Greenbelt Gallery
We pitched our tent at Greenbelt this August asking festival-goers what they love about where they live. Great discussions followed, along with talks, activities and crafts
Friday 25 August
Greenbelt 2023, Kettering. We were ready for business, with treasure maps for children, seed pencils and stickers – and a giant map of the UK for people to pin notes to describing what they love about where they live. We ran a Place of Welcome café with our friends at the Trussell Trust and yoURCafe, so that sleep-deprived campers could enjoy a drink, a chat and a comfy seat. And younger visitors made seedbombs that could be launched into open green spaces and (hopefully) produce a spread of flowers.
Our CEO Bishop Rob Wickham and Polly Taylor, project manager of CUF’s Growing Good toolkit, contributed to a Trussell Trust discussion
about what it means to be a compassionate church and how knowing your community well is the starting point for making a difference. Bishop Rob said: “We must understand who we are, where we live and how we can contribute.”
Ready to go first thing
Sharing what they love about north London
Taking the time to tell us what he loves
Hearing from absolutely everyone
Thank you for sharing!
Finding space to share what we love about where we live
Hands on with seed bombs
Spreading the love with seed bombs
Our youngest and most enthusiastic visitor
Ready to launch
How beautiful will their garden look?!
Respite and refill at Places of Welcome
Saturday 26 August
Visitors to our CUF tent continued to share with us what they love about where they live, and pin their handwritten note to our giant festival map. Highest congratulations went to Val from Shetland. Dozens of people again enjoyed a drink and a recharge at our Place of Welcome café. Did you know there are around 600 Places of Welcome in England and Wales that meet every week, come rain or shine?
Revd Liz Carnelley, director of partnerships director for CUF partner Near Neighbours, took part in a second Trussell Trust discussion, on church and community. In the afternoon Milo the dinosaur helped younger Greenbelters think about what they can do with money.
Starting the day right
Places of Welcome first thing this morning
Our southern-most friends in St Austell
Our northern-most friend - Val from Shetland
What do we do with our money? And why?
Our Growing Good expert Polly shares the research and tools
The sun kept shining and the Good News kept coming
Not just a cup of tea - plenty of discussion and debate
Sunday 27 August
More discussions around what people love about where they live – our giant festival map was covered in responses, and more hospitality at the Place of Welcome café. Visitors came from churches in cities, estates and even cyberspace.
In the afternoon children tried their hand at bubble prayers, using bubble mix, bubble wands and a good dose of imagination and wonder!
We packed up exhausted and maybe a bit smelly, but on a massive Greenbelt high, excited about the number of people who want to put their faith into action and grow the impact of what they’re doing in the community. Massive thanks to our dedicated team of volunteers and to everyone who visited us!
Yvonne, a pioneer minister from Northampton, wants to share Christ's love with her community
Bubble prayers
And here's what bubble prayers are all about
'What do you love about where you live?' Plenty, clearly
