Building Connection Through Food & Story
Tom MacDonald - Film & Feast
Project Lead
Tom MacDonald, Connect Church
Project Title
Film and Feast
Location
Scunthorpe
Focus Areas
- Connect Church
- Local Authority
- Community Groups
Project Overview
Carol Foster is the Village Hall Advisor at Humber and Wolds Rural Action (HWRA), where she has been leading a series of engagement sessions to help North Lincolnshire’s community venues prepare for Martyn’s Law - the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025.
With many village halls run entirely by volunteers, Carol’s work focuses not just on legislative awareness but on volunteer development and future planning, ensuring these vital spaces are protected and sustained for years to come.
Her sessions, delivered in village halls across the region, aimed to raise awareness of the upcoming legislation while also exploring how local communities can strengthen their volunteer networks and become more resilient and prepared.
“It’s all about being proactive. We don’t want these communities to be caught off guard. We want them ready, not rushing.” – Carol
Project Highlight: Martyn’s Law Awareness Sessions
At the heart of Carol’s engagement programme were her Martyn’s Law awareness sessions, designed for trustees, church reps, volunteers, and local residents who help keep village halls running.
Martyn’s Law is named after Martyn Hett, one of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. The tragedy revealed serious gaps in venue safety, particularly the absence of formal risk assessments. The new law, granted royal assent and expected to come into force within two to three years, will require all events with over 200 attendees to have robust risk assessments and safety protocols in place.
Carol’s sessions gave volunteers early insight into these requirements. While formal training is not yet available (as guidance is still in development), her workshops offered vital pre-emptive education, reducing fear and confusion and helping communities start preparing now.
“It’s about painting a picture of what these spaces mean to a community — the value of giving back, of being part of something.” – Carol
Outcomes and Insights
The sessions provided far more than legal updates - they became spaces for reflection, storytelling, and community-building.
- Raising awareness early meant communities were less likely to panic when the law comes into full effect.
- Volunteers felt seen and valued, with many sharing personal stories about why they choose to support their local halls.
- Village halls were reframed not just as buildings, but as hubs of connection and shared responsibility.
- Skill-sharing and dialogue emerged organically, as attendees discussed their own experiences of volunteering and leadership.
The sessions were a chance to reinforce the idea that being involved in a community space isn’t just a duty - it’s a source of belonging, purpose, and local pride.
Challenges and Learnings
While the initiative sparked great conversations, Carol and the HWRA team identified several ongoing challenges:
Volunteer recruitment: Many current volunteers are older or already involved in the community sector. Reaching younger, working-age volunteers remains difficult.
Perception of roles: Terms like “trustee” can feel intimidating or formal. HWRA is now promoting volunteer opportunities by skills, not titles, making roles feel more accessible.
Employer-Supported Volunteering (ESV): Discussions highlighted the potential for local businesses to encourage volunteering by allowing staff time off to contribute.
Tailored messaging is essential. At one open day, only ten people attended — a reminder that outreach needs to be engaging, clear, and community-specific.
Vision Moving Forward
Carol and HWRA are committed to ensuring village halls are ready for the legal, cultural, and generational shifts ahead. Their goals include:
Continuing early engagement so that volunteers and venue managers are not caught unprepared when Martyn’s Law is fully implemented.
Advocating for formal training once the final guidance is released.
Expanding outreach to build a broader, more diverse network of volunteers.
Embedding long-term support to help communities understand their obligations without becoming overwhelmed.
Carol’s vision is about more than compliance - it’s about sustaining the spirit of these spaces. It’s about ensuring the next generation feels just as connected to their local hall as those who’ve served for decades.
“If we get the support right now, we can make sure these spaces thrive for the next generation.” – Carol
Outcomes and Insights
The Film and Feast format worked. It demonstrated the power of food and film in creating safe, engaging, and meaningful spaces for difficult conversations.
Many attendees reflected that the relaxed, shared format helped open their minds in a way that more formal settings may not have. It made the unfamiliar feel accessible, both in terms of the venue and the people present.
Using the church as the venue also prompted reflection. Attendees commented on the space being open, neutral, and non-judgmental, challenging expectations and reinforcing Tom’s vision for the church as a true community hub.
Above all, the events showed how storytelling and hospitality can break down barriers, build empathy, and reduce stigma.
Challenges and Learnings
As successful as the events were, the team at Connect Church also took away some key learnings:
Timing: Running the events during Ramadan unintentionally excluded some community members. Future planning will account for religious calendars to maximise inclusivity.
Promotion: Tom acknowledged that a more proactive and targeted promotional approach could have helped reach even more people across the community.
Scheduling: Hosting the events in close succession limited reach and engagement. Stretching them out across a longer timeframe could improve accessibility and increase impact.
Vision Moving Forward
For Tom, the Film and Feast events reflect the heart of his mission: to connect people and create spaces where empathy, not judgment, drives the conversation.
He believes these kinds of projects have real potential when aligned with wider community initiatives, particularly those involved in Community Cohesion efforts. The events are part of a broader ambition to position Connect Church not just as a place of worship, but as a welcoming, open, and relevant community space for all.
About Tom
Tom MacDonald’s own story is woven deeply into the community he serves. Born in Germany and raised in Scunthorpe from the age of 11, Tom’s path to ministry began in his teenage years. A faith journey that started with friends soon evolved into a deeper sense of calling - one that saw him defer university to pursue a life of service and leadership.
He now leads Connect Church with a clear sense of responsibility to his hometown, a place many leave - but Tom stayed. In a time where communities are more polarised and support needs are more emotional and systemic than ever before, Tom’s work has shifted from traditional outreach to vital support.
Where once the focus was on attendance or funding, today it’s about helping people survive, reducing isolation, and reconnecting community ties that have frayed.
Find out more: www.weareconnectchurch.co.uk
