Flower of Justice
The Flower Estate was built in the 1930s to re-house families from slums elsewhere in Southampton. Today 1,430 households live on the estate with over 1,000 children aged between four and twelve. The estate is one of the poorest areas of the city, well below the national average in community safety, health, education and skills, and with the third highest crime rate in Southampton.
Our aim is to help families who live in the Flower Roads area of Southampton, to support them through the challenges they are facing and to enable them to have a better quality of life. Project workers and a group of dedicated volunteers, some of whom live on the estate, carry out the activities.
As we have built relationships with the community, we have identified various key areas of need:
Work with families
We support families through
Food Project
Debt is a significant problem for many families. When money is tight we are able to provide food parcels for up to 18 families who cannot afford their weekly shop. We also give financial help for gas and electricity and essential household appliances.
Advocacy
Residents often ask the team to speak on their behalf at court appearances or liase with local council departments. In particular, we are able to help families at risk of losing their accommodation by negotiating with the council.
Debt advice/The Just Money Centre
 In partnership with Frontline, a Christian debt advice charity, a member of our team runs the Just Money Centre which aims‘to provide independent, confidential, non-judgemental money advice and support’. We have training and experienced Debt Advisors who give FREE benefit advice, help form filling, and assist people who are in debt to manage their finances so they can repay their creditors.
Social Action
We carry out gardening and decorating for people who are unable to maintain their gardens and homes, or cannot afford to do so. Sometimes the council refers tenants to us who need help with their gardens.
Aster House
Southampton City Council has given us, in partnership with the local residents association, a 10-year lease on this former special school building on our estate to use as a community centre. Many of our weekly groups and activities are now held here.
Weekly Groups
We currently have six men’s, women’s and family groups which meet, some over breakfast or lunch, for bible study, prayer or discipleship.
Children’s Work
Sunday Club
Club Zion has been running since 1995 and attracts around 80 children most Sunday afternoons. It is a mixture of games with prizes, crafts, sports, music and dancing. There is a theme each week to encourage the children to explore God’s love and His purpose for their lives.
Weekly Groups
Each week we run a bike project to teach the children how to repair and maintain their bikes, and a music club to teach children how to play a musical instrument. We also do a talk/discussion time at the CU at our local comprehensive school. The aim of each is the same as Club Zion: we want to see young people grow in self-worth, significance and security and to be empowered to make informed choices.
Fishing Club
 Club Zion’s fishing club is very popular. It offers the children a hobby that teaches them to respect their environment and gives them a sense of achievement each time they catch a fish.
Trips
An on-going programme of trips has included ice-skating, trips to see bands, visits to the New Forest and other local visitor attractions. We have also taken 20 families summer camping – for many of them their first ever holiday.
Befriending
In all of our activities the team is keen to build friendships with the young people and to be a listening ear. Children who are excluded from school often visit the workers who live on the estate and are encouraged to return to their education.
Annual events
Dip Week
Since1998 we have held a week of fun every August for families on Daisy Dip (the green space on our estate). It includes lots of games, activities like face painting, and a daily barbecue. It is a great event for bringing the community together.
Christmas
Every year we hold a Christmas party for around 200 children with lots of games and prizes. We give each child who attends a Christmas stocking and provide presents foe the children of families who are in financial difficulty. We also provide about 30 turkeys and boxes of biscuits and extra food to cover the holiday season.
All our activities are free and more ideas are in the pipeline. For example, we would like to offer extra tuition after school to children who are falling behind and we would love to help families who have never had a holiday to be able to get away for a break.
For more information please contact Bob Light. |