CRCW – Adella Pritchard

Swansea is Wales’ second largest city with a population circa 247,000 (2019). The Region is a post-industrial area, previously dominated by coal mining, copper, steel and other metal-based industries. Parts of the region are blighted by social issues, which in part can be blamed on its diminished industrial past. In December 2014, Sands Cymru stated that more people in Swansea than anywhere else in Wales have issues with alcohol, illegal drugs and so-called legal highs, which are stronger and more addictive than ever. Swansea also has asylum seeker and refugee communities, who need help and support. Sometimes these are the “forgotten people”. However, in this respect, Swansea was awarded “City of Sanctuary” status in May 2014.

Levels of loneliness and isolation are high in Swansea and the surrounding areas, and the lack of public transport outside the city exacerbates this. The changing nature of communities in the Swansea Region of Churches has a big impact where, in the past,
close-knit communities were part of people’s support network. 

The Swansea Region of Churches is formed of a number of churches including URC and Methodist LEPs. The CRCW project was firmly established with the arrival of Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) Rosie Buxton, who joined the team back in 2011 and successfully saw the project through its first 5-year term. After Rosie's departure, CRCW; Adella Pritchard received the call to Swansea Region and was inducted at a service in September 2019.

Work aims and objectives for the next 5 years:

• Identify the needs, opportunities, rights and responsibilities of such communities.
  Plan, organise and take action.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the actions in ways that would challenge oppression and tackle inequalities.

Adella will be involved in capacity building in the region, which include:

    • The continuation of the work done alongside Unity in Diversity (Asylum Seeker & Refugee Charity) with the development of new        dimensions to its work with women, and family work. In 2020 Adella has become the Chair of Trustees of UiD as the charity’s            work has grown and changed to meet the needs of its community members affected by the knock-on effects of the pandemic.            Adella set up a Clothing Bank at one of the churches to allow clothing to still be distributed to the asylum seeker families and              single people. This project has been a catalyst for further development work to take place between this church’s members and          the asylum seeker community.

    • Coordinating work with outside agencies and groups and the local churches. In 2020 Adella has deepened the working                      relationship between Christ Well URC and key activists in the local community and has furthered the partnership arrangement          the church has with the local authority Elderly Day Care Centre.

    • Reacting to and co-ordinating requests for community activities.

      The existence of the pandemic has shaped differently the progress of this project at two of the churches.

Read an article about the Swansea Region project, here (written by Roo Stewart): Swansea churches doing justice, loving mercy, walking humbly.