At Upton Vale (UV) we want to bring Good News to Torquay. Each year we seek to partner with several local charities who are on the front-line, meeting the needs of our community. Through our partnerships we support them financially, highlight practical needs to our congregation so we can get involved and commit to pray for their work. Here are the local organisations we are supporting this year:

• Acorn Alternative Provision bring hope and a future for struggling children. UV opened a school in February 2022 to provide intensive support for excluded young people and their families.
• 2BReady make a difference, by offering free employment support for those needing to break into work; especially young people or those struggling to re-enter work. To sign up or to find out more information click here.
• Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centred 12 step recovery programme designed to help people address a variety of hurts, hang-ups and habits. Our friends at St Mags church are running the programme. Find out more by ringing their Church Office on 01803 211868.
• Home for Good is dedicated to finding a home for every child who needs one; inspiring people to explore fostering and adoption and equipping churches to understand and support them. Together Church is a Home for Good Partner Church and is working with Torbay Council and local churches to raise awareness and find more homes, due to the high number of children in care in the Bay.
• ICE Torbay works in some of the Bay’s primary schools, aiming to bring faith to life and give every young person the opportunity to explore and understand the Christian faith. Find out more here.
• Ladies Lounge support women who have experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence. They meet twice a week at Upton Vale in a safe space to chat, do craft, share refreshments and find out about organisations which may be able to offer support. They want to see domestic abuse eradicated and are currently making links with Restored, a Christian Charity, to raise awareness. Women can be referred or refer themselves by completing a form. Find out more here.
• LiNX Christian Youth Trust aims to help young people reach their full potential; focussed on, and working in, all of the Bay's secondary schools. Find out more here.
• New Footings Winter Night Shelter provides a warm, safe and welcoming place for the homeless in the coldest winter months. Based at Gerston Christian Centre in Paignton, the shelter welcomes homeless guests from across Torbay. Find out more here.
• Street Pastors is the church in action on the streets. Every Saturday night, all year round, a network of volunteers go onto the streets and work alongside the Police to respond to issues of safety. Their aim is to strengthen community by working for safer streets. Find out more here.
• Torbay Food Alliance is a partnership of local agencies working together to tackle poverty and hunger in the Bay. Members include the Torquay Community Larder, Paignton Community Larder, Riviera Storehouse, St Mags FoodBank and the YUM bus and social supermarket. All are directly supported by the churches of Torbay. Most of these also provide a Baby Bank service where essentials can be sourced. Find out more here.
• Town Centre Chaplaincy is looking to explore new ways of bringing Jesus into Torquay town centre. UV is working with other local churches to grow connections with the town centre and offer friendship and support for businesses, workers, shoppers and visitors.
• Transforming Lives for Good: using trained coaches, TLG’s Early Intervention programme is currently working in three local primary schools, providing one to one coaching for children struggling to cope with day to day life in a school setting. The demand is high and they are always pleased to hear from people who may be interested in becoming a coach. Find out more here.
• Unleashed Theatre Company, based at The Royal Lyceum in Torquay town centre, is open to everyone but particularly welcomes people who have experienced homelessness first hand, are ex-offenders or are in recovery from some form of addiction. Find out more about their Community Drama Group and their Community Choir, or book for their latest production here.