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Groups & Volounteering

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Upcoming Events

All Saints Kingston is the home to multiple events and services, everyone is always welcome.

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Anthems & Music

Browse our collection of hymns and Anthems.

Browse our Library

We have many groups at All Saints Kingston and they tell us that being part of a regular group or volunteering is not only good for the community, but can improve your physical and mental health and wellbeing.  Scroll down for details of our groups.

Volunteering

All Saints provides a wide range of opportunities for volunteering and you can join our team from as little as two hours per month.

Volunteers work as Vergers, people offering a pastoral listening ear, helping with Heritage activities and tours, raising money for Good Causes, stewarding concerts and many, many other ways.

If you are interested in volunteering we’d love to hear from you! To find out more or for an informal conversation please click here to contact us.

You can look at our volunteer pack by clicking ASK Volunteer Interest Pack 2024

Here are just some of the things our teams say they get from giving their time:

  • New skills and valuable work experience.
  • Making new friends
  • Better physical and mental health and wellbeing
  • Giving something back
  • Improving your confidence
  • Sense of connection to others in the community
  • Improve how things work for the better
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Bell Ringers

Recruits to learn the art of bellringing are always welcome.  We have a peal of twelve glorious bells and an active band of ringers, who ring for the two main services on Sundays.  Practice night is Wednesday from 7:45 to 9:30 and all visitors are very welcome. We ring all twelve bells most practice nights and Sundays.  We also ring by request for weddings and other notable services and occasions, including ringing in the New Year. We host monthly peal and quarter peal ringing which are booked in the church diary.

There has been a regular band ringing at All Saints Church since the last major overhaul of the bells in 1973. The ringers recruited new members in 2018 as part of the national campaign to mark the centenary of the Armistice. On the resumption of ringing after Lockdown many in the town, as well as the congregation, remarked on their joy at hearing the bells ringing again. The tower was in the news with international TV channels, radio and newspapers for the Ring for the King campaign for the King’s Coronation in 2023.

You do not need to be mathematically or musically gifted, and there is no upper age limit subject to you being fit enough to climb the stairs to the belfry. Ask the Rector or a member of the ringing band for further information if you are interested.

We have a website www.kingstonbells.org.uk and social media presence (@kingstonbellringers) where we engage with the local community, wider bellringing and church groups.

 

Click here for the Kingston Bellringers Website
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All Saints Listening Team and Service

The service was started in 2003 to offer a welcome and a listening ear to some of the many people who  come into Kingston for shopping and leisure. Before the cafe opened in 2015, we had an urn and a jar of instant coffee/box of tea bags on a table!  We see our work as an important part of All Saints’ service to the wider community, as we are aware that some of the people  who visit our beautiful church may experience loneliness, isolation and many other problems and we offer them kindness and concern without judgment not readily available in commercial outlets.

There is a 20 strong team of volunteers who have been interviewed, selected and trained in listening  skills.   In any given year we would engage with several hundred people, so since our beginning over 20 years ago we have welcomed thousands.  Someone is on duty in the cafe from Monday to Saturday  11am to 12.15pm and occasionally at other times. We wear a lanyard saying “listener” so people recognise us and the cafe staff if asked can point us out. It really does help to talk – and we’re here to listen.

We welcome new recruits, please email [email protected]

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Our Gardening team

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All Saints churchyard is one of the largest green spaces in the centre of Kingston.  It is used by the local community, for events and education work.  Churchyards are unique and historical habitats, with an abundance of flora and fauna.  Our gardening team work tirelessly to maintain the churchyard as well as developing new areas of interest.

The concept of a church garden was conceived several years ago by a member of the church – Jean Cope, herself a keen gardener. At that time, the Gardening Team consisted of Jean Cope, Brian Cornick, Pam Boot and Carys Griffiths joined a short time later. Over time, the Team has evolved and now consists of a number of church and non – church members, most of whom turn up every Saturday morning ready to tackle any task that needs doing. There are two borders which we pay particular attention to. Both sides of the path leading from the Market Square towards the south door of the church and the other is at the west door. Although our main focus is on these two areas, we take care of all the green areas around the church including bushes and the base of trees. Not only do we do the gardening we also engage with the people in the community who use the gardens, be it for a quiet seat to contemplate, have a picnic on the grass or just passing through. Most are pleased to be able to enjoy such an area and are complimentary about our efforts.

Our plants have come from different sources over the years – some from cuttings by the gardeners themselves, some donated by family, friends and members of the congregation and a few bought commercially. We are always open to any suitable donations.

Click here for the latest news on our gardening team

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Bereavement Café

This is a space to talk about the pain of bereavement and to find mutual support and encouragement from others who understand the experience of loss.

No booking necessary. Every other Wednesday 2-3pm at All Saints Church.  Please see our calendar for the next cafe date.

Click here for a flyer with further details.
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Bereavement Cafe

English Conversation

Practice your English Conversation

This friendly, informal group exists to offer simple English conversation practice, especially to refugees or other visitors to the country. It takes place in the church (but is not a religious group) fortnightly at 2.30pm, please see our calendar on the home page or click below for a flyer giving dates.

All are welcome at every learning level; there is no charge. Further information from William Allberry – [email protected].

Our café is usually open if you want to buy anything to eat or drink.

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Click here for our flyer giving session dates
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All Saints Eco Group

The Eco-Church Working Group serves to help the church achieve one of its mission priorities, to get to Silver Eco-Church award status by the end of 2026.

Eco-Church comprises a framework and resources to assist churches in becoming more climate and nature friendly, recognising our responsibility as Christians to care for God’s creation through prayer and action.

The group has 8 members and meets every two months to identify and progress actions across the five Eco–Church themes of Worship & Teaching, Buildings, Land, Community & Global Engagement and Lifestyle.

The church achieved Bronze Award status in June 2024 a year after the group started, click here to see our award. Highlights have included a Caring for Creation service, the installation of energy saving LED lighting, building a bug hotel, creating a meadow in the churchyard, Eco Church Meadow, painting posters prior to CoP28 and encouraging church members to undertake a lifestyle audit that is available at creation care.  This audit is still available and we would encourage all members of the congregation to complete it environmental lifestyle audit.  This involves registering at the site, inputting your household (or individual) name, and your affiliation with All Saints Kingston via a drop down box.  Completing the questions is fairly straight forward and takes about 30 minutes.

More exciting actions are planned as we start on our journey to Silver and anyone interested should speak to a member of the working group.

 

Please click here to contact us for more details
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All Saints Book Group

Do you love books? Why not join this lovely group that meets in the Church Cafe on the 4th Sunday of the month at 12 noon.
 
Share your thoughts, opinions, and insights on books with like minded people using the month by month book list.
 
Open to All.  Please check the calendar for the next session and email [email protected] for details of the next book on the list.

 

Please click here to contact Anne for more details
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Chess Group

Kingston Chess club meets every Wednesday 10am – 12noon in the cafe area right in front of our glorious Seven Saxon King Embroideries. It’s a great way to meet people who share your interests and to keep your strategic brain keen. All levels welcome, bring your board or borrow one of theirs.  Once a month, usually on the last Wednesday of the month, they hold their popular “Chess Blitz” tournament here, please check their website for details

Kingston Chess Club one of the leading chess clubs in Surrey and many would say one of the strongest in the UK. They hold several weekly clubs around Kingston for adults and children.

Click here for KCC Website
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Knit & Crochet Group

Join the All Saints knitting circle and knit for a good cause, held on Tuesday mornings 10-11:45am, contact the office for more details:

Everyone is welcome.

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Did you know about our weekly Coffee morning here at All Saints? If you are looking for something to do on a Thursday morning, we’d love to see you in the Cafe which is a wonderful space right in the centre of Kingston.

Make new friends and meet up with old ones.

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