, healthy toddler snacks or homemade fast food. The sessions provide opportunities for hands on learning and tasting new foods, as well as the opportunity to talk through issues relating to food. We are also planning to set up 4-6 week Cook It courses which will run in community settings. These will involve preparing healthy family meals as a group and cover food budgeting, understanding food labels, food hygiene and basic nutrition. We can work on a one-to-one basis for parents who need additional support on the same topics. If you have a group or individual you think Cook It could support, then please get in touch. Telephone: Lucy Hanney on 01225 831509 or 07515 190932 Culverhay SchoolCulverhay School organises Holiday Playschemes during half-term breaks and the long summer holiday, giving children aged between 5 and 13 the chance to gain new skills and develop existing abilities. The playschemes are based around a structured daily timetable of activities which imparts to the children a sense of purpose. Activities typically include sports, arts and crafts, dance, swimming, drama, computing and cooking. Prices (in 2008) are £10 for the whole day (9am to 3pm) with £1.50 deducted for every further child. For information on Holiday Playschemes telephone Mark Gunning on 01225 426268. The school also runs adult and community evening courses and Saturday workshops, with a wide range of courses to choose from including IT for beginners, internet and email, the computer club and other more specific IT interests. There is a consistent Drawing for Improvers class suitable for the beginner and more experienced artist, along with other choices of creative crafts. Courses vary from term to term giving you a broad choice of subjects over the year. Regular updates of the courses can be seen on the school website. For information on courses and workshops telephone Jan Booth on 01225 473284. Recent developments in the school's work with youth have been the launch of a Youth Theatre and free Percussion and Drumming workshops for 11 to 17 year-olds. For more information about these, telephone Jan Booth on 01225 473284. See also here. Culverhay School, Website: www.culverhayschool.com Culverhay Sports CentreCulverhay Sports Centre serves Culverhay School but is open to the public outside of school hours. Some available activities are: aqua aerobics, badminton, basketball, fitness class, football, gym, lifeguarding, netball, swimming, swimming lessons and table tennis. There are Children's Parties schemes which take place on Saturdays, and a session called Kid's Fun Time on Sunday between 10am and 12 noon, when the pool is open for children and families only - with toys and floats available. See the sports centre website for more information.
Several clubs that use the Culverhay Sports Centre are: Bath Shotokan Karate adults - Monday 8pm to 9.30pm. Website: www.bathshotokan.talktalk.net* Bath Tae Kwon Do - Tuesday 6pm (juniors) and 7pm (adults), Friday 5.30pm (juniors) and 6.30pm (adults). Website: www.bathtkd.com City of Bath Rythmic Gymnastics - Monday 5pm to 8pm, Wednesday 5pm to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm. Website: www.bathrhythmic.co.uk Osprey Swimming Club - a competitive swimming club for all ages, Friday 4pm to 7pm. Telephone: 0845 2249436 *The Bath Shotokan Karate juniors meet at the Bath YMCA Roundhill Centre, Southdown, which has a separate entry on this page. Culverhay Sports Centre Telephone during office hours: 01225 486902 Day GroupA day group meets in the Church Rooms next to The Full Moon Pub at the top end of Twerton High Street. The group is for anybody in the community who would like to come along on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 1.30pm onwards. One of the purposes of the day group is to help foster community by encouraging people to come out of their homes and meet with others. First Steps Twerton Children's CentreThis is part of a national scheme (known as Sure Start Children's Centres) designed to bring together early education and childcare, family health services, family support, and help with access to related training and employment. 
First Steps Children's Centre at Woodhouse Road is a 60 place nursery open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. There is a baby room for children aged 6 months to 2 years, featuring an inside and outside play area, a milk preparation room, and a sleep room. For children aged 2 to 5 years, the main areas include a room for creativity and the exploration of natural substances such as sand and water, a quiet room where the children can rest, enjoy stories or sing-songs, and an outside garden. A cooked lunch is provided each day for £1.40 and a light tea for 50p (prices in 2008). Fees are £3.60 per hour for children aged 2 years and above, and £4.60 per hour for children under 2 years. There is a 10% discount for subsequent children. Children aged 3 years and over are entitled to receive 12½ hours of free day care per week in term time. Double fees are charged for extra time if your child is collected late. A small number of time-limited subsidised places are available (e.g. for families on benefits). You can download an information leaflet about the children's centre here. You can also watch a video clip of the centre here: First Steps Twerton. First Steps also have an annexe at Dominion Road, Twerton, with activities specifically designed for supporting parents and families. Regular events associated with First Steps Twerton are: Credit Union - at First Steps Annexe, Dominion Road, Tuesday 10am to 11am* Stay and Play - at First Steps Annexe, Dominion Road, Tuesday and Friday 10am to 12pm Music Space - at First Steps Children's Centre, Woodhouse Road, Tuesday 10.30am to 12pm Bumps and Babies (a drop-in group for parents and their children up to 18 months of age) at First Steps Annexe, Dominion Road, Wednesday 10am to 12 noon. Young Parents - at First Steps Children's Centre, Woodhouse Road, Thursday 12.30pm to 2.30pm* B.U.T. (Bringing Us Together, a family support service) - at First Steps Children's Centre, Woodhouse Road, Friday 10am to 12pm Breastfeeding Peer Support - at First Steps Children's Centre, Woodhouse Road, Friday 12.30pm to 2pm* *Bath and North East Somerset Credit Union, Breastfeeding Peer Support and Young Parents have separate entries on this page. First Steps Twerton Children's Centre Telephone: 01225 444791, Fax: 01225 334596 Genesis Furniture ProjectThe Genesis Furniture Project sells donated furniture and household goods from a warehouse in West Avenue, Oldfield Park. Items such as sofas, beds, tables, freezers, cookers and linen are sold to anyone receiving a benefit. The warehouse is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4.30pm. Collections and deliveries are free of charge within a ten mile radius of Bath. The project also offers job placements to the long-term unemployed through the New Deal. Genesis Furniture Project Telephone: 01225 421111 Golden-OldiesGolden-Oldies is the charity which offers people aged around 50 onwards a great time singing hit tunes of the 50s, 60s and 70s each week. Golden-Oldies groups first started in January 2007, in community rooms provided by Somer Community Housing Trust. They soon attracted media attention from around the world following several reports by the BBC. The individuals who attend the groups are called Goldies and their motto is "Goldies sing for life". Importantly, the sessions give older people something in the week to look forward to. Golden-Oldies sessions are held in Blagdon Park Community Centre, Whiteway, on Monday mornings from 10.30am to 11.30am. Also, at Quebec, Twerton, on Thursday afternoons from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. Video clips of the Whiteway and the Twerton Golden-Oldies are here and here. Main office: Golden-Oldies Telephone: 01761 470006 or 01761 472468 LearndirectLearndirect is a national learning network created by the University for industry (UFI), offering courses designed to equip people with the skills they need for employment. Learndirect offer classes at Fotec 80 High Street, Twerton. They are: English and Maths - Thursday 9.30am to 12.30pm The nearest Learndirect centre is: Training Services Telephone: Liz Langley 01225 477885 Rake Up and GrowRake Up and Grow is a community garden service run by volunteers with different levels of ability. The organisation works mainly with adults who have disabilities, as a means of education and work-training leading to employment opportunities. They also welcome volunteers from all walks of life who would like to support adults in horticulture or learn more about horticulture themselves. Rake up and Grow offer a reduced charge for people on pensions and benefits but will do gardening for anyone. Sally Heselton, who supervises the project, is a trained horticulturalist and lecturer at Wiltshire College, Lackham. Telephone: 01225 396063 RE:generateIn November 2009, a charitable trust called RE:generate began an 18 month project on the Whiteway Estate. The trust aims to help people who normally go unheard, to express their opinions and develop the facilities that they want for their community. RE:generate aims to works with local agencies to help residents channel their abilities into bringing about change. An article which appeared in the Bath Chronicle in March 2009 suggested that a residents association, a fly tipping group and possibly a children's football team will be among the groups formed. However, the extreme bottom-up nature of RE:generate's approach in the early stages has meant there has been little contact with local agencies and few details of the work going on in Whiteway have been released. Website: www.regeneratetrust.org Rose Cottage
Rose Cottage is situated in Twerton High Street and is owned by Twerton parish church, St Michael and All Angels. The church opens the building as a drop-in centre and a cafe on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 10am to 2pm, with lunches served from around 12 noon. The cafe has free internet facilities. Other weekly events to take place at Rose Cottage include the ABC Toddler Group held from 10.30am to 12.30am on Monday mornings. The ABC Toddler Group has a separate entry on this page. There is also a Stop Smoking drop-in session on Wednesdays from 10.30am to 12.30am. The flyer reads, "Become smokefree with friendly, helpful support and advice." Telephone 01225 831852. Rose Cottage Telephone: Gavin and Lucy 01225 351643 Shaw TrustShaw Trust is a national charity that provides training and work opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the work market due to disability, ill health or other circumstances. It also provides services which support disabled people to live more independent lives. When someone is entitled to home care from social services, they can have it in the form of a Direct Payment which can be used to employ help from a different agency such as a friend or family member. Shaw Trust helps people do this through their Direct Payment Service, which offers advice and guidance, assistance with recruitment and retention, a payroll service, a quarterly newsletter and training and support for Care Managers etc. For more about the Direct Payment Service telephone 01454 326070. There is also a Disabled Advice Line, providing disabled individuals, parents, carers and professionals with impartial advice on social issues, housing services, Direct Payments or an Individual Budget for their care needs. For more about the Disabled Advice Line telephone 01225 750922. A brokerage service is due to start in January 2009 in Partnership with Age Concern, and will offer a Support Planning and Brokerage Service to older Individual Budget users. Website: www.shaw-trust.org.uk Sladebrook Evangelical ChurchHere are details of activities that take place at Sladebrook Evangelical Church, Southdown: Tuesday Fellowship (short service followed by tea and chat) - Tuesday 2.45pm to 3.45pm Man 2 Man (Men's Group) - Tuesday evenings, bi-monthly Toddler Group - Wednesday 10am to 12 noon. ASK (After School Klub) for Culverhay boys - Wednesday 3pm to 5.30pm Refresh (Coffee Morning) - Friday 10.30am to 12.30pm Frij (Youth Club) - Usually the first and second Friday of the month 7.30pm to 9pm in term time (except on bank holiday weekends) Sladebrook Evangelical Church Contact by email
South Bath Community Development GroupThe South Bath Community Development Group meets every other month to discuss and plan community projects such as the Healthy Living Week. The group includes people who work in the community on a regular basis e.g. in schools, churches or local organisations etc. They report back to the Local Strategic Partnership. For further information contact: Martha Cox Telephone: 01225 477669 Southdown Methodist CentreSouthdown Methodist Centre is situated at the top end of The Hollow in Southdown and also lies in close proximity to the Whiteway Estate. The range of weekly support service offered are known collectively as the Southdown - Whiteway Church and Community Project. The project is sustained by various local funders. 
Regular events offered by, or held at Southdown Methodist Centre include: Baby Clinic and Mobile Toy Library - Monday 1.30pm to 3pm* Brownies - Monday 6.30pm to 7.30pm Nearly New Shop - Monday 1.30pm to 3.30pm; Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 12 noon Toddler Group - Wednesday from 10am to 11.30am The Point - advice centre open every Wednesday from 10am to 12 noon.* Care & Friendship coffee and lunch - Thursday from 10am, lunches served at 12 noon. Workers from Age Concern are available to give advice. Credit Union - Thursday 6pm to 7pm* Slimming World - Thursday 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Telephone: Wendy 01225 313700 Breastfeeding Peer Support - Friday 10am to 11.30am* Ward Surgery - first Saturday of the month, from 10.30am to 12 noon. Southdown Councillors Paul Crossley and Dine Romero listen to local concerns. No appointment is necessary. *The Point, Bath and North East Somerset Credit Union and Breastfeeding Peer Support have separate entries on this page. More information about the Mobile Toy Library can be found under Bath Area Play Project. Southdown Methodist Centre Telephone: Jane Parsons 01761 412304 Southside Family ProjectThe Southside Family Project is a local organisation serving Twerton, Whiteway, Southdown, Kingsway, Odd Down, Foxhill, Moorlands and Oldfield Park. The organisation offers many overlapping support services. The Family Focus Project provides a range of services for local parents or carers and their children. These include social events, educational opportunities and parenting skills workshops. The Community Parent Scheme gives practical support in the home for families who are finding it difficult to cope, while the Domestic Abuse Outreach Project offers support and advice to individuals and families affected by domestic violence. Link Workers provide support and information, and link parents to services that could be helpful for them. A Specialist Support Worker works with individuals or families affected by substance abuse, domestic abuse or mental health difficulties, while the Fathers' Support Worker works on a one-to-one basis with fathers, co-ordinates fathers' events and activities, and offers support within the Family Focus Project. The project also operates a Counselling Service for individuals and couples, and staff from the Citizens Advice Bureaux offer advice on welfare benefits and other subjects at Meade House (you have to make an appointment). Anger Management Courses are run for 6 weeks and are open to men and women. Toddler groups run by the Southside Family Project are: Tea and Tots and the Community Bus, at Southdown Infant School on Mondays and Thursdays from 9am to 12.30pm. Polish Parents and Toddlers on Thursdays from 1.15pm to 2.45pm at Southdown Infant School. Southside Family Project Telephone: 01225 331243, Fax: 01225 429908 Southside Food Co-opThe purpose of the Southside Food Co-op is to get people in the South West of Bath eating fresh food at low prices, as well as reducing food miles. Bags of mixed vegetables can be bought for £3.50, £4 or £5.50. The food comes from Batheaston and is delivered to the Time Bank office in Twerton High Street on Wednesday mornings. The staff divide it into bags and deliver it the same day. There is a 50p reduction in price if you collect your bag from the Time Bank office on Twerton High Street. There are opportunities to volunteer at the Food Co-op, which can give you invaluable experience when applying for jobs. Employers like to see that you have been doing something constructive while you were unemployed, and the Food Co-op can help you to improve your skills. People are needed to help with publicity, sort vegetables into bags on Wednesdays, help with the accounts and help with administration. The Food Co-op also needs drivers with a car to deliver bags of vegetables. Connected with the Food Co-op is a Produce Market that allows people in the area to swap or buy produce from local gardens or allotments. Alternatively, produce can be exchanged for time credits (see Time Bank). You can see a photo of the Produce Market here. The Food Co-op and Produce Market operate on Wednesdays from 11.30am to 3.30pm. Cookery classes are run from time to time as well. You can see one of the recipes here. Southside Food Co-op Telephone: Viv Talbot 01225 787924
Southside Youth CentreThe Southside Youth Centre is open for year sevens upwards on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 7pm to 9.30pm - price: 40p. Activities include sports, arts and crafts, and cookery. You can see a photo of the Southside Youth Centre here. A free boxing club supervised by the Amateur Boxing Association is held at the Southside Youth Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The class for people aged 9 to 16 is from 7pm to 8pm, and the class for people over 16 is from 8pm to 9pm. You can read an article and watch a video clip about the boxing club here. Southside Youth Centre Telephone 01225 423218, Fax: 01225 423218 St Barnabas ChurchSt Barnabas Church is the parish church of Kingsway, Southdown and Whiteway. It is a busy church with a mixture of services - some traditional but friendly, others quite informal. Regular events held at St Barnabas Church include: Barnaby Pre-School Play Group - Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 12 noon in term time. Telephone: 07980 486977. Sequence Dancing - Monday and Thursday 2pm to 4pm. You can read a news item about the sequence dancing here. Roundhill Evergreens - social club for the retired, Tuesday 2.30pm Mothers' Union - second Tuesday of the month at 7.45pm Wives Group - first Tuesday of the month at 7.45pm St Barnabas Church Vicar: David Burleigh 01225 478952 St Michael and All Angels ChurchSt Michael and All Angels is the parish church in Twerton, featuring a blend of modern and traditional worship. The church community has grown in recent years, drawing people from different age ranges and backgrounds. The home page of the church website has stated: "We want to be known ... for friendship, concern, authenticity, community, enthusiasm, joy, giving, life." 
Children have their own session during the church services and there is a creche area for smaller ones. Children's clubs which meet in the week are: ABC Toddler Group - Monday 10am to 11.30am Year 7-8s Club See also ABC Toddler Group, Day Group, and Rose Cottage, which have separate entries on this page. A timetable of events is available from the church website here: calendar. You can see a video clip of the church at work in the community here: Paint the Park. St Michael and All Angels Church Rector: Richard Wilson 01225 421438 St Michael's Junior SchoolSt Michael's Junior School is located at Newton Road and is currently used as the venue for Twerton's Partners and Communities Together meeting. See the school website for other information about activities that take place there. Class 1 wrote, "It is the best school in Bath and here are some things you need to know: It starts at 8.50am and closes at 3.10pm. The Headteacher is called Mr Goucher and we think it is lots of fun." St Michael's Junior School Telephone: 01225 421888 The PointThe Point is a community drop-in centre based at Southdown. You are welcome to call in for a chat and receive free help and advice from specialist groups on a wide range of issues. This is a confidential service and you can speak to an advisor on a one-to-one basis. There is free internet access and a children's area too. The Point is held in Southdown Methodist Centre on Wednesdays from 10am to 12 noon. Different groups are available to provide support and advice at The Point on different weeks. One such group is the Family Information Service, which offers advice on Ofsted-registered childminders, nurseries and pre-schools, activities for families, holiday playschemes etc (see here). Workers from Age Concern are available at the Methodist Centre every Thursday from 10am to 12 noon, when it is open for coffee and lunch. The Point Telephone: 0797 6954523 The Rec HouseThe Rec House project seeks funding to open a professional recording studio and media production suite in the Church Rooms (next to the Full Moon Pub) in Twerton High Street. The project team also aim to offer accredited courses in music technology, plus space for band rehearsals and dance workshops. The project has grown out of the relationship between St Michael's Church in Twerton and a group of local professionals in the arts and music industries. The new facility will give young people aged roughly 15 to 25 opportunities to express themselves through the arts, creating something over which they can achieve a sense of pride and ownership. It will also be used to link participants in with other local services such as sports teams and community centres. The Rec House Telephone: Kevin Rowe 07901 557975 The SPOTThe SPOT is a free health advice centre located in the new community room just below Twerton Infant School. There is a Health Trainer who can advise you on topics such as reducing your stress level, eating heathily and weight-watching, how to stop smoking, sensible drinking, and sexual health. When needed, the Health Trainer can put people in touch with someone called a Community Activator who offers one-to-one support to help individuals become more active. The Community Activator also has the role of helping to set up activity groups in the area. You can find out more about Health Trainers here and Community Activators here. The SPOT is usually only open for health advice when you have booked an appointment. But a drop-in session called Tea and Toast for parents who have dropped their children off at Twerton Infant School is held on Mondays starting at 9pm. Telephone: 01225 831847 Time BankThe South West Time Bank has been set up to enable people to share time and skills helping one another. Basically, every time you put in an hour helping someone you get given a time credit. Time credits can be used to 'buy' help that you need yourself from another member, or exchanged for 'freebies' from various local businesses (e.g. training opportunities, Odeon cinema tickets, discounts at Blockbuster DVD etc). Exhanges of time are arranged through the Time Bank broker, and
the time of each person is valued equally. Participating in the
Time Bank can boost your confidence and skills, help to build
community networks, and support other local groups. The Time bank
has the following groups that help people in the South West of Bath:
1) Energy Saving Team, 2) DIY and Decorating Team, The Time Bank is open on weekdays from 10am to 4pm, except Wednesday when the premises are used for the Southside Food Co-op from 11.30am to 3.30pm. Time Bank Plus Telephone: 01225 442813 Tomorrow's PeopleTomorrow's People is a national charity that supports people to overcome cycles of unemployment. By working in partnership with the business community, the organisation also saves employers time and money by finding them the right people for the right jobs. You can get help from an advisor who can give you practical advice and support in areas such as training, benefits and tax credits. Your advisor can introduce you to informal workshops to build your confidence and teach you job seeking skills such as interview techniques. Once someone gets a job, the advisor sticks with them and their employer to make sure that job success is permanent. You can download some leaflets about Tomorrow's People here. Tomorrow's People Telephone: 0117 9246815 Twerton Learning CentreThe Twerton Learning Centre offers courses in computer skills, which are intended to be fun and to build confidence in addition to being eduational. The courses called Preparing for ITQ1 and ITQ2 are designed for complete beginners as well as those with some computer skills. You can work at your own pace as you learn how switch the computer on, create a document, use email and surf the internet. There is also a class for people aged over sixty. For the more advanced, there are the NVQ 1 ITQ and NVQ 2 ITQ courses. You can modify the selection of courses to suit different settings in business or industry where computers are used. Several other courses are available. You can learn how to create your own website on the Dream Weaver course, and learn how to add special effects to digital photographs on the Photoshop Digital course. The Twerton Learning Centre also holds small and friendly English classes to improve very basic reading and writing abilities in a relaxed atmosphere. Twerton Learning Centre Telephone: 01225 355008 Twerton Village HallRegular events at Twerton Village Hall include: Karate Kids Classes - Tuesday 7pm (beginners) and 8pm (advanced). Telephone: 07966 525795 Slimming World - Wednesday 5.30pm. Telephone: Wendy 01225 313700 The hall is available for children's parties every day for any 3 hours until 6pm, for children aged up to 10 years. There are full kitchen facilities. The price (in 2008) is £20 in advance. Twerton Village Hall Telephone: 01225 427228 Walking GroupA Walking Group meets at The White Horse Pub, Shophouse Road, on Wednesdays at 2.30pm. In the past the walkers have journeyed along the river bank, walked around Bath City Farm, been to the top of Twerton Roundhill, and trekked into town and back. They plan their route so that they return to The White Horse. You can see a couple of photos of the group here: Walking Group. Whiteway Community Respect ProjectThis is a newly formed Residents Association made up of people living on the Whiteway Estate. The group focuses on important issues for Whiteway and possibilities for bringing improvement to that area. Telephone: Julia 07792 239502 Young ParentsThis is a drop-in group for parents or parents-to-be in their early 20s, with children under five years of age. Sometimes meetings consist simply of coffee and chat; at other times there is a taster session of something like cookery or jewellery making - a chance to try something new for free. The group meets at First Steps Children's Centre, Woodhouse Road, Twerton, every Thursday from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. Time Bank members can earn time credits for attending the group or volunteering, with opportunities to help organise the group. Telephone: Michelle 07789 616915 |
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