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Thanks to funding from Leicester Diocese for intercultural activities, in 2021-22 we worked with local artists and Anita Barrand from Equality Action delivering the Vitaminds mental health project. A number of local people came together over the course of a few months to create beautiful patches representing some of the things they value. Participants came from at least five different faith traditions and after the Faith and Friendship Tent was launched at the summer garden party, they have continued to meet together to share their artistic and crafting skills and develop friendships. It was a delight to see Bishop Saju and Councillor Deepak Bajaj using the Tent to engage in conversation about the things that are important to them. The plan is to take the Tent out into the community, to parks, schools and care homes, to inspire conversation during Interfaith Week and at other times. To find out more about the group, contact the Administrator by e-mailing: office@stdenys.org.uk.
Thanks to funding from Learning Through Landscapes and also a LCC Get Growing grant, an area of our church car park has become a haven for pollinators. The Polli:Gen project in 2021 brought together schools and local community groups to encourage more pollinating plants to help the bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. We worked with Oaklands School, visiting their wildlife garden and appreciating their help clearing the leaves in the car park and helping to plant in the newly designed Jubilee Garden. Local volunteers came to help along with church members, including teenager Grace who worked on the garden as part of her Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and won a Judges’ Award in the 2022 East Midlands in Bloom competition. At the summer garden party, Bishop Saju officially opened the garden and planted an apple tree.
The annual fete and show on the second Saturday in August is a highlight of the parish’s year. The church is always open serving teas and hosting displays from local groups as well as sometimes offering special musical items. Many church members are busy helping and organising what is a wonderful occasion when we can all come together as a community.
One Roof Leicester is a local charity supporting those who have experienced homelessness to rebuild their lives. St Denys was involved in providing support for the first One Roof Home several years ago and a number of church members were actively involved in the Winter Night Shelter before Covid. Since then, ORL has grown and focussed its work on the Homes, Our former Vicar, Anthony, was a Trustee and we continue to raise funds for the charity at Christmas as well as looking for other ways to encourage their important work.
With ten schools in the parish, we love being involved with local primary and secondary schools. We worked with five local schools on a community art project for the 800th anniversary in 2019 and several local schoolchildren took part in the community production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. We welcome many classes into church over the course of each year and offer help with teaching the RE curriculum around Christmas and Easter in particular. We are delighted that each year the Krishna Avanti Primary School all come for a Christingle service. Our clergy have served as school governors and taken assemblies when invited, and we hope soon to offer mentoring and mental health support through our Youth and Community Worker.