We're requesting support to help us increase local access to our hub & to help us cover the overheads and utilities costs of our hired space
by Knights of The Vale in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom
If we are able to raise extra funding this would enable the club to take its work to the next level by expanding our offer to reach more widely into our community. We know there is interest and need but we don't have the capacity and resources to be able to cater for the numbers of people who may wish to benefit. We would use the funding to support extra activity materials, resources and overhead costs to welcome even more people into the club and expand our offer further.
Knights of The Vale is a friendly and creative fantasy games and hobby club for the local community, run by its members and volunteers. We're based at The Vale on the edge of Micklehurst Estate in Mossley and we welcome people from across Tameside and beyond to come to enjoy fantasy games, build and paint scale miniatures, meet new friends, and connect with the broader community.
During our weekly activity, we offer a hub for local people from all backgrounds to come together and enjoy a wide variety of games and activities in a warm, welcoming, and supportive environment.
We partake in fantasy games such as Warhammer 40k and Age of Sigmar, and our club is particularly popular with, but not limited to, Games Workshop enthusiasts. We also deliver a calendar of weekend events and activities where people can come together outside of weekly sessions, and we have an online community that helps participants stay connected and engaged outside of our organised activities. If you're into miniatures and games, there's undoubtedly something for you at Knights of The Vale!
“For me, KOTV is a valuable social lifeline. Having a few health issues, I'm not that mobile anymore, which makes getting out and interacting socially challenging. This isn't great for mental well-being and being part of KOTV has really helped me in this. The group has been really welcoming and supportive, helping me get to the night” – KOTV regular participant.
Like many community groups, we have been hit hard by the increasing costs of running our activities. But we're also concerned about the impact this has had on people in our local communities, particularly people on lower incomes, or those who are socially isolated. Indeed, our limited resources cannot cater to the huge interest we have in our club.
For this reason, we are expanding our regular activity so that more community members can come together in a warm, supportive, and welcoming environment. Local residents are welcome to come along for a brew, a game, and a chat and to connect with each other and our friendly volunteer team. We also provide beginners' training and classes in game playing, painting, model making, etc and our community offers peer support and an environment where all are welcomed equally. Together we share and learn new skills, whilst saving money on home energy as well. Our rented space is fully accessible.
“It's not just Monday nights the group has supported me, as throughout the week members have kept in touch and made me really feel like a valued part of the KOTV. If the club had to end I would lose my only regular social interaction with others outside of the home environment” – KOTV regular participant.
The money we raise will be spent on the costs of resources for our activities, to build our capacity so we can welcome new members, and it will be used for promotional materials to ensure that we are reaching as many people as possible. Funding will also vitally cover the overheads and utilities costs of our hired space which are rising significantly due to increased energy costs. With the support of our community, we can continue running accessible, warm, and welcoming events and activities for all!