Autumn Newsletter

Harrogate Hub Newsletter Autumn 2016

Dear Friends and Family of The Harrogate Hub,

Many of you are asking, ‘When is the Hub opening?’

The Hub Building - Giving Thanks!

It is a year since Lord Carey spoke of the Hub at the AGM of Churches Together. 
At that stage the building was being purchased and the registration for charity status
was being completed. One woman’s efforts saw these things completed by January this
year and in February the Executive Director was appointed to make the vision a
reality.

We have moved the vision forward as we now have:
* a warm, comfortable and inviting building in the centre of town
* a building equipped with full disability access to the ground and first floors
* a fully functioning office or ‘power room’ in which to create the business model –
‘it feels so good to get out of my kitchen!’ says the Director.
* recruited and trained our first team of 8 pastoral carers and appointed Chris
Holland as the Pastoral Care Coordinator
* an Operations Team who help with the administration of the Hub, the finance and
funding applications
* a cleaner – Mary – who keeps our building clean and tidy – Huge blessings Mary! Mary
has asked for someone to help her with the cleaning as a three story building really
needs a team!
* new Trustees who strengthen the Hub with their business experience. We welcomed
Martin Woodroofe an experienced trustee of a national charity and recently retired HR
executive, Rev. Andy Patrick, vicar of St Luke’s and Andrew Grey a solicitor in the
town centre
* a worship team in place who meet twice a week for study and intercession. 
Scripture and prayer have formed the foundations of the Hub from the very beginning
* Pastor Vernon Roosevelt has graciously accepted the role of Pastor of the Hub
helping to support the Director and her team of volunteers who are generously giving
of their time and expertise on a regular basis
* a vibrant website for you to engage with us more proactively. Huge thank you to the
Website/Publicity Manager, Janet who now has a professional freelance photographer
join the team. Phil will journal the journey of the Hub through visual imagery. Such a
blessing to have professionals leading on visual media! And a relief…

If you would like to share your expertise in developing the movement of
mission at the Hub please look on the website for opportunities to get involved. We
would love to hear from you.

Harrogate Community Research

The Hub engaged consultants (through a Stronger Communities NYCC grant) to research
into the areas of unmet need in Harrogate; needs that were highlighted in the Minding
the Gaps Report 2014.

Statistically:

Mental ill health - Around 6000 people in Harrogate are struggling with issues of
mental ill health. The Hub is invited to find a place within the community to support
public and charitable services seeking to help alleviate some of the suffering due to
mental illness.

Young people - 6,800 young
people under 19’s in Harrogate area are estimated to currently need some support from
a professional other than a trained mental health worker, e.g. school nurse, teacher,
youth worker. Source: NHS Harrogate and Rural District CCG Transformation Plan for
Children and Young People’s Emotional and Mental Health 2015-2020

According to local youth workers issues of low self-esteem face 2/3rds of our young 
people. Youth pastors across the town are coming together at the Hub to plan 
strategically how to pool resources and engage more proactively with young people. 
Please get involved.

The Hub is looking to train a team of pastoral carers to specialize in young people’s 
support.

Loneliness and social isolation
We only have to read the Harrogate Advertiser to see the needs within our town and the 
services that are joining together to help address the issues of social isolation and 
loneliness. The Hub is investigating how it can get involved with this campaign.


But remember the Hub can only be as effective as the people who are willing to come 
together to make a difference.

Your church needs you! 
Your community needs you! Your town needs you! Your Hub needs you!

So when is the Hub opening? I hear you cry!
With a fully equipped building, a smashing team of people and hearts full of the love 
of God we open our doors in January 2017.

It is important to realise that we will be open at certain times of the week depending 
on the availability of the volunteers. With Pastoral Care Team 1 we will be open for a 
few sessions per week until Team 2 are trained and we can open for a few more hours. 
Over the year, as we recruit and train more teams, we will be open more until we are 
fully staffed and our doors remain open all week! This can only happen if you come 
forward and join in.

Thank you for journeying with us during 2016. We hope that you will want to engage 
with us more proactively in 2017 as we see people in our community given a safe space 
to share their stories and receive the grace and compassion they need.

As one trustee wrote:

The Hub is:

- a place of HOPE for our community
- a place of healing and forgiveness
- gives itself to works of Justice
- offers a place of safety and restoration
- Church unity in action
- The blessings of Jesus poured out for all
- to witness God's love through the healing action of others
- a KEY STONE of our town

Please forward this newsletter to your network of family and friends. Thank you.
Peace be with you.
Jo-Ann Hughes
Harrogate Hub Executive Director

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