Annual Report 2022/23
In my 17 years of youth work the most important aspect is relationship and consistency. It has been great this year seeing the Relational Hub model of after schoolwork at The Hive work well and start to impact young people’s lives holistically. The Hive in Peasedown is now a place where young people belong, and Nick has done an amazing job of building genuine trust with the young people.
We see at Motus empowerment and participation as young people take the lead to choreograph new dances. Sam and Freja have created a sense of home-away-from home for the dancers. Similarly, in Timsbury Jane has built good relationships with young people and continues to see change as young people make more positive choices around their behaviour.
As a youth charity there has never been a more important time to listen to young people and as a staff team, we have all been trained as mental health first-aiders.
Rachel Hornsby and Sam Packer and a team of volunteers have mentored young people in Ralph Allen, St Mark’s, Hayesfield and Oldfield schools. In addition to the 1:1 mentoring, there have been self-esteem courses to build young people’s self esteem and help them achieve their potential.
In St Mark’s school Sam Packer has organized collective worship for the students to reflect and learn about Jesus and what it is to be a Christian.
This year we moved away from being a Youth for Christ Centre and partnered with Relational Hub as we believe at the heart of change is the relationship. We also believe God moves through every interaction and we need to listen to young people whatever their faith, circumstances and family situation. Finally, to make lasting change in a young person and for longterm change they need to be informed and empowered to make decisions to help them reach their full God given potential and we are always praying for every young person we work with everyday.
Thanks again for your prayers and support. God bless,
Dave Joyce
Photo by Scott Joyce
At the beginning of the year, we switched our structure to a more relational approach. We launched our after-school drop-in sessions, which were shorter, so less time for them to get bored and also more frequent so we could build stronger connections. We changed the age group to be ‘all in’ as we realised during Covid and hanging out at the park with young people that these boundaries had blurred, and it was harder to split friendship groups. We upped our hospitality and provided better food and drink. This has all resulted in a calmer and more relational atmosphere.
The impact of all the changes resulted in us being adopted into their community. We have much better behaviour and have built stronger relationships. We’ve made some great memories on trips, given them the opportunity to have their voices heard and we are working with them to make their ideas come to life.
Here’s a couple examples showing how our work has positively impacted young people:
One lad was so quiet when he started attending youth club, he’d hardly talk to us and just about say hello. Over the year I’ve had several conversations with him and built trust to the point where he opened up about his home life and struggles. especially during covid. He said he felt comfortable enough to share with me things he hadn’t admitted to others. He’s now nearing 18 and said he’d like to volunteer with us as ‘it’s a better option then not being able to come in’ once he’s an adult.
One girl posted on her socials ‘youth club- happiest moments always here’. And that’s what we are trying to create. Moments and memories for them so that when they grow up, they look back on these years and not only remember the stresses but the fun times, the friendships made and the opportunities to grow.
Nick Blythe Team Leader Senior Youth Worker – Peasedown-St-JohnIf you are familiar with Tuckman’s four stages of team development: ‘Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing’, you will understand when I say this has most definitely been a year of performing!
At the annual dance show this year the dancers performed 23 dances. This is by far the most pieces of choreography we have had in one year. A lot of the young people started exploring their own creativity and creating their own dances to teach the group and the standard was so good that we had to showcase them at the dance show. Even the younger members of the academy were choreographing for and teaching Mini Motus.
Motus is thriving more than ever with peer teaching, group work and supporting each other with issues they are facing outside of the academy. They spend a lot of time messaging and video calling each other through the week sharing dance ideas and just looking after one another.
6 of the Mini Motus students moved up to secondary school this year and in turn moved up into Motus. I was so overwhelmed by how the older dancers made sure to find them at their various schools to check in and make sure they were ok and to meet and walk with them to Roundhill after school.
Once again, the young people have shown how much of a family Motus is and I am so incredibly proud with how much they have all grown in confidence this year and how much love and extra time they put into this group. The standard of dance continues to grow too, and we are very excited to see how much we can push them this year with their creativity. It has been amazing to see the young people develop the gifts God has given then and how they are fulfilling their God-given potential.
Sam Ludwell Senior Youth & Community Worker – Southdown
Photo by Scott Joyce
This has continued steadily throughout the year. Latest quarterly figures showed an average weekly attendance of 17 with a total of 61 different young people. The emphasis is on building relationships. To this end playing sport and cooking together are the favourite activities.
We have been working with the police on a ‘community resolution’ to tackle recent anti-social behaviour. This has provided opportunities for conversations with those involved and has helped demonstrate that there are consequences to beahviour.
We have enjoyed working with this small group since before covid. However, it was time to celebrate an ending by cooking and sharing a meal together. The group had fulfilled a valuable role particularly when it restarted post covid in providing a space away from home to meet. We are working on developing a new project, which we hope to start this year.
For the first time, we ran a holiday club in St Peter’s church. It was a really lovely encounter where we played games and did crafts focussed on different Bible stories as well as providing a cooked lunch. We had some new families and children attending, some of whom have continued throughout the year in our monthly pizza@ stpetes session, which has now celebrated it’s second Birthday.
I continue to go in weekly to the school during a lunchtime as well as providing support for the Year 6s over SATS and the move to secondary school. I get involved with assemblies and special services amongst other events. This builds relationships with young people from the village and makes for an easier transition into Youth Club.
To find out more or to join our amazing team of volunteers contact: jane@luxyouthproject.co.uk 07483156995
Jane Van Haaps
Timsbury Youth Worker
We have now partnered with Relational Hub since September 2022 and the support and encouragement has been outstanding. The charity offers us monthly coaching support and help with budgets plans and how to deliver professional relational Christian youth work.
Relational hub vision is to see every young person in the UK aged 11-17 having the opportunity to access professional, relationshipbased youth services where they can receive the support and opportunities, they need in order to thrive in all areas of life. Our Mission is to support Churches to create thriving community youth work projects that provide a welcoming and relational
space for young people after school, becoming a home-awayfrom-home for the young people who need one most.
We look forward to a future where Christians can make more of an impact holistically to young people in the City of Bath.
Photo by Scott Joyce
Quotes from young people who have been mentored:
“It helped me make informed decisions when I didn’t know what to do”
“It has helped me see myself better as a person and how I truly am”
“There is always a bright side to things and there is always a solution”
“[mentoring] has helped me to stop felling anxious about stupid things”
“I’ve stopped feeling as anxious”
We are opening two new afterschool drop-ins in the 2023/24 academic year. One in Roundhill Hub and one in the Larkhall United Reformed Church.
We are excited to open a drop-In in Larkhall in partnership with Larkhall on Wednesdays and Fridays. This will be another safe space for young people to socialize and belong.
On Tuesdays and Fridays, we’ll be opening a new drop-in in Roundhill Hub. We are extending our work with Motus at Roundhill and will run a drop-in that supports the work of Motus as well as being a safe space for young people in Southdown and Whiteway. Somewhere they are welcome, can make a hot drink and eat some toast, while socializing with friends. Drop-ins will run Tuesdays and Fridays.
Both spaces will build on our experience of running drop-ins in Peasedown and Timsbury and will develop positive relationships with young people helping them to fulfil their potential.
This last academic year has been full-on in the best way! I have personally worked two days a week at Hayesfield Girls school offering mentoring and group work. This has been a privilege and joy. We have drawn, painted, created, played, walked, and talked (amongst other things) during which time the student has been able to share on a deep level their struggles and challenges as well as successes and achievements. This last academic year, I have run four successful Girls group work programmes and five Shine Self Esteem group work programmes each with about 6-8 students. Sam Packer has also run several Shine programmes in St Mark’s School. Anxiety and feeling overwhelmed, anger, friendships, low self- esteem, behavioural change and having special educational needs have been the most common reasons for referral.
As a mentor myself, I have mentored 27 students over the year, exploring many issues with some vulnerable students but as a team we have mentored 84 young people. The schools work team has grown significantly this year, to 10 mentors, with 7 being volunteers. With the additional team, we have been able to get back into Oldfield School and commence work at Writhlington School for the first time as well as supply extra mentors to St Marks, St Gregs and Hayesfield School, some of which start their mentoring this Autumn term. In the later part of this last academic year, we were able to significantly support one of the secondary schools after a major incidence in the city, by offering some group work to the young people affected.
Rachel Hornsby Lead Schools Worker
This year I have mentored 20 students and fed approximately 20 every day at Breakfast Club. Food is supplied by FareShare so it’s a lovely surprise to see what they send us each week, which cheese toasties and pastries being favourites.
Part of my role is to co-ordinate and lead collective worship (assemblies). This year we’ve had 33 Collective Worships. We’ve looked at a variety of themes with various speakers from local churches sharing God and what the Bible has to say with all the students. Major David Wise talked about the ministry of the Salvation Army, Rev Kenny Nelson, Elim Church, talked about Moses & the Burning Bush and Rev Philip Hawthorne, St Stephens, spoke on Pentecost.
We had a lovely Carol Service at St Saviours Church looking at consequences with Rev Rob Densmore. Many students read, played instruments or sang. It was a wonderful morning, despite the freezing temperatures and snow! We had an Easter service, with students taking part including 2 from Ukraine, who prayed in Ukrainian.
Numbers have increased hugely at our Communion services, and I regularly welcome between 30-40 young people who get to hear that Jesus loves them.
As well as all the “Chaplain” type jobs, I have tried to be the hands & feet of Jesus in the School, offering support wherever I can. That might be driving the minibus to Forest School; making hot chocolate after School for the Y11s before they go to Revision Club in preparation for GCSEs; or helping at the School Open Events.
It’s a real privilege to serve the School & I pray it continues.
Sam Packer
St Mark’s Chaplain
LUX is Latin for light and we want to be light for young people experiencing times of darkness and difficulty. We also believe that every person has light in them and that with the right support and encouragement can share that light to make their lives and communities brighter, like it says in the Bible: “let you shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”
(taken from Matthew 5:16, The Message)
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The Annual Report covers the period from September 2022 to August 2023. The report contains contributions from LUX Youth Project (formerly Bath Youth for Christ) staff and trustees.
The focus of this report is on the period highlighted above. However, it will also give some indication as to the direction of LUX Youth Project going fromward from September 2023.
Director of LUX Youth Project
Dave Joyce
Team Leader Senior Youth Worker – Peasedown-St-John &
Bath College Chaplain
Nick Blythe
Lead Schools Worker
Rachel Hornsby
Senior Youth & Community Worker – Southdown
Sam Ludwell
Youth & Schools Worker – Timsbury
Jane Van Haaps
St Mark’s Chaplain
Sam Packer
Assistant Coordinator, Motus Dance Academy
Freja George
Youth Work Intern
Meg Tucker
Business Manager
Lea Lawton
Office & Operations Coordinator
Lisa Hawkins (Left Oct 2022)
We have lots of great volunteers supporting our projects. We can’t name you all but a BIG ‘thank you’ to everyone who supports our work by giving up their time for local young people.
Chair
John Lawton
Treasurer
David Chambers (until Sept 22)
Rosalind Chambers (from Dec 22)
Trustees
Louise Cripps
Jerry Parr
David Plumbridge
Harley Wykes
Catherine Knight
Robert Hendra
Council of Reference
Kathy Beadle
Graham Pearson
Kenny Nelson
Rachel Spence
Graphic Design
Scott Joyce
IT Support
Priority IT Solutions Ltd
We were delighted to have a team of amazing runners enter the Bath Half in October to raise funds for us. Some of the funds raised went to support our Connect Mentoring program, providing 1:1 support to pupils in schools and some went towards our core costs.
Sam Packer and Rachel did an amazing job fundraising to cover the cost of their Mexico trip, hosting a variety of events including a quiz night, sleep out and sale. Motus did a fantastic job raising funds through their annual danceathon and dance show.
As always, we really appreciate the funding we receive to help equip and resource our projects. It enables us to develop and grow our work so that we are able to support more young people across Bath & North East Somerset, through openaccess youthwork, mentoring and small group work in schools, dance and chaplaincy. A list of funders and the projects their support funded is below.
We continue to be amazed by the generosity and loyalty of our supporters, both individuals and churches, without whom, we wouldn’t be able to achieve all that we do. Consistent financial support enables us to plan and develop our work so that we can meet young people where they are and provide relevant support.
Quartet Community Foundation: Wessex Foundation
Mini Motus Lunchtime Club
Quartet Community Foundation: Commissioners Crime
Prevention Fund
After-School Drop-In at Roundhill Hub
Benefact Trust
After-School Drop-In at Roundhill Hub
Mental Health Awareness Training
Quartet Community Foundation: Express Grant
After-School Drop-In at Roundhill Hub
Bath & North East Somerset Council
5 Needs of Young People Film
Dame Violet Wills Trust
Core Funding
St Saviour’s PCC
Core Funding
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This year has been a challenging yet exciting year as we changed our name to LUX Youth Project. We appointed a new Treasurer, and I became the Chair of Trustees. Despite the financial challenges we continue to serve local young people in and around Bath, Peasedown-St-John & Timsbury. We have benefited from being part of the Relational Hub Network, with Dave Joyce receiving coaching and Staff being able to share and hear best practice from other Christian community workers and also attending the Relational Hub training day.
It has been great to see our work expanding, with more young people attending our projects. Providing safe spaces for young people to socialise has become even more important since the pandemic and this is why we are wanting to expand our afterschool drop-ins next year. However, despite demand for our projects increasing, funding our work is becoming even more challenging.
The accounts for LUX Youth Project (Previously known as Bath Youth for Christ) CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) for the year ending 31st August 2023 recorded a deficit.
Headline figures show income decreased from £186K to £143K, with expenditure also reduced from £225K to £205K, resulting in a deficit of £62K. Overall, this reduced our reserves from £94K to £33K, of which £43K is restricted.
Many of our projects operate on a break-even basis, funded from grants and local contributions. Most of our unrestricted funds are used towards funding core costs to support our projects.
Individual regular voluntary giving remains a critical element of our income. This is supplemented by local church income of £11K (previous year £22K). Together, these provide an important platform and justification when applying for grants and other sources of income.
Grant income has formed a large proportion of our income in recent years but can be highly variable and tends to focus on the start-up phase/early years of new projects, rather than
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has supported our work. We have amazing volunteers, without whom, we wouldn’t be able to run Motus, afterschool clubs or Connect Mentoring. And we want to thank all of you who faithfully support us through donations and prayer.
With your continued support we aim to progress forward reaching out to those Young People who need our support, time, patience, and understanding.
Yours in Faith David Plumbridgeproviding ongoing sustainable support. This year grant income significantly declined reduced from £72K to £19K.
Our third major income source is from paid youth work, both from schools and community projects such as Timsbury and Peasedown St John. These payments are intended to directly cover the staffing costs of the projects, with LUX providing management oversight and staff training as part of our team. Such income was increased from £43K to £54K since last year.
As always, I’d like to thank all those who contributed towards the success of LUX over the past year, donating financially and/or by giving their time and expertise.
This is my first year as Treasurer of LUX and look forward to working alongside staff and trustees, who are committed to making a difference to local young people.
Rosalind CroucherFor the year ending 31 August 2023
For the year ending 31 August 2023
This summarised financial information was extracted from the draft Annual Accounts for the period 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023.
These figures may not contain enough information to allow for a full understanding of the financial affairs of the charity and the accounting policies adopted in their preparation. The full accounts comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) Accounting and Reporting by Charities (FRS 102) 2015. For further information, the full annual accounts, independent examiner’s report and the trustee’s annual report should also be consulted.
These accounts are not the statutory accounts but a summary of information relating to the Statement of Financial Activities and the more detailed balance sheet. The annual accounts are being independently examined by a firm of professional accountants and their report can be obtained in due course from the LUX Youth Project Office, Roundhill Centre, Mount Road, Bath, BA2 1LG.
Plumbridge
LUX Youth Project, YMCA Roundhill, Mount Road, Southdown, Bath BA2 1LG T 01225 429344 E admin@luxyouthproject.co.uk www.luxyouthproject.co.uk Charity No. 1165745
Dave