Last Saturday, we held our first Community Expo in Nelson – an event I envisioned as a “clubs day” for our city.
The inspiration struck while attending a clubs day at Canterbury University. It was a fantastic way for students to engage with different clubs, and I thought, why not bring that concept to Nelson?
There’s a pressing need for connection. Research shows that loneliness negatively impacts both individual and societal health. In fact, the impact of being socially disconnected is similar to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.1
Many people hesitate to join clubs because they simply don’t know anyone. I realised that by creating an environment where people could meet locals and explore clubs that piqued their interests, we could make a bit of a difference.
The journey began when I met with Wendy Strawbridge from Health Action Trust. We brainstormed ways to foster connections within the community, and I pitched the idea of the expo. Wendy was immediately on board, and together we set plans in motion. She suggested doing it for Mental Health Awareness Week – which was perfect, because the theme this year was “community is what we create together”. Health Action Trust also supported us with promotion and health and safety.
Initially, we explored venues that the city council could offer, but many were somewhat isolated – places like Saxton Field or Trafalgar Park are a little off the beaten track. It was Spanky Moore who suggested the old Bed Bath & Beyond building at Montgomery carpark. After some calls to the council, we secured the space at no cost, which was a huge win for us!
The event was a real success. We had around 300 people come in throughout the day. You’d look around the room and see model trains and paintball guns on display, cheerleaders showing off their gymnastic talents, and tables filled with information on local community support.
One thing that stood out was that the expo wasn’t just about people finding clubs – it was about clubs finding each other. It was so cool to witness various organisations connecting in unexpected ways. Clubs with vastly different missions found common ground and discussed how to engage specific demographics.
Some clubs realised they had been limiting their marketing to a narrow audience. The petanque club was stoked with the unexpected interest of kids eager to play!
It was a good opportunity for everyone to rethink their approach and reach out to those who might benefit from their offerings.
Health Action Trust had a lot of valuable conversations, helping people discover the support and services available for their mental health needs. Many people weren’t aware of what is freely available to them.
I received numerous comments on how appreciated it was that the church organised this event. Hearing people say, “It’s great that the Anglicans are doing this” made me realise how important it is for us to be seen as a church that genuinely cares for the community.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about the prospect of making this an annual event. I envision even more clubs, churches, youth groups and elder care services participating next year. The enthusiasm from different organisations was encouraging.
Here’s to next year!
1Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation", U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023.
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We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
Last Saturday, we held our first Community Expo in Nelson – an event I envisioned as a “clubs day” for our city.
The inspiration struck while attending a clubs day at Canterbury University. It was a fantastic way for students to engage with different clubs, and I thought, why not bring that concept to Nelson?
There’s a pressing need for connection. Research shows that loneliness negatively impacts both individual and societal health. In fact, the impact of being socially disconnected is similar to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.1
Many people hesitate to join clubs because they simply don’t know anyone. I realised that by creating an environment where people could meet locals and explore clubs that piqued their interests, we could make a bit of a difference.
The journey began when I met with Wendy Strawbridge from Health Action Trust. We brainstormed ways to foster connections within the community, and I pitched the idea of the expo. Wendy was immediately on board, and together we set plans in motion. She suggested doing it for Mental Health Awareness Week – which was perfect, because the theme this year was “community is what we create together”. Health Action Trust also supported us with promotion and health and safety.
Initially, we explored venues that the city council could offer, but many were somewhat isolated – places like Saxton Field or Trafalgar Park are a little off the beaten track. It was Spanky Moore who suggested the old Bed Bath & Beyond building at Montgomery carpark. After some calls to the council, we secured the space at no cost, which was a huge win for us!
The event was a real success. We had around 300 people come in throughout the day. You’d look around the room and see model trains and paintball guns on display, cheerleaders showing off their gymnastic talents, and tables filled with information on local community support.
One thing that stood out was that the expo wasn’t just about people finding clubs – it was about clubs finding each other. It was so cool to witness various organisations connecting in unexpected ways. Clubs with vastly different missions found common ground and discussed how to engage specific demographics.
Some clubs realised they had been limiting their marketing to a narrow audience. The petanque club was stoked with the unexpected interest of kids eager to play!
It was a good opportunity for everyone to rethink their approach and reach out to those who might benefit from their offerings.
Health Action Trust had a lot of valuable conversations, helping people discover the support and services available for their mental health needs. Many people weren’t aware of what is freely available to them.
I received numerous comments on how appreciated it was that the church organised this event. Hearing people say, “It’s great that the Anglicans are doing this” made me realise how important it is for us to be seen as a church that genuinely cares for the community.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about the prospect of making this an annual event. I envision even more clubs, churches, youth groups and elder care services participating next year. The enthusiasm from different organisations was encouraging.
Here’s to next year!
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
