Let's celebrate The Windmill

Food being sorted for the Foodbank

At St Aldhelm's, we truly meet our mission of loving our neighbours! We should all be proud of what Nikki, our interim Community Action Coordinator while Mthr Patricia is unable to work, and her fantastic team of volunteers achieve for people in need.

We were delighted to welcome two wonderful young volunteers from across the Atlantic to help out a month or so ago. They were interns in a London based charity, Attend, with whom we have built a relationship through my sister, who also fundraises for them. We invited them to write something about their experiences and I felt it would be a great thing to share with you, highlighting how lovely it is to volunteer with us.

August's blog:

August helps pick up fresh produce for the Windmill Foodbank

I was sitting at my desk at Attend crafting a social media post when my supervisor came in and asked if I could leave urgently. Off I went, with another intern, Ingrid, to St. Aldhelm’s Church in Edmonton. From the moment we stepped through the doors, we were enveloped by a palpable sense of warmth—not just from the gentle glow of the church’s interior, but from the kind-hearted people who filled it. Leah greeted us with open arms and contagious enthusiasm, making us feel instantly at home. We were offered coffee and homemade cookies from the café, run by students from West Lea and Learning for Life. Beyond the church’s walls, these same students tended to a flourishing garden, where fresh produce was cultivated for the local food bank—a beautiful testament to sustainability and community care.

As we wandered deeper into the heart of the church’s activities, we found ourselves among the lively women of the Tuesday stitching group. Their nimble fingers danced over fabric as they eagerly invited me to join their craft. I picked up my knitting needles, and to my delight, they praised the hat I was working on, their enthusiasm weaving seamlessly into the warmth of the morning.

August knitting and enjoying baked goods from the Windmill Bakery and Cafe

Soon, we met Charlotte, a kind soul who drove us to a nearby church to collect produce and packaged goods for the food bank. Along the way, she transformed the streets of Edmonton into a living tapestry, regaling us with stories and history as the city unfurled before us. The generosity of the community was overwhelming—so many boxes of food were packed into the car that I ended up with limes piled on my lap on the way back.

Once we returned, we got to work alongside Nikki, helping to unpack, sort, and restock the food bank. She guided us through the process, making sure everything was organized properly. As we worked, we came across some of the smallest carrots I had ever seen—tiny but still perfectly good, a reminder that even the smallest contributions can make a difference.

Before we left, I also had the opportunity to put my graphic design skills to use by working on volunteer recruitment posters for the church. They needed more helping hands, and I was glad to contribute in a way that could hopefully bring in more support for their efforts.

My time at St. Aldhelm’s will remain etched in my heart forever. The kindness, dedication, and unwavering generosity of the people I met left an indelible mark on me. In this humble yet extraordinary place, I witnessed the true essence of community—a symphony of compassion, hard work, and selfless giving.

Ingrid's blog

Ingrid and Charlotte having fun with the food they collected!

As a volunteer who is new to London, helping out at St. Aldhelm’s church with their food bank really made my whole experience more meaningful. Though the church itself is beautiful, with its wood and brick accents and blue metalwork doors, the people at the church are where the real beauty is. Everyone I met was kind, positive, and passionate about their community. It was wonderful to be in a place that serves as a cradle to unify different groups within the community, a place that seeks to help anyone in whatever way they need it.

In sociology, there is a term called “third place”. A third place is a space that is not work or home, where communities gather to socialize and spend time, known to be instrumental in fostering a sense of community. Third places have changed throughout the years, with rising costs of living and commercialization, it’s difficult to find a third place that is accessible to all, and free of cost. Not only is St. Aldhelm’s a prime example of an effective third place, but it also runs programs deliberately to help people in the local community, no questions asked. These things make St. Aldhelm’s an invaluable part of the community.

I had the privilege of getting to know:

1. The Windmill Cafe: Through a partnership with the West Lea School, students

run a cafe and edible garden at the church. They serve delicious baked goods

and coffee & tea every Tuesday and Thursday.

Yum yum! Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and a nice cup of tea

2. Windmill Stitchers: A group of people who meet on Tuesdays to stitch and chat. I

was able to chat with some of the stitchers and was blown away by their beautiful

handiwork.

Beautiful embroidered flowers

3. The Windmill Food Bank: I had the opportunity to help out at the foodbank and

meet two of the wonderful people who run it: Nikki and Charlotte. They gather

and organize food to distribute every Thursday. I was able to help out with the

preparation for the Thursday food banks, and had a wonderful experience

working with compassionate and bright people.

On the way to pick up the produce for the Foodbank

As someone who is only in London for a few months, this was an experience that I will take with me as a reminder of the significance of community building and community-based service. I will also remember the lovely people that I had the fortunate opportunity to meet.

Thank you, St. Aldhelm’s!

Ingrid Reginato

Volunteering with us

Aren't these wonderful testaments to who we are as a church? I am really proud of how this has made an impact on two young people who want to do work that will help others in their own communities. I am sure you must feel as inspired as I do by what they've said here about much they enjoyed being at St Aldhelm's.

In early June, we will celebrate our volunteers during the UK-wide Volunteers' Week. Perhaps you might consider joining them, following Christ's example and demonstrating practical love to anyone here in Edmonton who might need some support or even just a bit of company. We welcome everyone with kindness and openheartedness so they can perhaps enjoy some time relaxing, chatting, drinking cups of tea, using wifi or making friends. If you have a couple of hours spare to sit in the church and welcome people into our tranquil church building on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when the Windmill is open, just get in touch with Nikki or Tom.

Notices

Electoral roll 2025 Our new electoral roll is published today. This year we had to re-start the roll, meaning that everyone had to re-apply. Inevitably, not everyone who was on the last roll submitted an application. The rules for joining the electoral roll are strict and quite a few people who did submit an application unfortunately did not meet the criteria so are also not on the electoral roll. As a result our electoral roll is considerably smaller than it was last year. 

We understand that many people who do not attend church regularly nonetheless have a great love for St Aldhelm’s and feel that this is their church – all of these people are an important part of our community and we treasure you all, but sadly, unless you live in the parish, you cannot be on the electoral roll unless you have worshipped here habitually for the last six months. Names can be added to the electoral roll at any point: however, for the purposes of participation in the APCM (see below), the roll displayed today is definitive. 

APCM The APCM is our annual church meeting and it takes place on Sunday 25 May at 12 noon. Notices are displayed inside the church with more information. 

VE Day celebration at All Saints on Sunday afternoon Our neighbours at All Saints have invited us to their celebration of the contribution of Commonwealth citizens to Victory in Europe at the end of the Second World War. There will be events at All Saints all day on Sunday culminating with Evensong at 4pm, with the voices and music of the Commonwealth, attended by the Bishop of Edmonton, the Archdeacon of Hampstead and the Mayor of Enfield.