Apache Kids Crafts and Games Club

The Pitch

Problem statement

Until Jan 2019, Crafty Kids, which was being run by the Rev. for the Claremont Free Church, was running successfully and had many regular children attending between the ages 6 and 12. Unfortunately, the priest moved to a new parish and the club had to stop. We knew there was a local demand and need for this great initiative and with the help of funding from BXS Community Fund, later in 2019, we were able to set this project back up and we have had a great response from the local community. Unfortunately the Pandemic hit the lives of our children very hard and as children gravitated towards electronic devices more and more, activities such as games, crafts and social interaction took a hit.

Solution

This club aims to provide a safe space away from home and electronic devices. It gives local parents a respite and children a really fun space to express themselves through games, arts, crafts and social interaction. We have made it a priority to make our activities available for FREE so as to be all-inclusive. We did not want to turn anyone away simply because of being financially disadvantaged. With this sponsorship we will be able to carry on ensuring FREE access to our Club. We will need the funding to replenish our arts and games resources and almost half of the grant will go towards a bouncy castle which the old crafty kids club used to have and which made the club incredibly popular.

Why are we best placed to deliver?

We have been running Apache Kids as a popular Friday after-school club for well over 2 years now thanks to support from Brent Cross Town. We have been able to provide a safe environment to enjoy craft and games which is run by local community volunteers. The two main organisers Brian and Anwar are the Group Scout Leader and Scout Chair for the 3rd Golders Green Scout Group which has been running for around 70 years. The Church, the Scout Group and BX Town have provided support for this club to ensure it remains FREE and is open to all children within the community. Our experience running events and scouting within this community is well founded and we’re a trusted community partner.

Focus Areas

Delivery plan

Budget breakdown

Beneficiaries

200 people

Expected impact

The club is an all-inclusive and creative escape for children and parents away from TV, Electronic Games and other electronic devices which they use during the other 6 days of the week. The open door policy allows local children (going to different schools) to play and have fun together. It has also connected local parents, chatting to each other over a cup of tea. We have encouraged some older children, from the Scouts, to take a lead in some of the activities, which has helped them develop their own leadership and communication skills. We hope the benefits children will gain are- Development of motor skills and dexterity with crafts Enhancing decision making skills through board games Developing social skills and building self-esteem. Once set up with the new resources, we would expect between 20-35 children on a weekly basis measured by an attendance register and we would hope the BX Town logo’d bouncy castle will be used by the scout group and other community groups at Carey Hall.

Track record

We are in our 3rd academic year of operation. We were provided funding for the the first 2 years by Brent Cross Town and we able to stretch the funding over the 3rd year because of savings made in during lockdown. Early last year for example, when we weren't able to open, the fund allowed us to hand deliver 60 large craft parcels to children locally and the heavily subsidised rent contribution to the church (saved monies from lockdown) was rolled over to be used this year. It has enabled us to stay open at minimal cost and keep our promise of remaining FREE and advertising this fact on banners, online, posters and leaflets that this has been enabled by funding from the Brent Cross Town development. We had an incredible response when we first opened and we really believe the new resources will allow us to become better and bigger. We continue to see increased demand for our Scout group and this informs us that there is local need and that we have the experience to deliver the project.

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