When talking about the value of the arts, the Arts Council said ‘arts and culture illuminate our inner lives and enrich our emotional world.’
When talking about the value of theological reflection The Gospel Coalition said ‘because the knowledge of God (theology) affects every area of life, and because our conception of God shapes our worldview, our values, our commitments, and our affections, and our actions, there is no other area of human understanding that is more impactful in shaping the whole of our minds, and hearts, and lives.’
When talking about community activism Dietrich Bonhoeffer said ‘we are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.’
Imagine the impact if these three powerful spheres could speak, interact and learn from each other. Art, theological reflection and community activism are what we are about at SAW. They help us to articulate, question, enquire, seek truth and challenge injustice, in order to enact positive change in our communities and the world.
We have an opportunity to stand alongside and aid the flourishing of our communities. And we’re delighted to be able to run Painting for Fun, Craft Action Collective, Shieldfield Grows, Mixing Bowl and our exhibition and events programme, as well as providing a hospitable community space and garden where people can connect, reflect, pray and just be.
Finances to fund all of our work and staff time will see a shortfall after August 2022. Your support will give SAW stability to develop the project further, and provide confidence that our work and presence in Shieldfield can flourish and continue.
Can you give to make this possible?
There are two main ways to support us financially:
This is through your own online banking, or by going to your bank or building society in person. If you use this method, SAW will receive 100% of your donation. You could either set up a regular payment or just a one off. You will need to complete this form to receive SAW’s account details. The form includes a Gift Aid declaration section – if you are a UK Income Tax payer we can claim Gift Aid (an extra 25%) on your donation at no extra cost to you or SAW.
Setup a donation online via Stewardship – good for anonymous donations
Using this fundraising page you can set up a monthly or one off donation to SAW. This replaces our previous JustGiving fundraiser. We now use a service provided by Stewardship to process online card payments. As with all card payment processors, this incurs a small fee (currently 3%, but increasing soon to 3.5%) which is taken from your donation. Stewardship’s platform allows you to add Gift Aid to your donation before it is passed on to SAW, and your details can also be kept anonymous if you would prefer this.
Other ways to support SAW:
We also raise funds through our Etsy shop, through Easy Fundraising and by hiring out our building.
–
You can also support us through prayer by subscribing to our mailing list and ticking the box labelled ‘Praying for SAW / Friends of SAW support team’.