By The Open Arms Team
Rotherfed, Citizens Advice Rotherham and District Laser Credit Union and Voluntary Action Rotherham have partnered to develop and deliver a co-ordinated response to support communities.
The project, called Open Arm (now in Year 4) is aimed to deploy Community Development Workers and Advisers to deliver information, advice and guidance ‘one stop shops’ across 5 libraries and 20 wards in Rotherham throughout the year, ending at the end of March 2026. It will also help develop community leaders to offer support to their communities too. Drop-in sessions are free for anyone to attend.
All support delivered will have a strong focus on financial and social inclusion, it will aim to empower communities with a foundation of support and make better use of community assets. The support provided involves a range of issues including, money management, energy advice, cost of living support, digital support and community support.
The Open Arms Sessions delivered in libraries
Drop-in-sessions began in April 2025 across Rotherham libraries as listed below, held on a fortnightly basis from 9.30 am until 3.30 pm:
Mondays: East Herringthorpe – Mowbray Gardens Library
Tuesdays: Wath – Wath Library
Wednesdays: Dinnington – Dinnington Library
Thursdays: Munsbrough – Greasbrough Library
Fridays: Maltby – Maltby Library
Open Arms Sessions delivered in Wards
We are now 5 months into the programme and as well as delivering to the above 5 libraries fortnightly, we have now delivered Open Arms sessions to the following Wards:
Hoober Ward – 7-11 April 2025
Keppel Ward – 22-25 April 2025
Hellaby & Maltby East – 6-9 May 2025
Sitwell – 19-23 May 2025
Rawmarsh West – 2-6 June 2025
Wales – 16-20 June 2025
Boston Castle – 30 June – 4 July 2025
Bramley & Ravenfield – 14-18 July 2025
Rotherham West – 28 July – 1 August 2025
Aughton & Swallownest – 11-15 August 2025
Rawmarsh East – 26-29 August 2025
5 months delivering The Open Arms Project
To date we have welcomed 288 new attendees to the Open Arms Project in libraries and 161 new attendees to the Open Arms Project in Wards in Rotherham, making a total of 449 people. Support has also been provided to individuals who have found the Open Arms Project an asset and returned for assistance.
How the Open Arms Project has developed over the first 5 months of the Year 4 contract
Funding was approved for the project at the very last minute, so as soon as notification was received, Rotherfed made enquiries about securing venues. Initially, we wanted to find out more about the Wards of Rotherham where the Open Arms Project had been requested to deliver to.
So, our first step was to liaise with RMBC Neighbourhood Co-ordinators to identify appropriate venues and enquire as to whether there were any organisations/groups that the neighbourhood would like to see in that Ward, so that we could approach them with a view to inviting them along to the sessions. We have liaised with Neighbourhood Co-ordinators regarding this and continue to interact with the Neighbourhood Co-ordinators and have found their input very helpful.
We have also discussed appropriate venues with Rotherfed staff, who were happy to assist with identifying venues, describing their facilities and assisting with neighbourhoods and identifying what information and assistance would be mostly likely required.
Once the appropriate venues were identified it was necessary to contact them. Whilst for some venues a quick internet search revealed contact details, for others this was not always possible and quite often involved making several phone calls to reach the person in charge of hire of the venue. Some venues had online booking platforms and complex hire agreements that required completion, which all required to be navigated. It was also essential when making enquiries, that consideration be given to the facilities that are required for delivering of the session, such as having access to hot water so drinks can be prepared, wi-fi, parking facilities, a confidential room available when Citizens Advice attend so that any advice can be given privately.
Furthermore, for the children’s activities that have been delivered over the Summer School Holidays, it was necessary to check the facilities were suitable for the various activities taking place and capacities were adhered to when booking.
During the children’s activity weeks, the Open Arms Team at Rotherfed came together to ensure that the delivery of the children’s entertainment went ahead without any issue. Therefore, organising the children’s entertainment, sorting out the paperwork, providing refreshments and ensuring that the entertainment went ahead without issue.
Once venues were secured it was necessary to create flyers and advertise. These flyers were shared amongst partner agencies, social prescribers, with venues, Ward Councillors, Neighbourhood Co-ordinators, schools and generally in the public to promote the services. We have carried out further promotion by attending public places like attending libraries, swimming pools, local businesses, busy Ward areas and schools with handing out leaflets to raise awareness of the Open Arms Project.
April 2025
As venues were secured Rotherfed have created flyers and continued to advertise the sessions. Further work was underway working on future venues in other Wards and compiling contact information of community organisations and/or groups with a view to inviting them to venues.
May 2025
Hellaby & Maltby East Ward at 3 venues: Redwood Community Centre, Hellaby Parish Hall and Bartholomew’s Community Room. During these sessions we were accompanied by organisations; ‘Dying Matters’, Working Winn, Sharon (Energy Project Rotherfed), Clare Moseley the Neighbourhood Co-ordinator and two Police Community Support Officers to enable information to be provided to the community.
Sitwell Ward at 3 venues Herringthorpe URC, Whiston Parish Hall and Broom Methodist Church where we were accompanied by organisations: AGE UK and Sharon (Rotherfed).
June 2025
Rawmarsh West Ward at 4 venues: The High Street Centre, The Steadlands, Salvation Army and St Mary’s Church, Rawmarsh and we were accompanied by organisations; AGE UK, Sharon (Rotherfed)
Wales Ward at 3 venues: Kiveton Park & Wales Village Hall, Kiveton Park Library and Kiveton Park and Wales Community Development Trust where we were accompanied by organisations; Neelam (Rotherfed) and RMBC adult mental health strategy.
July 2025
From April until the middle of July 2025, the Open Arms Sessions ran from Monday to Friday 9.30 am to 3.30 pm with Rotherfed, Laser Credit Union and Citizens Advice in attendance. On Monday, Thursday and Friday a general advisor attended from Citizens Advice and on the other days Tuesday and Wednesday the other projects that the Citizens Advice run attended such as Healthwatch and Digital IT. When a general advisor from the Citizens Advice was at venues, it was necessary to book a confidential room where possible which often dictated the venue.
Boston Castle Ward at 4 venues: Canklow Pavilion, Riverside Library, Tesco’s Community Rooms and the Unity Centre. We were accompanied by organisations; Neelam (Rotherfed), RMBC adult mental health strategy, South Yorkshire Fire Service, AGE UK and Working Winn.
Bramley & Ravenfield Ward at 2 venues: Ravenfield Parish Hall and Bramley Parish Hall where we were accompanied by organisations; Sandra (Rotherfed), RMBC mental health strategy and AGE UK.
Rotherham West Ward at 2 venues: St Paul’s Church and Liberty Church. For the 2 days that we were at St Paul’s Church, Peter from the Church arranged to put on a craft session where children could attend and make wooden coasters and a couple of children attended and were really pleased with their creations. We were accompanied by organisations: John (VAR). For the 3 days we were at Liberty Church, we hosted 5 children’s activities which were very well attended namely, Mr Dan’s Circus Workshop, Daisy’s Animal Friends Session A and B, Mr Dan’s Disco and Patsy’s Fun Show. During these activities we were joined by Beth who carried out face painting and Kelly with her ice cream van. We were accompanied by organisations; Sharon (Rotherfed), Phil (Rotherfed)and David (VAR) and Andy (VAR).
August 2025
Aughton & Swallownest Ward at 2 venues, Swallownest Community Centre and Swallownest Baptist Church. For the 3 days we were at Swallownest Community Centre, we hosted 5 children’s activities which were once again well attended namely Mr Dan’s Circus Workshop, Pasty’s Fun Show, Barney Baloney music, puppets and magic and Jungle Jo’s Exotic Animal Show Session A and Session B. Once again, during these activities we were joined by Beth who carried out face painting and Kelly with her ice cream van. We were accompanied by Sharon (Rotherfed).
Rawmarsh East Ward at 2 venues, Liberty Church Parkgate and Rawmarsh Library. For the days we were at these venues we hosted 4 children’s activities which once again were well attended namely, Trudi Knotrites Cirus Skills, Daisy’s Animal Friends Session A and Session B and Jungle Jo’s Exotic Animal Show.
Over the last 5 months as you can see, we have attended several venues in quite a few Wards within Rotherham which has supported the community and raised awareness of the assistance that is available at libraries every fortnight.
The Open Arms team continue to deliver the services amongst other Wards from September onwards and in the 5 libraries. It is envisaged that during the school holidays, within the duration of the project, whichever Ward we will be delivering the project we aim to organise a family activity which will raise awareness of the project and support the community.