This one day extravaganza was organised as part of the ESRC Social Science festival. It brought together diverse elements of the Swansea Community to showcase the many wonderful people and talents that make up our friends, neighbours, and local community. Community is taken at its broadest and most inclusive sense – the Swansea Community, local area communities, ethnic communities, LGBT communities, school communities, hobby and craft communities – everyone was welcome to be part of this day.

Whilst the day was fun packed, it had a more serious aim; at a time when people are becoming increasingly isolated and lonely, the day offered not only an opportunity to engage with different people, but present options for joining new groups and getting involved with different activities. Lots of organisations were present to recruit new members or offer taster activities.

There were a number of community projects leading up to the day, one of these was a “helping hands” arts project where people were asked for a handprint on a piece of fabric – an outline of a hand, a stitched outline, a painted handprint, an outline on pretty fabric – as elaborate or simple as you wish. These were collected and stitched for a striking display on the day. Schools and community groups were invited to work on community themed projects for display on the day.

On the day including workshops on circus skills, calligraphy, origami, fabric flower making. Plus food from around the world and local organisations holding information stalls. The choir from St Joseph’s School really made the event with their amazing song about home. Over 300 people attended and feedback was great!

Partners included: Waterfront Museum, Circus Eruption, Volcano Theatre, EYST, Festival of Stitch, Chinese in Wales, Unity in Diversity, African Community Centre, Wales on World Film Festival, Swansea Women’s Asylum and Refugee Group, Swansea Asylum Seekers Support, Better Welcome, UWTSD, and others.