BY HANNAH BARR “The Bible contradicts almost everything I say about myself. It says I am worthy of love; it says I am unique and valuable. It says I am of incomparable value to God.” (Katharine Welby-Roberts.) It’s World Mental Health Day today and I’m going to let you all in on a secret: I […]
Tag: Oxford
You are loved, you have hope, you are not alone
BY HANNAH BARR YOU ARE LOVED Outside of my work for Viva I help lead the youth work at my church in Oxford and last month I took some teenagers to the Christian festival, Soul Survivor, which involved camping for five days. Now, I hate camping. It is not something I consider fun and even […]
There before a crisis
BY HANNAH BARR The BBC reported today that “thousands of vulnerable children in England are being ‘left in limbo’ because their needs are not severe enough.” The charity, Action for Children, has warned that potentially hundreds of thousands of children are falling through the cracks because they are not at crisis point. They warn that […]
Light shines in darkness
BY HANNAH BARR The news yesterday that 18 people were found guilty of involvement in a sex grooming network in Newcastle sent shockwaves through the country. It comes shortly after the BBC’s drama Three Girls, detailing some of what happened in Rochdale, where nine men were convicted for their role in working to secure underage […]
Collaborate with us for stay and play
Following the closure of children’s centres across Oxfordshire, Doorsteps is committed to provision for under-5s. Our dream is to start a stay and play for East Oxford which brings together other services, such as opportunities to meet health visitors, breastfeeding clinic, and other signposting… essentially a one-stop-shop for under-5s care and needs! There is enthusiasm […]
Befriending struggling families in Oxford
This month sees the launch of H2O (Here to Help Oxford), a pilot scheme for befriending struggling families in East Oxford. Parenting is full of challenges, and we want to be able to hold out a hand to parents who are feeling isolated, stressed or finding it difficult to cope. We are partnering with a […]
Small steps towards big dreams
BY HANNAH BARR Nine young people have completed the first Find Your Fire programme with a great celebration on a hot summer’s day in Oxford. Find Your Fire is a new ten-month leadership development programme for 14-19 year-olds in Oxford aimed at building awareness of positive life choices, giving young people the chance at an […]
Doorsteps partnership growing in Oxford
Viva has hosted an informal evening in Oxford to share the good news about our growing network of local churches and organisations that are empowering disadvantaged young people. It’s almost three years since the formation of Doorsteps, which began with a research project to identify the needs for children and families, find the gaps […]
Conference sows seeds for future families’ work in Oxfordshire
As several council-run children’s and families services in Oxfordshire face cuts, more than 100 people attended a conference last Saturday (5 November) to pledge to work together more effectively to meet the needs of vulnerable people in their communities.
Oxfordshire churches to fill void left by Council cuts
Oxfordshire churches and Christian organisations want to fill the gaping void left by the County Council’s decision to shut children’s centres across the region.