The toddler group at Lord’s Hill Church in Southampton began around 18 months ago and has welcomed hundreds of people from the community and introduced many people to Jesus.
Revd Tom Boulter, Vicar of Lord’s Hill, said, “On the day that we opened we had 100 people in total come along, without barely advertising it, because there was such a local need. People were queuing up at the door saying, ‘we’ve been waiting for something like this to happen around here.’”
The toddler group, called ‘Lil’ Flames’, meets each Wednesday from 9.30 to 11am. There’s an hour of play with a bouncy castle, toys, crafts and other activities. At 10.30am everyone joins together for a story, songs and snack time. They are sometimes joined by other organisations.
Tom continued, “We have the fire service come in and the children get to climb on the fire engine. The local farm visits and the children can play with the animals. It’s so much more than just a toddler group, it’s a real community. Some people come through the toddler group and then come along to church.”
Lord’s Hill Church was the result of a revitalisation project from nearby Saint Mary’s in Southampton and has grown since it started in 2023 (see the story here).
Bishop Rhiannon visited the toddler group to see the difference it’s making. She said, “It’s just extraordinary, the place is heaving. You can tell that everyone feels welcome. I’ve met some people who’ve been coming every week, and I’ve met some people who are new and everyone is just raving about it. It is so important that churches do something like this because it’s a lovely way for the church to show love and care to families.”
Heidi Sweed started coming to group with her daughter when they were walking past one wet cold day. Now her daughter is at nursery, but Heidi still volunteers her time to help with the crafts. She and her daughter also attend the church on a Sunday.
She said, “I just had that real urge, that real calling and now this is part of my life, this is my home and I feel totally different. Five weeks ago, I got baptised here and it was amazing and such a new journey to my life.”
The toddler group is run by a team of volunteers. The church received funding to buy the initial equipment from the Listeners Trust and a local housing group. More than 300 children have since passed through the doors with around 40 to 50 children attending each week along with their mums, dads, grandparents and carers.
Mum Tanya said, “I moved to the area a few months ago. I was visiting the library next door and saw people coming out of the church after the toddler group and I thought I would come along. It’s made a massive difference to me. It’s so warm and welcoming and my daughter loves it. It teaches the children how to play and share and it’s a time to mingle with other parents, but it’s the staff and volunteers who make it. They are all so friendly and always smiling. I look forward to it every week.”
Dad Jay added, “This is my first time. It’s nice to let the children play with each other. It’s free which is great and it’s a nice environment.”
The church now runs an Alpha course straight after Lil’ Flames and many parents stay on for the discussions and to share lunch together.
The toddler group has also been a way to introduce families to other events in the church such as the recent bonfire and upcoming Christmas services.
Revd Tom added, “A lot of people just want someone to chat to about what’s going on in their life. You see great friendships being formed and people then inviting along their friends. It’s made a real difference to the children’s confidence and development and also to the parents, how they interact socially with others but also connecting them into the wider life of the church. I think it’s helped glue the community together.”
The toddler group has also helped people to grow in faith and develop leadership skills. Peter is one of the volunteers. At the end of last year, he was struggling with relationship problems and alcohol. He said, “I found Lord’s Hill Church and have a new lease of life now. I help at the church, I help with the toddler group and at Alpha and am living an active life in Christ now. When I was going through difficult times, I was alone and now I’ve come back to family and I have a community, and the church is my cornerstone.”
Revd Tom concluded, “The church is for people who don’t come to church and so every day we have something like this. We have a bereavement group, we have a group for people with dementia, we have the toddler group, we have a food bank and so every day we’re connecting with people because we believe that God’s love is propelling us outside of the walls. Often people say, ‘there’s something different about this group, but we don’t know what it is’ and I believe that’s God.”
