Bringing People Together '23

Bringing People Together (BPT) was a National Lottery funded project, to help keep people connected during the COVID19 Lockdown period, through online groups. It was offered as an alternative to Places of Welcome, for those with digital access and for other groups. The 5 P’s did not apply to BPT groups, so they could be based around interests or activities, or other demographics.

24 groups signed up to become BPT groups and received small amounts of funding to cover the initial cost of Zoom subscriptions and similar. Training and advice was given to support groups in hosting their BPT.

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How are these groups different to Places of Welcome?

Bringing People Together (BPT) is a network designed to ‘connect people to others from the comfort of their own home’.

Inspired and influenced by our learning from Places of Welcome, BPT uses telephone and online platforms to enable people to connect safely with others in their neighbourhood and form lasting friendships.

Our aim is for BPT to become a network of local groups, offering a safe place for friendships, laughter and encouragement, all from the comfort and safety of your own home!

• BPT groups are connected to a host organisation serving the community.

• BPT groups all share the same principles: invitation, welcome and mutual respect

Covid 19 has changed the way that we interact with others and build community.

Bringing People Together is an alternative and innovative way of getting people together. Many of us are feeling more isolated or lonely and are looking for safe ways to get to know people in our community. Many of us can’t or don’t feel ready to leave our own home. We want to make a real difference to people who are living alone or vulnerable in other ways.


BPT RGB Logo

Attending a Bringing People Together group means being part of a community, which we know can have positive impacts on your physical and mental health and your wellbeing, including improving confidence and happiness.

BPT videos can be found here at Transforming Communities Together - YouTube by searching Bringing People Together

Following the easing of restrictions, many groups returned to meeting together and numbers of BPT groups naturally dwindled. BPT groups are not actively being recruited, as sadly there is no longer funding to support them and also the landscape has changed, with more people now meeting physically again. However, all BPT groups were asked if they wanted to be included in Places of Welcome communications and where they said ‘yes’ these groups were added to mailing lists for continued support and maintaining the links.

Want to find a BPT Group near you?

Why not join one of our groups in the Black Country, Dudley, Lichfield, Shropshire, Tamworth, West Bromwich or Wolverhampton?

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Black Country

1) SNJ Chat & Chai BPT Group

SNJ Chat & Chai BPT group is open to all. It has recently expanded to offer a Bringing People Together Group on four days of the week! SNJ Chat & Chai BPT groups are open to all.

  • Monday: 8 – 9 pm
  • Tuesday: 8 - 9pm (Bollywood dance / Exercise)
  • Wednesday: 6 - 7pm (Knitters and Natters)
  • Thursday: 8 - 9pm (Hindi / Punjabi) and 8 - 9pm (Let’s Get Men Talking)

For more info: ring 0782 389 1071 or email: snjtrust@gmail.com

The Partner Organisation for this BPT group is SNJ Charitable Trust

Dudley

Dudley

1) Dudley Carers Forum BPT Group

Dudley Carers Forum supporting unpaid carers, ex carers and disabled people since 1998. Welcomes new members to our peer led group.

Tamworth

Tamworth

1) Shoebox Tamworth BPT Group

Shoebox Theatre c.i.c. are start to meet up again with in-person groups from October 12th. Thanks to Community Together c.i.c, they will meet at the Community Hub in Tamworth Castle Grounds. For more details email mail@shoeboxtheatre.co.uk or see www.shoeboxtheatre.co.uk

The online play reading group will continue to meet but will move from weekly to the 4th Tuesday of the month, beginning on October 26th at 2pm and finishing between 4.30 and 5pm. Let us know if you want to join this group so we can send you the Zoom meeting link - mail@shoeboxtheatre.co.uk

The Partner Organisation for this BPT group is Shoebox Theatre CIC

West Brom

West Bromwich

1) Kaleidoscope Plus BPT Group

Kaleidoscope Plus Group, BPT is a welcoming group, connecting with people around you, with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Building connections to support and enrich your day through conversation, laughter and much more.

Thursdays, 1:30pm to 2:30pm via Zoom

2) 291 Creative Hub BPT Group will be starting on Thursday 11th March 2021

291 Creative Hub is for People in Sandwell giving access to creative activities, advice sessions and healthy lifestyle information. This is a collaborative project funded by the National Lottery and Heart of England to help over 50's socialise via Walking Football, Exercise to Music, Art, Crafts, and IT. Group details can be found on our Facebook page, you can also find us on Twitter, and Instagram.

Exercise Class - Our qualified fitness instructor runs gentle exercise sessions via Zoom:

Tuesdays, at 12 noon

To join in, click on this link and use the meeting ID: 856 8785 6807 and Passcode: 291702

Thursdays, 1.00pm until 2.00pm via Zoom

To join in, click on this link and use the meeting ID: 846 9898 5764 and Passcode: 542691

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Wolverhampton Market

Wolverhampton

1) Open Space Pennfields & Merridale and Whitmore Reans BPT Group

Mondays, 11:00am to 12 noon via Zoom

  • To join in, click on this link and use the meeting ID: 846 2674 9620 and the password 008252
  • Phone in via

    0203 901 7895 and use the meeting ID: 846 2674 9620 and the password 008252

    Need help to join? Phone Rev’d Helen Baiby on

  • 07590 365 250

  • Fridays, 11:00am to 12 noon via Zoom

  • To join in, click on this link and use the meeting ID: 846 2674 9620 and the password 008252
  • Phone in via

    0203 901 7895 and use the meeting ID: 846 2674 9620 and the password 008252

    Need help to join? Phone Rev’d Helen Baiby on 07590 365 250

The Partner Organisation for this BPT group is St Chad and St Marks Church

2) Emmaus LGBT+ Asylum Seeker & Refugee Support BPT Group

  • Thursday's Fortnightly; 2:00pm - 3:00pm via Zoom
  • To join in, call Festus Osuji on

    07902 473 521 to ask for a Zoom link.

The Partner Organisation for this BPT group is St Chad and St Marks Church

3) LGBT+ Sparkle Wolverhampton BPT Group

LGBT+ Sparkle BPT group is an LGBT+ group, where everyone is welcome. We have speakers and do activities, as well as just chatting

The Partner Organisation for this BPT group is Health Watch Wolverhampton

4) Revive Women’s Wolverhampton BPT Group

This womens group is run by Jaikara CIC.

The Partner Organisation for this BPT group is All Saints Action Network

Call and Data Costs:

All BPT groups are FREE to join but if you join via a landline or mobile your phone company may charge you.

Costs – phone calls

03 numbers are the same as 01 or 02 numbers. They are national rate numbers. You may these free if you have a bundle of minutes as part of your package.

Using a mobile might be cheaper than landline. Please see the Ofcom website for more details.

Costs - data

Online meetings can use a lot of data - at least 635mb!

This could be very expensive if you don’t have data included in your package

Here are some tips to reduce data and bandwidth use and reduce the cost

  1. Leave video off when you don't need it.
  2. Turn off HD video.
  3. When you do screen share, only share as long as absolutely necessary.
  4. Mute your audio when not speaking.
  5. https://it.cornell.edu/zoom-zo...

Want more...?

There are lots of BPT videos that can be found on Transforming Communities Together - YouTube Channel by searching Bringing People Together. Simply click on the link below!

More Videos