The Story So Far

MARCH 2020 Lockdown was imminent, and we started to connect streets. Inviting neighbours to come together as they might need each other.

MAY 2020 Online events, coffee mornings, mindfulness and discovering the skills we have in the community. Exploring what we have to share and what we are passionate about.

JULY 2020 Chairs in the community. We sat outside Beech Hill Post Office , saying hello to people, asking how they were, and, wondering what they might like to do together now we were able to meet up in larger groups.

AUGUST 2020 Bringing St Annes Community Garden back to life and raising funds together to buy bulbs and equipment. They were planted as bulbs of rememberence and hope in November.

NOVEMBER 2020 After learning that people were passionate about food waste and food poverty, we brought people together and opened a food pantry in the Scout Hut.

It was open on a Monday afternoon throughout the pandemic and closed when the shops reopened, and people returned to work.

It was like a community centre, a place where people had human contact during the pandemic.

MARCH 2021 We secured some money from Awards for All and hosted International Womens Day celebrations online. 1019 people joined in activities provided by local people, including Zumba, street dance, singing, poetry, pancake making, bee-friendly gardens and beauty treatments.

JULY 2021 We hosted a garden party at St Anne’s to see the flowers bloom that we’d planted in the winter and to taste some of James’ delicious cakes.

NOVEMBER 2021 We became a Co-op cause for garden furniture at St Anne’s garden. Together, through spending at the local Coop, we raised £1400 over the year.

DECEMBER 2021 We hosted a Christmas meal at St Andrews community centre, supported by Brighter Boroughs and Care Choice North West.

AUGUST 2021 The first community dog show. A way of celebrating and doing something positive about dog poo in the area.

MARCH 2022 We started the monthly women and young girls food share to celebrate international women’s day. This has become a monthly tradition.

APRIL 2022 Give it a Grow Wigan started monthly gardening sessions at St Anne’s community garden. They meet on the last Sunday of the month from 12 noon and every other Tues morning.

APRIL 2022 Biscuit and a brew started at the Hen Hole, on Mondays from 1-3pm.

MAY 2022 Well Good Socials started at the Wellfield Hotel on Thursdays from 9-12. It’s now called the Coffee Morning.

JUNE 2022 With some support from Awards for All, we hosted a jubilee party at Diggle St Park.

AUGUST 2022 We started community play. We felt that it was important that children and families had the opportunity to play together locally, especially after being inside and apart so much during the pandemic. It’s also important to have free or low cost activities.

AUGUST 2022 Springfield Dog Show runs for its second year and now can earn the Annual

Springfield Dog Show title.

SEPTEMBER 2022 The inaugural community awards event was hosted at Wigan Cricket Club. It was an amazing evening.

NOVEMBER 2022 Our first event was where local people could pitch their ideas and, if the audience voted for them, get some cash to make them happen.

We called the first Cash and Chips as we ate chip barms from Gidlow Plaice together.