This year, we’re celebrating 25 years of Soulscape!
Looking back…
25 years ago, we weren’t called Soulscape – we were just a single youth worker (and then a couple more) sent by local churches to run lunchtime drop-in sessions at local schools. Even then we had a desire to create space for young people to stop, reflect, express themselves and explore life.
The lunch club (‘Random’) was appreciated by schools in Wokingham and they soon shared other needs with us. It wasn’t long before we started our Mind the Gap project, helping Year 6 students with the transition to secondary school.
As our vision grew, we formed the Soulscape charity, enabling us to get more projects off the ground. We were soon bringing REAL workshops to local secondary schools who could see that students needed more time and space to discuss pressing issues like body image and relationships. Responding to young people’s needs, we then developed Myriad – a project about family breakdown – and our unique Pause space.
Since we became Soulscape, our projects have flourished and are now in constant demand from schools in the area. Last year we worked with 20 schools in the Wokingham and Brackell area, delivering nine different projects to nearly 3,000 young people.
Looking forward…
2021/22 is going to be an exciting year of growth for us. That drop-in idea is back as The Lounge – a popular initiative creating a safe space within school for young people to be themselves, relax and share what’s on their minds. We’re expanding it to a second school this year.
We’re busy at primary and secondary schools with projects covering everything from community to faith; from decision-making to friendship.
And this year, for the first time, we are taking a project into Reading schools. Through a new partnership with Read College of performing arts, we will be touring ‘Object’ around a number of secondary schools in the Reading area this year. The impact of porn on young people is high on the agenda for the government and schools right now – so it’s fantastic we’ll be opening up the topic with at least 2,500 teenagers this year.
Reaching out to Reading was something we had wanted and planned to achieve before the pandemic struck – it’s great to be back on track towards working with thousands more Berkshire young people.
Let’s celebrate!
We’re marking our 25th with a year of fundraising celebrations. We’d love to see you at some of them! Here’s what’s coming up:
27 November | A Jazzy Christmas with Soulscape. We had a great festive night out with live music from The Kings of Jazz.
16 December | Christmas charity concert by Cantata Conviva at St Mary’s Church, Wargrave, in aid of Soulscape. It filled us with Christmas spirit!
18 January | Big Soulscape coffee morning. We consumed a lot of coffee and cake, all for a good cause!
11 February | Early Valentine’s Meal at Hare Hatch Sheeplands – all proceeds donated to Soulscape! We enjoyed a really fun night with an Indian banquet.
19 March | Pink Fish charity gig. Fun and dancing to what is probably the most popular covers band in the area. It was a great night out in support of Berkshire’s brilliant young people.
8 May | The Wokingham Walk. Well done to our little Soulscape team who went the distance!
20 May | Quiz night. Our very popular Soulscape Quiz Night returned for a special anniversary edition!
