A great story about the Methodist Church in Côte d’Ivoire. Every blessing, Andy Rickell

A prayer for those awaiting exam results. Every blessing, Andy Rickell

CIRENCESTER ASHCROFT WORK & WIFI CLUB

WEEKLY UPDATE - UPDATED AT 4TH AUGUST 2026 (with updated next 6 weeks’ sessions)

(Written whilst home in Stratton, Cirencester)

**NEWSFLASH**

The work club is now the work & wifi club! This is to emphasise that we not only help people seeking work, but also people wanting to improve their access to the internet. At both Cirencester Ashcroft Church and Centre, Ashcroft Road, and at St Lawrence’s Church, Chesterton, Cirencester we now can offer free internet access during our sessions, which you can use with or without support from the club. We have tablets we can help you use, if you don’t have your own device.

The work & wifi club will continue to operate on most

Mondays - 9.00am to 11.00am at St Lawrence’s Church Centre
and
Tuesdays – 12.00pm to 2.00pm at Cirencester Ashcroft Church & Centre
(but not on Bank Holidays).

We are now usually open for confidential one-to-one face-to-face support at these times. We also provide one-to-one phone and online support at these times too.

We also work in partnership with Cirencester Jobcentre to support referred jobseekers who would like some extra assistance.

You can contact me at the usual work & wifi club times by :-
- Face-to-face;
- Email : workclub@ashcroftchurch.org.uk;
- Phone or text : 07951439302;
- Sending a message through the Cirencester Ashcroft Work & Wifi Club Facebook page.

We can then have a chat face-to-face, by phone, by message, or by video link if we can set one up, and I will do my best to help you.

You can also contact me at other times and we will then agree an appointment time to have a proper conversation.

Specific opening times over the next few weeks are below. Later opening times for the period up to the end of JANUARY 2027 are in the Events section (which is itself sometimes in the About section) of the Cirencester Ashcroft Work & Wifi Club and Cirencester Ashcroft Church and Centre Facebook pages. To access those later times, you will now need to be signed in to Facebook yourself, as Facebook recently “upgraded” so that Events data cannot be accessed by internet search alone (at least that seems to be what’s happened). Also Facebook only lets us select a maximum of about 50 future dates for an event at the time it is first published, hence why it appears to stop at a random date.

Monday 10th August 9.00 - 11.00 (AT ST LAWRENCE’S CENTRE)
Tuesday 11th August 12.00 - 2.00 (AT ASHCROFT CENTRE)

Monday 17th August 9.00 - 11.00 (AT ST LAWRENCE’S CENTRE)
Tuesday 18th August 12.00 - 2.00 (CLOSED - VOLUNTEER ON LEAVE)

Monday 24th August 9.00 - 11.00 (AT ST LAWRENCE’S CENTRE)
Tuesday 25th August 12.00 - 2.00 (AT ASHCROFT CENTRE)

Monday 31st August 9.00 - 11.00 (CLOSED - BANK HOLIDAY)
Tuesday 1st September 12.00 - 2.00 (AT ASHCROFT CENTRE)

Monday 7th September 9.00 - 11.00 (CLOSED - VOLUNTEER ON LEAVE)
Tuesday 8th September 12.00 - 2.00 (CLOSED - VOLUNTEER ON LEAVE)

Monday 14th September 9.00 - 11.00 (AT ST LAWRENCE’S CENTRE)
Tuesday 15th September 12.00 - 2.00 (AT ASHCROFT CENTRE)

(For those who are interested, I normally highlight the opening times for the next 4 weeks. However sometimes I increase this when they include a break, in part to make sure that the last week I show is one when we are open. This is to emphasise that any closure is only temporary. The work & wifi club is a key part of Ashcroft’s mission and outreach project until at least August 2029. After that date I intend to continue to run the work & wifi club indefinitely, whether or not part of a larger project.)

Andy Rickell, Cirencester Ashcroft Work & Wifi Club Manager

There was a whole range of possible options for the simplification of local government in Gloucestershire. The chosen option, bringing the services of the 6 district councils into the county council as one unitary authority for the whole county, is an understandable option, keeping the number of local authorities to a minimum. The key issue affecting local people in the county will be that the services provided by local government continue to be delivered effectively, and ideally, better. So we pray that all local people continue to be served well by the new unitary authority, and that their wellbeing is maintained or improved by the change. We pray for all those leaders involved in implementing the reorganisations needed, and those workers who will continue to deliver local public services throughout the changeover. And we pray for us all to be good citizens in supporting the success of our local authority including through democratic opportunities to push for even better public services. Every blessing, Andy Rickell, Circuit Social Justice Officer.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj632xwp7n3o?fbclid=IwZnRzaATeY3RwZG9mBWZkaWQWUL0lnSZmiJc1iR5hDiJBcS-Gspo6z2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzE3Mzg0NzY0MjY3MDM3MAABHpzXGZIh8AalRYgfLJZCEd-lfFWoxL9MeHLu6ohmvaupUB8ERpwLoOM5Z-fn_aem_gHm4A9LWhuV8L-rjDPncHw

Well that is surprising ! Every blessing, Andy Rickell

Unusually, the job being highlighted in this week’s article is based locally in Gloucestershire, in fact in Cirencester. Corporate social responsibility is something that large, high-profile businesses need to emphasise as part of building the attractiveness of their goods, services and work to their potential and existing customers and partners. I believe it’s an important aspect of a business’s impact, so it’s a worthwhile career to consider. If it appeals to you, but you want to discuss it with someone, we at Cirencester Ashcroft Work & Wifi Club would be happy to do so. Our contact details are on the Cirencester Ashcroft Work & Wifi Club Facebook page. Andy Rickell, Cirencester Ashcroft Work & Wifi Club Manager

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zm8rhbk?fbclid=IwZnRzaATc_zpwZG9mBWZkaWQWULyvdxLrgEY1bLwHk68UGeyfyLcQY2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzE3Mzg0NzY0MjY3MDM3MAABHuPcuM-ueKNMpna-2APdkg59ZatEL5p6idEG1j64GkBby7qKbAsQ6wV_2P0a_aem_lJ5A39kta-9i_C3hRLdidQ