Lux Update- Sam Packer
We are a charity that works with young people from across Bath, Peasedown St-John and Timsbury. We have nearly 40 years of experience and specialise in community youth work, mentoring and chaplaincy.
We believe in every young person we interact with no matter what their background, or how they identify. We want to help facilitate hope in young people’s lives by meeting them where they are in life and help them reach their God given potential. We deliver open access youth work, breakfast clubs, 1:1 mentoring, small group work, Motus – a street dance academy
LUX Youth Project – LUX Youth Project providing young people with safe places and someone to talk to
There are 11 of us in the team working a variety of different hours, days and locations. We meet together once month for catch up, prayer and a Biblical reflection of some description as well as training. In January, we had a two day course on Mental Health First Aid. We also have a weekly prayer meeting in the office at Roundhill Hub on Tuesdays from 9.15am which I join in with online. It’s a great way to start the day and find out what everyone’s up to that week.
So, what sorts of things does the team do? We run a schools-based Chaplaincy & Mentoring project. There are paid workers and volunteer mentors who meet young people throughout the day for mentoring. Schools refer children who can be struggling with a range of different issues from anxiety to ADHD and low self-esteem and low school attendance as well as friendships issues. We play games, do craft activities, colouring in & provide the children with a place to be them and do something different during the school day. We currently work in Ralph Allen, St Mark’s, Hayesfield & St Greg’s.
I’ve just finished meeting two boys who filled in feedback forms saying
“Mentoring has helped me get less annoyed and made me calmer”
“It has helped me learn that my best is enough and I have learnt to believe in myself more”
Outside of school, Sam & Freja run Motus Dance Academy in Southdown, they have an Annual Dance Show as well as performing at various other events including the Showcase & AGM and in December at Carols at The Rec. The Dance Show this year is on 11th July at the Roper Theatre in Hayesfield School. It is always really well supported, it was a fabulous event where the children showed off their excellent dancing skills. They call Motus their “family” too and really appreciate the sense of community and belonging it brings.
Nick is based at The Hive in Peasdown doing youth clubs and detached work with new team member Joanna. Similarly, Jane is based in Timsbury & runs a Youth Club there as well as working in the local Primary School & at the Church in Camerton. Libby is our Community Mentor and also works in Peasdown. Lea is the business manager & fundraiser and keep the wheels of admin turning as well as applying for grants. Luke’s the Boss and he keeps us all in check and steers the ship of LUX.
I am still loving my role at St Mark’s Church of England Secondary School as their Chaplain three days a week and am over half way through my fifth year and it’s all good.
Collective Worship is on a Tuesday morning and we celebrate all the Christians themes like Lent, Easter, Advent, Christmas & Pentecost, as well as other topics such as Black and LGBTQ+ History Months, Homelessness, Holocaust Memorial Day, New Years Resolutions & World Book Day. Once the welcome & notices are out of the way, a student lights a candle and reads a prayer to signify the start. Members of SLT take turns as well as me and other outside visitors. We’ve had Major Wise from The Salvation Army, a missionary from Mexico, Cath the local priest & someone from Julian House.
The Church of England’s Flourish project is going well in establishing worshipping communities in Schools across the UK. We have an optional group called The Wednesday Thing where students meet in The Sanctuary on alternate Wednesday mornings & finishing with our usual termly Communion. On the Wednesday morning, we usually get around 20-25 students attending as well as Susannah the new Curate in Larkhall and we unpack the theme of the Collective Worship a bit more, look at different aspects of it, watch a film, talk, read the Bible & pray. We’ve recently looked at Homelessness and how Jesus was homeless. Journeys, looking at the journey the Kings went on and LGBTQ+ History Month.
When we looked at Journeys back in January, I asked the children what their hopes & dreams are for 2026 and anything they’d like prayer for & these were some of the responses:
That I get more progress in spelling
More time at School
Make my dreams come true
To stop being lazy
More time at home
To help me pursue my dreams in the future
To get better at maths & get back my 6am run
To help me work on my body
Our numbers for Communion at the end of term have been somewhere between 17 and 37 this year, which for a School of just over 200 is pretty good. And before half term we welcomed Archdeacon Charlie into School. I try & get a different priest in each time. Ultimately, I am not bothered by numbers I just want the children who come along to know that God loves them and Jesus died for them.
I still run Breakfast Club happens every morning and it’s so good to be able to be able to offer free breakfast for anyone who wants it. We subscribe to Fare Share who deliver food to School once a week & it’s always exciting to see what has been delivered. A few weeks ago, we had a glut of blueberries so I turned them into Blueberry Muffins which the children appreciated.
I meet weekly with four students for Mentoring and continue to see young people who are finding life tough It is always a privilege to share in the lives of the young people & encourage them. Many come from chaotic backgrounds or just have lots going on in their families lives & for some School can be a daunting place and yet some children it’s their safe space. If I can provide them with space to be listened to or somewhere for some down time, I will feel like I have done my job as being the hands and feet of Jesus in the School. I am here for the children, their families and the staff.
I also get the joy of going to other Churches in Larkhall and recently went to St Saviour’s to tell them about my job & the work of Lux. We use the Church for our Easter & Christmas Services and get such a warm friendly welcome from them. In March I’ve been asked to speak at Larkhall URC which LUX partners with by providing staff for their after-school youth club twice a week.
LUX is a charity and are reliant on donations from local churches and individuals as well as grants we receive from Trusts although in recent years, these have been less frequent. We are so very thankful to those who support us, some over many years & I am grateful to you, St Luke’s Church Family for your support and encouragement, it means a lot. If you’re interested in supporting our work financially or prayerfully, please look on our website. And if you fancy a visit to St Mark’s please do ask me & we can arrange a time.
We want the best for the young people we work with and believe in them. We want them to know that God loves & believes in them too. For more details go to our website LUX Youth Project – LUX Youth Project in the City of Bath & like our page on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Sam Packer