A diverse community at the heart of Cardiff
Brilliant Butetown
At one time, over fifty languages were spoken in Butetown. St Mary’s Church continues to thrive as a diverse congregation in the midst of this multicultural community.
Working together with local churches and people of other faiths and none, we aim to strengthen community life and help improve the lives of all who live and visit here, whilst also rejoicing in and showcasing Butetown as an example of what’s possible when we live and work together collaboratively. We’re better together!
Community Campaigns
We are deeply rooted in our community. When we see something wrong, we want to improve it. When we experience something great, we celebrate it!
We work with others to help create a safe space for all, and have been involved in various campaigns such as Citizens Cymru’s Community Jobs Compact, the Real Living Wage and issues associated with drugs and homelessness, to name just a few. We have seen and been part of many successes! Here’s to more to come!
Tiger Bay
Our parish includes the old docklands community of Tiger Bay as well as the new redevelopments of Cardiff Bay and parts of the city centre. As Cardiff grows, we grow with it!
To the east and west are rising the new developments of a growing city but there there are places in the parish of both affluence and poverty, of investment and oversight. We are committed to social cohesion and justice for all, serving the whole of our community and city. The city is moving fast and so are we!
St Mary’s School
Maybe we could be forgiven for saying that St Mary’s Church in Wales Primary School is unique! But we do think it’s rather special!
With a majority of Muslim pupils, we provide a caring, nurturing environment in a Christian context for all children to flourish whatever their religion, culture or colour. We thrive on diversity and friendship, accepting our differences and working together to create a better world! What more could you ask for?!
PROJECTS FOR LIFE
St Mary’s Wild Side
We are blessed with great outdoor space at St Mary’s, and our Wild Side project aims to connect people to nature, working with a variety of people to care for the natural world and receive all the benefits that comes with it!
Croeso Butetown
We are working with Tabernacl chapel in the Hayes, South Wales Islamic Centre, Citzens Cymru and others in our community to welcome, home and support a Syrian Refugee family as part of the Community Sponsorship of Refugees
Seeking Sanctuary
St Mary’s Church is home to Women Seeking Sanctuary Advocacy Group (WSSAG) where women can meet and learn from one another and share experiences with total confidence, whilst making friends and connections. They are an advocacy and research group which works with and for refugee women and their families to enable them to rebuild their lives.
They are committed to campaigning on women’s asylum issues, to promote positive opportunities, social cohesion, build confidence and self-esteem, and to enhance active citizenship. They empower and support women seeking sanctuary in Wales to voice their needs and represent themselves at strategic and policy making levels.
A heart for those who are homeless
St Mary’s Church has, for many years, supported those who work with those are homeless. With the rapid rise in rough sleeping and their more visible presence in our community we wanted to take a more cohesive approach.
Conscious that the problems are complex and difficult, and not always knowing what we can do, we decided to adopt a Homeless Charter to strengthen and enrich our response to those who are homeless whilst also addressing the needs of the whole community. Read this blog post from 2019 to find out more. In 2019, we also hosted a Memorial Service for those who have died homeless in our city, working with Salvation Army, Huggard and Churches Together (in the city centre and the Bay).
Butetown’s Colourful Journey
With colourful animation, the Year 4 pupils of St Mary’s Church in Wales Primary School, share the Colourful journey of our Community
REACHING OUT
Interfaith Friendship
A strong community is built on friendship and understanding and mutual respect. As part of a multi cultural community and city we have valuable friendships with people of all faiths, and work together to address local need and, well, simply to enjoy each others company!
Fighting Poverty
Butetown has the highest rate of child poverty in Cardiff, and there are three homeless hostels nearby. Poverty is never far away. As well as pledging to give away at least 10% of our direct income each year to local and national charities, we also donate food items each week to Cardiff Foodbank and toiletry items to Women Seeking Sanctuary and to some of the homeless agencies in our community.
St Mary the Virgin, Cardiff 