Update on Tai Chi & Tea Dances for over 50's

July 2011

Tai Chi

From 22nd of July our successful Tai Chi workshops for over 50's will be run at a low cost, as usual every Friday at 2 pm. The participants, who appreciated the free classes so far agreed to contribute £3 each to the class to make the project sustainable. They all can see the benefits of regular exercise designed specially for them. NHS Bristol will support the project covering any shortfall for time being. Anyone can join at anytime. Exercise, energise and improve your balance! Under 50's are welcomed accompanying an older neighbour, a friend or a family member.

Tea Dance

Our Tea Dances will run monthly on the first Thursday of each month beginning on 1st of September. The sessions will be run as usual with refreshments served from 2.00 pm, followed by 2 hours gentle dance session in the Main Hall and finished with a cup of tea and an opportunity to socialise until 4.30 pm. No partner or previous experience needed.

For more information please contact the community centre on 0117 955 1351.

Outdoor Spaces Update

18 July 2011

Outdoor spaces

St Werburghs Community Centre has launched its Outdoor Spaces project to transform the outside spaces into a beautiful garden for everyone to use and enjoy. We are also planning to use the space for our Raking and Baking project: growing herbs, fruit and vegetables in raised beds and containers and learning how to cook from your own ingredients.

We are currently recruiting volunteers and encouraging donations to make the benches, flower beds and a sensory garden. We also would like to repair the fence all the way around the centre, repaint fascias, re-point brickwork and add notice boards to advertise all our projects, classes and events. An improved recycling area and a new secure bicycle parking finishes our wish list.

Our outdoors spaces project had a kick start with thanks to Teleperformance raising money to build benches and flower beds for the front garden of the centre. Teleperformance are a Global Contact Centre Company, with their UK Headquarters based in Stokes Croft, Bristol. They are dedicated to their internal ‘Citizens of the World’ initiative where over the years they have organised fundraising within the staff to help local, national and international charities and causes.

This year the Bristol site has decided to go ‘local’ and have chosen St Werburghs Community Centre as one of their beneficiaries. In this way the volunteer team from Teleperformance could take part in improving the life of their local community, allowing all at the site who contributed financially knowledge of where their money has been spent.

'We thoroughly enjoyed the day; it really gave us the Community Spirit we were looking for. We all felt a great sense of achievement helping the Community Centre and were grateful to all those at our site that contributed financially towards this project’ said Laura Milsom, Senior Operations Manager

They provided us with flower beds, hanging baskets, a table and seating area centred around the war memorial. This is a great beginning to our multi-sensory garden which will emphasize smell, touch and taste, with medicinal herbs and wildflowers.

We are eager to find more sponsors and volunteers to help us with various elements of the Outdoor Spaces project. If you would find this interesting or have any questions please get in touch. Contact: Goska Ong, Centre Manager at St Werburghs Community Centre on 0117 955 1351 or e-mail office@stwerburghs.org.uk

May 2011

Following our proposals to improve the outdoor areas of the Community Centre, our first step was to raise money towards funding our ideas. After a successful Ceilidh party we were able to raise over £900.00 which we are currently using towards applications for match-funding.
Anamika, a professional artist from India made the first visible changes to the outdoor spaces by creating an artwork near the entrance to the Centre and by the memorial ground. As you approach the main door of the centre you will see a floral motif which goes along the path and towards the memorial. The main artwork is a “Tree of Life”. Flora designs play a role in Indian culture; however the concept of the “Tree of Life” is symbolic in many cultures and has many representations in relation to life and creation.
Anamika used wet-pour surfacing (a type of tarmac used in road markings) in a variety of colours to create a mural on the floor. The coloured surfacing was applied by cutting various shapes out from the material and bonding it to the concrete outside using intense heat from a blow-torch. The artwork is permanent and viewings have encouraged people to be reminded of the memorial situated at the Centre. The memorial remembers those from the area who died serving in the First World War.
We are currently in the process of having the railings repaired and planning notice-boards to be installed outside the building. Bulbs have been planted around the Centre and should be making an appearance in the next couple of weeks.
If you would like to get involved with our “Outdoor Spaces” project, please email office@stwerburghs.org.uk for more information.

New Community Bike Repair Workshop

Our very popular free bike repair workshops are have been suspended until further notice.
We hope to get future funding to bring it back.
So keep an eye out on our website and we will keep you updated.


We will be at Picnic in the Park on 4th September, so bring your bike along and join us.


For more information please contact Goska Ong on 0117 955 1351 or e-mail office@stwerburghs.org.uk
Funded by Cycling City

FREE SUMMER WORKSHOPS FOR OVER 50's

From 20th of July until 23rd of September St Werburghs Centre will be running free weekly workshops for over 50's. The project is funded by Quartet's Fund for Older People and will fill the gap in the Centre's wide range of activities.

Residents of St Werburghs, Easton and St Pauls can choose from morning Tai Chi sessions and afternoon Tea Dances or come along to both.

Tai Chi will be lead by Dennison Joseph, known for his Essential Tai Chi classes which he has been running at the Centre for nearly 10 years. The free workshops will take place at Mina Road Park every Tuesday morning from 7.30 to 8.30 am. In case of bad weather the workshops will be moved to the Community Centre on Horley Road. No need to book, just drop in, excersise, energise and improve your balance! Under 50's are welcomed accompanying an older neighbour, a friend or a family member.

Tea Dances will be facilitated by Norma Daykin, also our long term member and experienced teacher of Salsa and Ballroom Dance. The sessions will start with refreshments served from 1.30 pm at the Community Centre lobby, followed by 2 hours gentle dance session in the Main Hall and finished with a cup of tea and an opportunity to socialise until 4.30 pm. Every Thursday, for 10 weeks, beginning on 22nd of July. These who remember the Centre from many years ago will have an opportunity to enjoy our newly refurbished facilities and get involved in other projects.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on 0117 955 1351.

Everyone is welcome. No previous experience needed.

We look forward to meeting you!

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