The creds
What people are saying about Creative English
Creative English Hub in Edinburgh features on Songs of Praise
- News and Media
- Plus Peaced Together
The Peaced Together group at Edinburgh City Mission was featured on BBC1’s Songs of Praise. The church runs Peaced Together with Creative English support materials to make it accessible to new Scots who are developing their English language skills. The Peaced Together programme takes people on a journey from brokenness to hope, helping them come to terms with difficult seasons of their lives and move forward. The partnership between Creative English and Peaced Together has made the programme accessible to those processing their migration experiences. The programme covers a range of topics including peace and courage, explored through a range
Funding Opportunities for churches available via the Cinnamon Network
- News and Media
Creative English and Café Connect are delighted to be Cinnamon Network Recognised Projects. The Cinnamon Network provides support for churches to get started with a new social action project from their list of recognised projects with a micro-grant of £2,000. All their recognised projects have a proven track record of impacting the community. Check their website for more information about areas where funding is currently available and/or to register your interest in future opportunities.
Spectator TV feature Café Connect and the Hong Kong Welcome Programme
- News and Media
- Café Connect
St Barnabas C of E Church in Leeds has been running Café Connect as part of the Hong Kong Welcome Programme since 2022. In an interview with Spectator TV, Rev Dave Ho Young talks about his personal connection to the Hong Kong community, how participants in the initial Café Connect sessions are now part of organising team and the challenges facing Hong Kongers in the UK. Fellow interviewee, Simon Cheng from Hong Kongers in Britain provides some of the wider context.
Migration Yorkshire feature Café Connect in their film on the Hong Kong Welcome Programme
- News and Media
- Café Connect
Migration Yorkshire feature Café Connect in their video on support available in the region as part of the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Hong Kong Welcome programme. See footage from a session and hear from Beverly and Anne on the reasons for the programme and the impact it has.
Church of England feature Café Connect
- News and Media
- Café Connect
The Church of England Diocese of Leeds made a video on how St Barnabas Alwoodley has reached out to the Hong Kong Community through Café Connect. Where the need is confidence in spoken English all the activities can be considered an opportunity to practise English, whether completing a craft or engaging with English language learning content. Rev Dave Ho Young was featured in the Church of England online service on the Third Sunday of Epiphany referring to Café Connect and importance to Christians of hospitality and welcoming the stranger.
Family Learning shortlisted for prestigious award
- News and Media
- For Parent and Child
We are pleased to announce that our Creative English Family Learning (Parent and Child) programme, currently running in Dagenham, has been shortlisted for a British Council ELTons 2016 award for local innovation. This marks the second time that our innovative methods of help local families learn English has been recognised by the British Council in as many years! The ELTons, short for English Language Teaching, are sponsored by Cambridge English and are the only international awards that recognise and celebrate innovation in this field. The Creative English Family Learning programme supports families to overcome the significant barrier that many participants
Barking and Dagenham Post
- News and Media
- Creative English
Creative English is again mentioned in the Barking & Dagenham Post, when local charity Community Resources for Change received £65,000 from BBC Children in Need to run a Creative English Family Learning course of the local community. The article features programme creator, FaithAction’s own Dr Anne Smith PhD.
Creative English in the Guardian
- News and Media
- Creative English
On Tuesday 8th December, Creative English was featured in the Education section of The Guardian. Focusing on the support that the the programme has given to refugees, the article looked at the barriers that are put in placed by a lack of English language.
The Telegraph and Argus
- News and Media
- Creative English
In 2014, Bradford’s Telegraph and Argus reported on a visit made by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon to a Creative English class run by Tresom, as part of a tour of local projects empowering people through language skills. He met with Creative English creator, FaithAction’s Dr. Anne Smith, and spoke with learners at the class. Of the projects, Lord Ahmad said, There are people who have been settled in Britain for decades who can only converse in a few words in English, if at all, and we need to look at that and say, this isn’t about trying to impose anything,
Easton and Lawrence Hill Community Newsletter
- News and Media
- Creative English
The Creative English class run by Easton Jubliee in Bristol was featured in a community newsletter in May. The informal style of learning in this class makes it easy for people to access. Anab Mohamud from Somalia had also lived in the UK for nine years and has previously found it hard to progress in ESOL because of childcare issues. Whislt people are encouraged to come to Creative English each week to get the most out of it, each lesson stands alone so it is ideal for people who drop in and out as they don’t miss anything or have
Barking and Dagenham Post
- News and Media
- Creative English
In October, a reporter from the Barking and Dagenham Post visited the Creative English class at Castle Point in Dagenham, where he also met with programme creator Dr. Anne Smith herself. An article was featured in the 7th October edition, featuring some words from Anne and from a number of learners taking part in the class, including Fahima who attends with her mother, Rokeya: I moved to England when I was one, so I speak English fine – it’s social for me, and I help to teach. But for mum, it’s been great – now she pays bills, goes to