Supporting local communities with their Great British Celebrations!

During the Jubilee celebrations this year, we supported an amazing 91 community groups across the country with £41,000 worth of additional funding, helping them proudly celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in their communities. Here is a selection of stories from a few of those community groups.

The first of these great examples was the East Lancashire Paper Mill Rounders Team which was established in 2016, with the support of the local cricket club, and funding from the “I will if you will” campaign. They have been able to re-engage local women of all ages back into the sport.

The event was held on the 2nd of June, the Paper Mill Club held a fantastic Jubilee celebration and fun day for the Radcliffe community, with support from One Stop. The event allowed children and families from within the local community to take part in a wide variety of fun activities like welly-tossing, fun races, face painting and even an inflatable assault course. Attendees were able to enjoy food, cocktails and a live DJ throughout the day.

The event at the Paper Mill Club attracted many within the local and wider community, spreading awareness of the great work they have been doing to get local women back into sport.

Another community group we supported during the Jubilee celebrations was the Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association, an award-winning charity committed to improving the lives of children with the syndrome and their families.

The charity supports development, education and offers training to assist families and professionals providing support from the point of diagnosis, helping to teach children the skills they need to reach their developmental milestones as well as things such as success at school and providing them the tools to thrive in their communities.

To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, we supported Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association with funding to hold their very own 1950’s themed celebration. A spokesperson from the charity said, “Our 50s themed Village Fete style event offered entertainment for everyone in a calm, accessible and safe environment. We had games and stalls such as pin the tail on the corgi, tin can alley and hook a duck ensuring that all activities were accessible for all including our younger children.

“We had an animal petting corner which was a very important area for our families. Our children had the extra space and time to get used to animals, develop their confidence and this area allowed our children to take steps at their own pace to stroke the animals and say hello when they felt ready and confident to do so.

“In the afternoon we provided a BBQ, with no cost to our families to ensure that it was accessible to all, regardless of financial circumstances, and our families could socialise and enjoy sharing a meal with peers.

“It was a fabulously relaxing day of entertainment, support and activities which provided natural opportunities for families to develop vital support networks, learn from others and meet new people.”

Saint Frances Scouts Group also benefited from funding support that One Stop was able to provide alongside Groundwork UK. This allowed the Scouts Camp to enjoy a fun activity day at Bibby’s Farm. The Scouts group consists of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts between the ages of 6-14 years old.

A spokesperson for the scouts group said, “Groundwork and One Stop have supported our Jubilee celebrations by making it possible for all of our young people to attend our adventure fun day at Bibby’s Farm.

“Our Squirrel Dreys and Beaver colonies had a beach party with real sand donkeys! Cubs, Scouts and Explorers took part in a variety of outdoor activities throughout the day including archery, crossbow, and air rifle shooting.”

Techtivity was another community group that benefited from the additional funding we provided, with the group being a community of families who have children with invisible disabilities and anxiety. The Tech Club provides an after-school program, which was created to support the children and provide a relaxed environment and setting. In May 2022, One Stop provided additional funding for the group and their families, allowing them to celebrate the Queens Jubilee in a safe and tailored way.

A spokesperson from Techtivity commented, “We had a fantastic Jubilee week. The party, crafts, bowling, surfing and the planting of a jubilee tree were all great. Thank you to One Stop for the opportunity to bring some joy and excitement to the families we support.”

All of the events that we supported throughout the Jubilee weekend had one thing in common and that was their ability to bring local communities closer together. Jack Taylor, Community and Partnerships Manager spoke about the events, “We were really proud to see the impact this funding made to our communities and the enjoyment had by all in these communities. We saw projects like street parties, woodland picnics, parties in care homes and support centres, Jubilee lunches and family fun days bringing the whole community together to celebrate.”