Open Gardens is an annual event in the ‘Avenues’ area of Hull, where residents open their gardens to the public and raise money for local charities Dove House Hospice and Rooted in Hull.
St Ninian’s and St Andrew’s URC is open on both afternoons, hosting music and dancing on the Church lawn and selling cream teas to grateful visitors who have been tramping around the streets admiring gardens.
Another big part of SNSA’s involvement is the ‘People’s Art Gallery’, a display of works by local artists in the church. This year the display included paintings by local trawlermen which had been donated to The Fishermen’s Mission. The fishing industry is a large part of the history of Hull, which was once the largest fishing port in the world, and the Fishermen’s Mission still support ex-trawlermen and their families today as well as those still involved in the industry.
Hundreds of visitors enjoyed the art work and cream teas, and the Church enjoys being able to welcome people into its building and increase its links to the local community. SNSA is also looking forward this year to welcoming a new minister who will join the Hull URC Team Churches.