- ‘The Geoff Ashcroft Community’ will provide and manage a house in Tower Hamlets in which people can meet and have a positive experience of being in community together.
- The House will be non-residential in that people will not stay overnight in the space. However the house will provide all other aspects of home living for people.
- The House will include an Adult Service and a Children and Families Service within its provision.
- The purpose of ‘The Geoff Ashcroft Community’ House will be to provide a safe, healing environment for those with fragile mental health and their carers; those isolated due to cultural / language barriers; and those needing support in their current family environment.
- The Children and Families Service will provide support and training for families (often lone parents) with babies and young children; help with issues such as social development, play, personal skills, healthy eating, parenting skills, as well as knowledge of where to access advice.
- The Adult Service will provide friendship and support networks, social development, therapeutic activities and a place of belonging
- The House will provide a space where those of all faith backgrounds and cultures are welcomed and differences are celebrated. Exploration and dialogue about spirituality and faith will be encouraged.
- People will be referred to the Community House via schools, GPs, faith communities and the NHS. After an initial assessment and induction some will be invited to become members of the community and to participate regularly in community life.
- The long-term plan is for the Community House to be open at least 6 days a week from <timew:stonminute0hour9>9am – 9pm. Its first priority will be to open during the times other services are not available such as evenings and weekends.
‘The Geoff Ashcroft Community’ is a new charity, it will take some time for the community house to be up and running fully. We are currently seeking initial funding and securing premises from which the community can run. We also want to build up a network of supporters who can help us and encourage us as we set up the charity and work towards the opening of our first community house.
‘The Geoff Ashcroft Community’ Ethos and Values
A Healthy Village
‘The Geoff Ashcroft Community’ will be centred on the belief that the creation of a ‘healthy village’ enables the development of healthy individuals. The House will offer:
· Recognition – Affirmation leading towards a sense of uniqueness, self-worth and belonging.
· Structure – A routine leading towards security, certainty and confidence.
· Stimulation – Experiences leading towards openness, learning, development, health and expression.
· Spirituality – Encouragement to explore individual and corporate spirituality leading towards understanding, practice, growth and support from faith traditions.
· Recovery – Journeying towards a place of wholeness and healing.
We believe in a holistic approach to transformation, so all aspects of life within ‘The Geoff Ashcroft Community’ will contribute to facilitating spiritual, physical and social change and development. This might be sharing faith stories in the quiet room, decorating and gardening, enjoying a meal or celebrating a birthday together.
At the heart of the community is the desire to provide a safe space for people both to build relationships with one another that are supportive and life giving, and to encourage spiritual growth. While the ‘The Geoff Ashcroft Community’ is being set up by Christians and is clearly Christian in its ethos, the community will not favour one particular faith and will never seek to coerce or indoctrinate individuals. We recognise that as Christians we don’t own God, but will be open to see where God is working in other people and in their faith journeys. We will encourage a healthy exploration of the different faiths of Community Members. Above all we will celebrate our differences as well as our similarities, believing that in doing this we are contributing to restored relationships between individuals and within our faith traditions.
Core Values The following core values underpin the ethos of the ‘Geoff Ashcroft Community’. It is important that those belonging to the community subscribe to these values.
· We believe there is a spiritual realm beyond that which we see, hear and touch in our everyday lives and that engaging with it gives greater meaning to our lives.
· We believe in the value and importance of world religions, holy books, places of worship, rituals and traditions, and acknowledge the positive contribution these belief systems have made towards building society today.
· We believe in the equality and value of people regardless of age, background, gender, lifestyle or need.
· We believe that each person has unique gifts to offer. We recognise and seek to nurture such gifts in one another.
· We believe that together we form one community, which exists that we might learn from one another, give to one another and model a way of being that is life-giving.
· We believe in caring for the environment and are committed to simple, healthy living.
for more information call 0207 265 1727
e-mail us: thegeoffashcroft@aol.com
The Geoff Ashcroft Community, 20 Garnet Street, Wapping, London. E1W 3QT
Registered Charity Number: 1114645
Company Number: 5712045
