National social care charity, Making Space, with strong roots in Warrington, recently brought together local people, charities and community groups for a special event celebrating kindness, positivity and community spirit.
Making Space, which has its Head Office on Allen Street in Warrington and supports people across the UK, hosted the event as part of, a nationwide campaign celebrating everyday acts of kindness, care and community.
The Million Acts of Hope campaign, based around the message of “Hope not Hate”, was created to shine a light on the positive moments happening in communities every day and remind people that there is far more that connects us than divides us.
Held on 20 May at Making Space Head Office, the event welcomed local people, volunteers, staff and partner organisations for an afternoon filled with live music, creativity, fundraising activities and opportunities to reflect on what hope means to them.
Visitors enjoyed performances from Creating Adventures Bold as Brass band and Beautiful Noise choir, a Warrington Charity that supports adults with autism and learning disabilities through creative, social and wellbeing activities designed to build confidence and reduce isolation.
There were also craft activities, refreshments, a Hope Wall, stalls and community gardening projects, including colleagues from Making Space colleagues working together to refresh the raised beds outside Lyne House to create a brighter and more welcoming environment for visitors, wildlife and pollinators.
Throughout the day, visitors shared messages of positivity and encouragement on the Hope Wall, with reflections including “Just be kind”, “There’s always a rainbow after the storm” and “I hope that the world will be kinder.”
Another highlight of the day came from Walton Lea Partnership, a local charity providing adults and young people with learning disabilities with work, training and learning opportunities. Their teams attended the event in large numbers and helped spread kindness by sharing beautiful flowers with strangers as an Act of Hope.
CEO of Making Space, Rachel Peacock said: “We are incredibly proud to have been part of A Million Acts of Hope and to stand alongside so many organisations across the UK celebrating kindness, compassion and community. At times, it can feel like negativity and division dominate the headlines, but that simply is not the reality I see every day at Making Space. Across our services, teams and communities, I see people supporting one another, showing kindness and creating hope in so many ways.
The campaign felt like a natural reflection of our values at Making Space -Kind Hearts, Tailor Making, Dreaming Big, Having Courage and Being Ready – and the way our colleagues, volunteers and the people who draw on our support live those values every day.
The Hope in Warrington event was such a special day and a wonderful reflection of everything the campaign stands for. It was fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate positivity, creativity and community spirit.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event, especially Creating Adventures whose performances were absolutely incredible, there were definitely a few wet eyes in the crowd. We are also so grateful to Walton Lea Partnership who attended and brought such warmth, enthusiasm and positivity to the day.”
Tracey Wood, Community Wellbeing and Life Skills Facilitator at Creating Adventures, added: “It was a pleasure to attend the event. The hospitality shown to us was second to none. Making Space kindly prepared goodie bags for our members and even donated percussion instruments to us, which was such a thoughtful gesture. We were also incredibly touched that they are sharing the money raised from the event with us. What really stood out throughout the day was the kindness and warmth shown by everyone involved. Staff took the time to come over, say hello and make everyone feel genuinely welcome. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make it such a lovely, inclusive and uplifting event.”
Alongside the Hope in Warrington event, services across Making Space embraced the campaign in many creative ways. Activities included Trees of Hope, sunflower planting, wellbeing walks, arts activities, fundraising events and community gatherings across services in Lincolnshire, Stockport, Doncaster, Rotherham, Liverpool, Bradford and Yorkshire.
Together, the activities demonstrated how everyday acts of kindness, encouragement and positivity can help create stronger and more hopeful communities.
To find out more about supporting Making Space, visit makingspace.co.uk.
