STEW: Round Two. Intentionally building community.
- York Together
- Oct 20
- 5 min read
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Summary
Thank you to everyone who joined us at STEW: Round Two at the Bluebird Bakery in Acomb on the 8th of October. This event is the second to be held of it's kind, and the reason for its creation is two-fold. It not only brings together local people who care about the future of our city, but also gives local grassroots groups (that are typically excluded from more traditional funding routes) access to much needed money.
On the night, the audience heard three grassroots pitches, all only 4 minutes long and filled with passion. They voted for their favourite, deciding on which group would receive the majority of a prize pot. This funding was created through ticket sales, and the generosity of those who joined us raised a brilliant £561.
We can now announce that The Mixed Bag Players won the most votes on the night and walked away with the lions share of the funding, £361. A massive well done to them. The Land, Haxby and Over the Rainbow Cafe (both equally worthy causes) will each receive £100 for taking part.
Our thoughts
We had an amazingly supportive crowd on the night. Before the speakers began, attendees sat down to share a hearty stew, get to know one another or catching up with old friends. There was a lovely atmosphere which held throughout the night, right through until it was time to vote for a winner.
Tom and Jay from the Mixed Bag Players said:
"We are buzzing that we won, it was a really good feeling. We could tell that the people in the audience were really listening to what we were saying and from our conversations afterwards we felt that people understood what it is that we want to achieve.
The atmosphere was warm, welcoming and mutually supportive. It didn't feel like we were in competition with the other pitchers and in fact we think that there are opportunities to collaborate which we are going to explore"
The fact STEW has become a warm, supportive and inclusive space is down to intentional design (and the lovely people of York, of course). We had always hoped that it would be an event where new friendships and collaborations could form.
We chose the Bluebird Bakery partly because it's small enough to feel cosy, but also because it includes long communal, banquet style tables which allows for true social dining. Plenty of people ended up sitting down next to strangers and made new connections. We even connected the pitchers together ahead of the event, allowing them to support one another in the run up. They were allocated a dedicated 'pitchers table', so they could encourage each other as they prepared to stand up, and cheer one another on from the sidelines.
As a final touch to make sure we were building connections and that everyone involved walked away from the event feeling good, we gave audience members the opportunity to acknowledge the courage and hard work of each pitcher. They did this by writing down their thoughts ‘Appreciation Cards’. This was a great way of allowing heartfelt compliments to reach pitchers in a non-confrontational way and without putting anyone on the spot. By the end of the night, every grassroots group left with a pile of kind words and well wishes take home.
Get to know our pitchers
All three of our pitchers delivered speeches that could make you both laugh and cry. A massive thank you to Tom and Jay, Vanessa and Lali who got on the stage and shared how they are all striving to make York that bit more just and inclusive.
The Mixed Bag Players
The Mixed Bag Players are a theatre company in York that creates performances by and for people in recovery from addiction or mental ill health. Tom and Jay did a joint pitch alongside their giant, friendly puppet 'Mossy the Mountain Troll'. They captured the audience's hearts with their tale of how they began, their lived experience and how they use theatre to grow community and rebuild confidence. Drama sessions are delivered at the pace of the group and they are planning on more performances next year.
The Land, Haxby
The Land, Haxby is a Community Interest Company that provides support and community for families of children living with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) autism, which can often leave children unable to attend school within the current system. In her pitch, Vanessa told us about her own experience tackling this issue as a mother and how the provision of workshops, craft sessions and events in a natural outdoor setting can support family units as a whole. Time spent at The Land reduces isolation and offers connection for families who are often left out.
Vanessa from The Land, Haxby said:
“All the pitchers were so supportive of one another. The support from them and the connections we made with each other are really powerful and the fact that we got some funding for The Land was just a bonus.”
Over the Rainbow Cafe
Over The Rainbow Café is a community café in the centre of York that acts as a community hub for LGBTQ+ people and allies. Lali from the cafe told us all about the cafes unique position as first port of call for those who are vulnerable, about the various initiatives that have been set up to provide extra, ongoing support, and also about the team’s unexpected role in responding quickly to people in crisis.
Lali from Over the Rainbow Cafe said:
"It felt like the people in the room were sincere, good hearted, and really care about making a difference on the ground. We had conversations on the night with other local groups about how we could help each other, and we've had people pop into the cafe in the days since, who hadn't been before but wanted to check it out after hearing our pitch. It was supportive and empowering, and infused with love and optimism."
Gallery
All photographs were taken by Steven Eric Parker. See more of his work,
Appreciation Cards
Check out just some of the appreciation cards that were written at STEW 2 below...
What's next:
We are hoping to hold more STEW events in 2026. If you or anyone you know would like to take part as a pitcher please email us: hello@yorktogether.org
If you would like to be given early access to tickets to the next STEW event, sign up to our pre-sale list.