WEEKLY ACTIVITIES IN THE ALPHA ROOMS
COFFEE MORNINGS
The Alpha rooms are open for tea and coffee, toast, toasted teacakes and biscuits - on occasions other goodies are on offer - on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, from around 9.00am to 12 noon. The invitation to join us is for everyone.
On Wednesday mornings the 'Mothers Union' run it, and it seems to be a nice 'dropping in' opportunity for shoppers, visitors and local people.
On Saturday mornings we can be quite busy, and it's good to see lots parents who bring their children to the dancing school in the church hall next door, joining us for a sit sown and cuppa' whilst they are waiting! Oh! By the way, the prices are very reasonable!
TODDLER GROUP
Thursday Morning 9-11a.m.
Tots –and the adults who look after them – are invited to share in the fun at our weekly playgroup that offers two hours of activities for just £1 per family. Run each Thursday at the church hall, the sessions are for youngsters up to four years of age, and include refreshments for both children and adults.
As a thriving concern for more than 15 years the group has seen countless children make friends through play, and still offers a whole range of activity from painting to crafts and sing songs.
Everyone is welcome and we keep costs down so that the sessions are affordable to everyone. However, we still manage to have such special extras as Christmas parties.
Toddler group is an open group – it’s not just for churchgoers - the atmosphere is welcoming and everyone feels at home very quickly. We love to see new faces and we urge young mums and carers to come along and try us out.
MOTHER’S UNION
First Wednesday in the month - 1.30p.m.
Mention ‘Mother’s Union’, and thoughts of old ladies knitting, springs to the minds of many. Yes, in Conisbrough, we DO have some ladies knitting. Knitting blankets, baby clothes and toys for underprivileged people at home and abroad. Whilst not wanting to destroy the myth, the knitting is the tip of a very large iceberg.
Mother’s Union was founded in 1876 by a vicar’s wife, who wanted to help young mum’s across the ‘class’ barrier, in very difficult times, it now has branches in 77 countries around the world with over 3.6 million members. In Baghdad, M.U. has over 450 members.
Conisbrough M.U. was founded eighty years ago, in 1927. We meet monthly, with a regular attendance of over twenty five members and friends. We support financially, the work of M.U. overseas. ‘Away From It All’ the M.U. organisation which pays for holidays on (usually) the east coast, for underprivileged families from our area. We have three ‘Virtual babies’ at our disposal, which are used in parenting classes and in schools. One of our leaders started organising the shoe box appeal - ‘Operation Christmas Child’ - in Conisbrough. (See below)
The Mothers Union nationally, are consulted by the government on family issues and policy. It employs over 300 people worldwide, to assist in easing deprivation and hardship, ‘on the ground’ where war, famine and HIV/AIDS are prevalent. With a strong emphasis on family life, it fights for justice at home and abroad and encourages sustainable projects, to enable people to be self-sufficient.
In Doncaster it provides crèches at the local prisons, to allow visiting in a less stressful atmosphere. It also supports charities helping the homeless in our area. All of this and much more. If you want to know more, and could join us on the first Wednesday each month at one thirty in the Alpha rooms. You would receive a very warm welcome.
J TEAM
Friday evenings - 6p.m.
J Team is the Club for children aged 5 - 11 which takes place every Friday evening from 6 to 7.15pm in the Alpha Rooms. It has been running for many years and has been enjoyed by lots of children.
Recently it has become a join venture with the Baptist church. Each week there is a Bible Story, Games in the Hall and Craft Activities – we have made clay models, cornflake cakes and decorative candles. J Team is fun and we hope that other children will want to come and join the club
DRAMA GROUP
Monday evenings 6.30p.m.
The Drama group meets on Monday evenings, in the Alpha rooms, at 6.30pm, for about an hour. There are a dozen of us at the present time, with a wide range of ages, from eleven to well over sixty - very well over sixty! We don't take ourselves too seriously, we have a lot of fun and fellowship, and are very kind to those who find it difficult to learn their lines! We usually put on three short dramas for the "Conisbrough Churches Together" Christmas and Easter celebration evenings at the Ivanhoe Community Centre; we also prepare short presentations, from time to time, for the Family Service at St. Peter's, on a Sunday morning. Nothing elaborate, but usually most enjoyable. Do come along and have a look at us one Monday evening - that, at least, should be an interesting evening for you!