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The CH Choir gave an epic performance at the Courtyard on Sunday, as part of the Last Choir Standing competition.  We’re pretty convinced we came 3rd, but we’re massively inspired to be part of something so exciting and fun, and performing to a full theatre!

Our mate Cllr Nick said “I want to say the crew were just fantastic and a real credit to CH. I want to congratulate them all for sharing their gifts with us and showing that Close House can be top dollar at just about anything it puts it’s hand to! Congratulations and I look forward to hearing them perform again very soon!

“I had thought the Churches Together in Hereford tent might be rather serious… but then I hadn’t reckoned on the Close House Youth. They brightened up the marquee with their bold artwork, and there was a steady flow of curious visitors to see what Close House was about. However, the young people themselves were their best advertisement as they performed their own musical works. It was just a pity more people could not be squeezed in to see them. Personally, I think they deserved to perform in the main arena.  Members of Close House are indeed EPIC!”

– Audrey Nunn, Churches Together in Hereford

Close House values shone in the sun as local teens, complete with personalised shirts, set up gazebos, manned stalls and decorated the playground in jubilee themed streamers for the annual Blackmarston School Fete on Saturday 26th May.

The school, for children aged between 3 & 11, caters for those with special Educational Needs and places great emphasis on involving the whole family in activities. Close House young volunteers helped create a party atmosphere on the play ground in the morning and assisted with car parking, running the bouncy castle & the skittles competition                   during the afternoon, before getting caught up in the fun with painted faces, strawberries and cream and smiles all round.

There was a real sense of pride felt by everyone; working to our EPIC values outside the youth centre was a great way of promoting our positive ethos and an opportunity to help other in the community. Mrs Williams, a teacher at the school said

“I just had to pass on my admiration for your jolly crew of EPICS. What an amazing bunch of young people! Their enthusiasm and energy as infectious. They interacted amazingly with the children, they were positive and polite. They were amazing”. 

Recently the Young People at Close House helped out at the Here For the College Estate and Old School Lane project. The day was about supporting the local community. The day was brilliant with sports, arts and crafts and an Indian food work shop where everyone was learning how to make samosa’s! Here for the City said that the close house members helped provide a fun atmosphere with their friendly enthusiasm and ideas. 

We are very proud of the impact the Young People made and everyone had a fantastic day. A big thank you to Laura Ding and Ben Lea for getting all our Young People involved and for treating everyone to a Pizza Hut. 

Upcycling workshop is going really well, currently have almost three items ready for sale. Two young people spent time doing up old  bird cages which have already been sold. Spent some time a few weeks ago with Beck from Y.Art learning how to screen print material. We will be using this to print our own fabric for upholstering furniture but also for personalised canvas, bags and t-shirts etc.  

The Thursday afternoon painting workshops have been regularly attended and have flourished. The group now has a strong ‘core’. The different skill-levels promote peer-working and the group are also receptive to guided instruction. We have represented abstract concepts: Interpretations  of Sound; pained some lovely bright canvasses inspired by artists such as Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee, and are currently working on a hoarding board for Wye-hereford project. This is a design within  bull template and our design aims to “put Close House on the map”., focusing on the places within the city that are important to the young people. 

Chris Buts the team member has been giving music lessons to the young people every Wednesday and it is going really well is going really well. It has gained more interest and has seen young people who have never picked up a guitar and now are having lessons. We are currently working on “Basic open chords for beginners”, “Theory for guitar (knowledge for solos)” and “Drum rudiments and bass hand technique”. We are receiving good feedback from the young people. 

At Close House, we believe that young people are EPIC: Energetic, Positive, Informed and Creative.   And we want them to be able to wear their EPIC for all to see.  These wristbands (£2 each from any Close House club) are just the beginning…