The Well
In books of old, ‘the well’ is often at the heart of things. It was literally and symbolically the centre of the community, representing everything that the people needed to endure and thrive. The people gathered, they got what they needed, they went out refreshed.
‘The Well’ is our holistic and practical response to covid-19. We’re using all our resources to serve our community on and around campus in these tough times.
#allwillbewell
Make a Referral
- We are currently open for referrals to The Well from partners at The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, The RNCM and The University of Law and from community-based partners across Hulme.
- We understand that under the current circumstances, some may be unable to seek referral from our partners. If you feel as though you require access to the well, then please fill out our One page online self-referral form using the buttons attached.
- The Well is holistic – we provide food, recipe cards and step-by-step online cookery classes, but alongside this feed the soul with a diverse programme of online Wholeness content and the opportunity to meet with members of the team for real-world connection.
- We are currently open for referrals to The Well from partners at The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, The RNCM and The University of Law and from community-based partners across Hulme.
- We understand that under the current circumstances, some may be unable to seek referral from our partners. If you feel as though you require access to the well, then please fill out our One page online self-referral form using the buttons attached.
- The Well is holistic – we provide food, recipe cards and step-by-step online cookery classes, but alongside this feed the soul with a diverse programme of online Wholeness content and the opportunity to meet with members of the team for real-world connection.
The Well Programme
Food
Our weekly recipes; plus find out more about the food in your Well Pack and where it’s come from.
Cooking
Step-by-step cooking classes, kitchen top-tips and more.
Wholeness Studio Sessions
Build-your-own schedule with our diverse range of classes and reflections.
Podcasts
Switch off from your screen and tune into our short wonderings…
Live
Register and access our live programme content, streamed through Zoom.
How Can I Support The Well?
Join our Community and enjoy access to all our Wholeness Sessions
Our Well is deep, and we love to offer what we have to everyone. Most of our Studio sessions and all of our cookery classes and recipes are available to the wide world, but if you’re not a Manchester student or referred to The Well, we invite you to join our SPH Community to support our work and help make The Well happen.
The Milk & Honeypot
The Milk & Honeypot is our super-cute tiny-takeaway and can be found outside St Peter’s House every morning – stop by for hot drinks and feel-good treats… every penny will go back into making our work happen.
Crowdfunding
Firstly… we’re not shy – just give us your cold, hard cash. It looks like covid-19 is here for a long time (and not for a good time), so let’s make things sustainable. We’re setting up a crowdfunder, so get prepared to dig deep!
The Well Team
Meet the team behind ‘The Well’ at St Peter’s House, chaplaincy to Manchester’s universities.
Hannah Skinner
“Not all of the right decisions are easy decisions…” This has been Hannah’s mantra since deciding not to re-open Milk & Honey, and instead to re-direct the creativity and resources of the team to serving the community in a new way amidst the covid-challenges. Director of development and engagement, Hannah created and is overseeing The Well project – and to earn her keep you’ll also find her popping up throughout our online programme, or working on day-to-day delivery of The Well with the team.
Ben Edson
Working at St Peter’s House we never get to do one role for long…. Ben, who is Director of the organisation, is currently involved in all aspects of The Well. From building the new home of the Milk & Honeypot, to recording bodyscan meditations for our online programme, Ben’s skills have taken him in all directions. Alongside this he’s been ensuring that the building is covid-secure for the team, volunteers and visitors, and re-awakening the building from it’s long lock-down period.
Ben Limb
Ben has been busy un-learning all his Head Chef ways for The Well – dropping his usual kitchen wizardry in favour of learning to ’Think Like A Home Cook’. Collecting food from around Manchester donated by partner charities and organisations (read more [here]), he comes up with simple recipes that anyone could prepare from scratch at home. The magic remains in his ability to make half a tin of chickpeas, a few spices and a couple of humble veg into a delicious and nutritious meal every time.
Chris Collins
Usually behind the counter at Milk & Honey café, Café Manager Chris is currently in chillier climes – he’s spending the season running the Milk & Honeypot outside St Peter’s House. Our tiny take-away is an essential part of The Well work, directing passers-by to the project’s aims and vision whilst raising funds to support the work. Chris also is a crucial part of our volunteer programme, helping to think through our induction and training plans and then working alongside volunteers day-by-day as our community grows.
Tracy Saltsman
Team PA Tracey holds things together in our office, and indeed in our little corner of the world. Whether food needs collecting, databases need compiling, recipe cards need printing or deliveries need chasing… Tracey’s on it. The Well is a complex web at times, and Tracey is the Mama Spider criss-crossing all over it and making sure all the ends are tied up nicely.
James Newman
Brave James began the epic job in September of dragging St Peter’s House digital life into the twenty-first century. Grasping the vision of The Well, pushing this down a million technical tubes and squeezing something shiny and bright out the other end, Digital Comms Officer James is bringing our online world to life. Whether filming in our Wholeness studio, editing videos, website work or social media management – James is always busy connecting and communicating our stories and message.
Selena Tai
As Chaplaincy Assistant to the Mandarin Community, planning events and drawing international students into the wider work of St Peter’s House, Selena helps to make The Well a place of welcome for people from around the world. From working with volunteers to translate our Well Pack recipes for non-English speakers, to planning and welcoming people into our Mandarin Pilates sessions every fortnight, Selena brings a global flavour to the Well.
Amy Davies
A Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga teacher, Amy weaves compassionate awareness of how bodies and minds are feeling into her teaching style. Whether at Live sessions or throughout the build-your-own programme, Amy’s style emphasises developing ease within your own being, gently accepting a deeper sense of embodiment. Her calm and gentle presence radiates from the screen as in reality – bringing a sense of peace to The Well much needed in these turbulent times.
Esmerelda Smit
“The awareness that yoga gives you is one of the best things you can do for yourself”, says Esmerelda, and we’re inclined to agree. It ain’t all bending and lotus positions… yoga has given us the ability during lock-down to ping our minds out of the present and get back into our bodies. Teaching hatha yoga – which means you’ll find a calm and gentle yoga flow style – Esmerelda brings a warm and approachable style to her sessions that is perfect for those just dipping a baby-yogic toe to the more experienced yogi.
Azariah France-Williams
Newly arrived in Manchester, Azariah is Priest at the Church of the Ascension in Hulme and – like many of us –is having to find his feet quickly amidst the challenges of covid-19.
He is a lover of storytelling, one day would love to develop a graphic novels range, and is always exploring ways to communicate about being human and God-stories within public spaces. He brings that exploration to The Well – and his reflections, stories and meditations are full of questions to leave us pondering.
Rachel Morris
Strength from within… that’s a central theme of Pilates – which focusses on those all-important core muscles that hold us both in and up – and that’s what radiates from Rachel in her on-screen sessions. Salford based, Rachel lives with her two little boys and will teach fitness to anyone who lets her. Inclusive and accessible, her relaxed style of teaching makes her sessions for The Well a great place to try out a new Pilates practice.
Fatimah Ashrif
Fatimah contributes podcast reflections to The Well which are perfect for those times when you just need to sink into something deeper. Fatimah is a member of the Mevlevi Sufi Order, and also leads the work of Rumi’s Circle in South Manchester, an inter-spiritual space that shares the words and spiritual practices of the 13th Century Muslim mystic, Rumi. Seeking a spiritual and woman-led approach to faith matters, Fatimah brings fresh perspectives and wonderful words to The Well that will take you to new places.
Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen
You’ll hear Robyn’s voice on some of our short podcasts, sharing her perspectives and wisdom on the world as she sees it. Being the first female Rabbi in Manchester is definitely A Thing, and moreover her podcasts are worth a listen as Robyn is one of the warmest and wisest people with a lot to say about a lot of issues! Her top topics include community building and social justice, but feminism and talking-truth-to-power are also way up there –have a listen.
Craig Winterburn
Craig went to MMU in 1994 to study arts in the community, and has been a practicing community artist and teacher ever since. With more than 20 years of teaching experience, Craig has previously been involved in delivering drumming workshops at many festivals, and to numerous community groups, including those communities at risk of isolation. From drum kit player to guitar and songwriting, harmonicas, African drumming and culture, to gongs. Forty years later, Craig’s still feels like there’s so much more to learn… What’s next?