Sonia Holdsworth is a passionate community developer, with a talent for innovation and a penchant for great coffee. Sonia has an impressive track record of community development work and is responsible for launching several social enterprises, as well as a charity.

Sonia’s most recent project, The Old Chapel Café & Activity Space, recently celebrated its first birthday. Based in Saltney, Flintshire, the Old Chapel building had fallen into dis-repair, until it was purchased in 2017. Sonia’s vision was to create a community space where everyone could contribute to a healthy, happy community and make a positive difference to society, by using their current skills and developing new ones. Through this, local people could experience a greater sense of ownership and belonging in their community. Fast forward to today and the building is now a bustling community space, with seriously good coffee. Of course, there’s more to the café than just coffee and cake; the centre has a busy timetable of activities including crafting, music making, an IT clinic, toddler group, sing-along and creative writing sessions and an ideas clinic; there really is something for everyone. The venue has space available to hire and people looking to start a new group, or business, can initially do so at a discounted rate.

Inspired by a visit to the dentist

Perhaps not a typical heading you’d expect to read, but inspiration can take root everywhere, even it seems in root canals (pardon the pun). Having had a procedure at the dentist made more manageable by the kindness and care shown to her, Sonia wanted to express her gratitude. Through this experience, the idea of Acts came about.

Acts is a charity which raises money to encourage and carry out acts of kindness, to build happier communities. Acts aim to encourage people to think of kind things that they can do, and then support them to put that kindness into action. These kindnesses can be shown in many ways, not just with money, but with thought, time, effort and skills. The underlying belief is that kindness, like a stone dropped into water, can ripple outwards.

Acts works with both individuals and organisations, running challenges and workshops to promote kindness in schools, hospitals and other organisations. Individuals can apply for help with any acts of kindness they’ve thought of, through the charity’s website (see link below).

Developing and supporting community is at the heart of Sonia’s work as she brings people together through kindness (and coffee), enabling them to recognise their ability to take action and do good things in the world. Sonia’s work is not only heart-warming and inspiring, it’s also humbling. Modelling an ‘I’m OK, you’re OK’ ethos, Sonia shows us the power of connection and the great things which can be achieved by working together.

Learn more about the Old Chapel Café here: https://oldchapelcafe.com/

Learn more about Acts here: https://www.actsonline.uk/

The ‘I’m OK, you’re OK’ Award is intended as a way of raising awareness of the OK Corral, whilst recognising and acknowledging the many good things people are creating in the world. If you have a story about a person, group of people, organisation, concept, policy, system etc which exists in an ‘I’m OK, you’re OK’ way, please share it by clicking the nominate button below.