Celebrating 10 years of supporting Nottingham communities
Set up in July 2014, The Pythian Club, an award-winning, not-for-profit, community interest company, is delighted to celebrate a decade of supporting the communities they serve in Nottingham.
From humble beginnings as a grassroots organisation, the Club, set up by Benjamin Rosser, CEO of The Pythian Club, is now based within the heart of the community at their hub, Heathfield Community Centre, Basford, Nottingham.
From this hub, the Club hosts a broad range of weekly activities reaching a wide audience from young people participating in their afterschool sports, gardening and well-being run from their ‘Secret Garden’, to ‘Knit and Natter’ sessions for residents and friends. Through shared goals of supporting young people to thrive, the hub has seen the Club delivering youth programmes for prestigious organisations such as The Princes Trust and the National Citizens Service.
Given the current cost-of-living crisis, the demand for the Club’s support is ever-expanding. During community outreach, their teams on the ground, work to understand and support communities, provide food and care packages to the homeless and have gifted c.400 bicycles free to community members to assist with their travel needs.
Recognising the challenges to our environment too, The Pythian Club sits on the steering group for the Nottingham Climate Assembly.
The latest in their ‘offerings’ portfolio’, is a new SEND Parent and Carer group, the brainchild of Helen Mathers, SEND support worker at the Club. Helen said, “As a single parent of two neurodiverse children from very opposite ends of the disability spectrum, I have faced many struggles and overcome them with little to no support. With cuts to funding, more so now than ever before, SEND parents and carers need additional support. Being the parent of a SEND child can be a lonely place too, and our coffee morning is an opportunity to provide a safe space for those in similar situations, to come together, make new friends, gain support, and be signposted to relevant services.”
The success of the organisation is multi-faceted. Ben Rosser said, “We’ve come a long way since the days when football was the only activity we provided for young people enabling them to achieve positive pathways to success. Our provision now includes e.g., mentoring, outreach, leadership programmes, employment support, with more exciting projects in the pipeline.
“Through key strategic partnerships with charities and other organisations, the support of sponsors, donors, my wonderful team, and incredible volunteers who offer their time so willingly, we’ve been able to adapt to the needs of those we support.
“I wish to extend my thanks and gratitude to all those, who over the past 10 years, have supported The Pythian Club, you are our lifeline! I am hugely excited for what the next 10 years may bring and feel privileged to serve Nottinghamshire communities.”
Celebrating 10 years of The Pythian Club
Benjamin Rosser, CEO of The Pythian Club
The team, volunteers and young leaders with NET
The Prince’s Trust Active Leaders Programme
Helen Mathers with her children, Libby and Rowan