Newsflash!
Soul in the City - Wimbledon is now recruiting for volunteers for Summer 2008. Please visit the Sign Up page for more details.

In the beginning...
Soul in the City - Wimbledon is the offspring of SOULINTHECITY London (SITC).

The past
In the summer of 2004, SITC hit London! More than 770
churches got involved, helped by some 10,000 young Christians from across the UK. With the support of charity groups, local councils and the Met police, the volunteers ran more than 420 projects with and for communities inside the M25. From painting over graffiti, to picking up litter, to mass water fights and sports events, the young people got their hands dirty, built relationships and practically demonstrated God's love to the capital's multi-cultural communities.

In Wimbledon, local churches and over 50 volunteers put on theatre shows, free face painting, hair braiding and giveaways in the town centre, and ran a roaming sports teams and a football tournament on the High Path Estate in South Wimbledon.

And it didn't stop there. The week was such a success, the churches in Wimbledon did it all again in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Activities were focused on the High Path estate in South Wimbledon, when families from the estate got involved in fun-days, sports tournaments, a film workshop and a drop-in café. In 2007 volunteers also did a make over on a communal garden area.

The present
SitC - Wimbledon enjoyed its fourth year in the summer of 2007 with similar activities focused on the High Path estate. The summer saw 11 churches from across the Wimbledon area, contribute in some way to SitC – Wimbledon.
The Project continues to be funded purely on donations and grants from Merton Youth Services, Merton Housing Services, the Police and local churches, and plans are already being drawn up for 2008!

Merton Council's Glenn Burnell said of SitC-Wimbledon 2006: 'This project has been an excellent way of involving residents. I hope this becomes a regular annual event that goes from strength to strength.'

SitC - Wimbledon aims to demonstrate God’s love through words and actions, with volunteers living out and displaying their faith within the local community. It increases community and provides relevant activities for families and young people, providing somewhere safe for them to be.

SitC - Wimbledon has led to improved relationships between SitC, the police, Merton Council, local churches and the families living on the High Path estate. Local young people are enjoying getting involved in the activities put on for them and the estate is a more pleasant place to live thanks to the cleaning of the estate and painting of the tower blocks. There is a greater sense of community, and volunteers have gained a positive experience in serving the local community. When residents have joined in this has also provided them with opportunities to serve their neighbours in a practical and fun way.

As well as the summer fun, there are other events that run all year. Every Thursday, volunteers from local churches head down to the estate for a game of football with the estate's England players of the future. Then every Tuesday, Fusion a weekly Urban Saints (formerly Crusaders) youth group takes place.

Wimbledon MP, Stephen Hammond says: The amount of work undertaken by churches and volunteers in Wimbledon on a weekly basis is tremendous and should be greatly encouraged.'

The future
The football and Fusion are continuing. Plans are being arranged for a variety of workshops for Fusion during 2008... And of course, SITC - Wimbledon 2008!