As a city centre church we value links with a variety of community groups and organisations.  Our philosophy is to make and maintain links and to offer and provide help and assistance where we are able to, and where it is needed. 

Our principal focus is the parish of St Peter’s, but often local community groups and organisations operate across parish boundaries and so we are make links and help where we are able. We aim to liaise with other parish churches in St Albans where several parishes might be involved.

St Peter’s Community Links contact is Sue Parker (susieann48@btinternet.com)

Do you need help?

If you are a representative of a local community group or organisation and you would like to explore the possibility of us providing you with any form of support or assistance, please contact us to discuss your needs.

Do you want to help?

If you are a member St Peter’s church community and you want to help support the local community, please contact us to discuss how this may be achieved.

Do you have suggestions about making links with local community groups or organisations?

If you have any suggestions about any local community link or project, please contact us.

Recent ways in which St Peter’s has linked to local community groups and organisations

We raise funds through various means, and through our Mission and Unity Committee we annually donate funds, to help support a number of organisations.

Some examples are given below.

Special concerts

The charity Tudor-style music concert held on 8 January 2008 at St Peter’s was designed to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, and raised £520 for Grove House Hospice.  A similar concert, this time comprising Baroque music, was held at St Peter’s in January 2009 and succeeded in raising a further £1,375 for Grove House.

Lunch-time concerts

As part of its active musical programme, St Peter’s puts on a full programme of Wednesday lunch-time concerts throughout the year.  These concerts organised by Roy (Tony) Edwards, are free and the retiring collections are also in aid of Grove House Hospice.

Musicians at the Pastime with Good Company Concert                 held at St Peter’s on January 8 2008

Support for local community projects

In 2008 St Peter’s donated funds to help support the local Jumbulance Trust. This Trust exists to make it possible for severely disabled and sick adults and children and dependent elderly people to travel on holidays and day outings which for most would be well nigh impossible by air, rail, standard coach or any other means.
 
 

Jumbulances take parties to see local places of interest, or can be hired for a longer period perhaps to take a Group on a 10 day holiday or pilgrimage to places all over mainland Europe as far distant as Poland, Austria and Italy. With all the special facilities in a Jumbulance the disabled, sick and elderly can travel safely and in comfort all day and throughout the night, with no need even to disembark when crossing the channel.

The funds which St Peter’s is able to contribute to the Jumbulance Trust are limited in relation to the large costs of providing and equipping a Jumbulance, but every little helps.

In 2008 St Peter’s again donated funds to the Hertfordshire PASS WorkABILITY scheme. Hertfordshire PASS (Personal Assistance Support Service) is a user-driven charity enabling people with disabilities to live more independently, using work and employment as the primary means to achieve such independence.  Hertfordshire PASS currently operates 3 projects one of which is WorkABILITY which enables disabled students to access work tasters, work experience and apprenticeship opportunities.  During 2009 St Peter’s hopes to be able to offer practical support by arranging for a number of St Peter’s people to visit Welwyn College to talk with a small group of disabled students about their own work-life experiences.

Providing weekly Baby Time and Toddler Time groups

These groups aim to provide a relaxed and easy going atmosphere for local mothers, and present plenty of opportunities for children to play and express themselves. Mandy Carhart who runs the groups may be contacted at mandy.carhart@ntlworld.com, can be contacted by anyone interested in coming along.

The Toddler Time group in the Octagon

Services at the Jubilee Centre

St Peter’s has provided support for Easter and Christmas services at the Jubilee Centre in Catherine Street.  However, as this centre has been closed and the activities moved elsewhere in St Albans, a neighbouring church has taken over this mantle for the time-being.

Making facilities available

By arrangement, St Peter’s is able to make a number of its facilities available to local community groups and organisations.  These include the Octagon which is adjacent and linked to the church, and the Church Hall located in Hatfield Road.  Among the organisations which take advantage of these facilities are a yoga club, a circle dancing group and an NHS Trust.  Ruth Garman in the church office (mail@stpeterschurch.uk.com) can be contacted to make enquiries.