church

ONE spot in the capital dubs itself ‘London’s quirkiest church’ because inside you’ll find a soft play – and a fully stocked bar for the parents.

Inside St James Church in West Hampstead, London, you will find the Sherriff Centre.

Rather unusually, the venue is a blend of different things including a post office, children’s soft play centre, cafe and even a stationery shop.

The soft play area – called Hullabaloo – spans one side of the church and features all you would expect of a soft play centre.

In the section for kids aged between two and 10-years-old, there are three levels featuring two slides, crawl tunnels and hidey holes.

The soft play also has separate sections for babies up to 23 months with a ball pit, puzzles and games and a sensory mirror.

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One person commented on social media: “Wow what a unique soft play!”

Another added: “What a fun idea and a great way to start the weekend.”

There are also SEN sessions available, and the venue is available for private party hire.

The Sanctuary Cafe and Bar serves cake, coffee and even wine.

Even though the venue doesn’t serve more than snacks, it has teamed up with Pizza Bun London in Hampstead for an exclusive offer for visitors heading to the soft play.

The soft play is open each day between 9am and 5pm, with the last booking at 4pm.

But there are Play Late sessions too, where kids can play as parents enjoy a glass of wine at the bar.

The next Play Late session is March 20, followed by April 10 and May 22.

Tickets cost £5.50 for babies or £7.50 for juniors and adults go free.

The centre also runs weekly baby and toddler classes such as Petite Performers, with ballet and dancing.

Sometimes there are Sofar Sounds live music events on at the church too.

Memberships are available for the soft play, with a babies membership costing £15 per month for four sessions.

A Bronze membership then costs £10 a month for two soft play sessions, Silver costs £20 a month for three sessions, a 10 per cent discount at the cafe and early access to book event tickets.

Finally, a Gold membership costing £40 per month, gets you six soft play sessions, a 10 per cent discount at the café, two Sofar Sounds tickets and early access to book event tickets.

The soft play is just a couple of minutes’ walking from West Hampstead underground and train stations.

It isn’t the only church to have something unusual inside…

In Redbridge, London, a swimming pool described as “magical” can be found in an old hospital church.

It is a Virgin Active gym now with a 24-metre pool as well as showers, hot tub and steam room.

For more places to take your kids, a travel expert shares the best free London attractions for kids.

Plus, the English counties with the most free family activities from pony sanctuaries and steam railways to soft plays.

The idyllic Welsh seaside town of Rhos-on-Sea is home to a remarkable landmark – a tiny chapel that holds the title for being the smallest in the British Isles

This picturesque seaside town in Conwy, Wales provides a far more tranquil coastal retreat for those seeking respite by the shore – whilst also being home to a remarkable UK landmark.

Nestled discreetly along a coastal path boasting breathtaking vistas of the Welsh coastline, sits a diminutive chapel in Rhos-on-Sea, so minute that it claims the distinction of being the smallest throughout the entire British Isles.

St Trillo’s Chapel is so compact that it can accommodate merely six worshippers at once, and astonishingly, communion services continue to be held there.

The chapel takes its name from St Trillo, a 6th-century saint who is believed to have constructed his cell on this very site.

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History

When St Trillo established his cell, research indicates it was probably fashioned from timber and wattle, with the possibility that the saint collected and erected a stone barrier to shield it from harsh winds.

However, it was the natural spring within the chapel, furnishing the saint with fresh water, which rendered this location ideal for his dwelling. The well persists to this day, positioned before the altar, and is believed to possess considerable historical significance.

This very spring subsequently provided water for countless baptisms throughout the mediaeval parish of Llandrillo and is regarded as possessing curative properties.

The water is thought to flow westward underneath the floor straight from the well, which ‘carries the blessed soul’ from the altar towards the congregation.

While we have a good understanding of its structure today, there’s no specific date attributed to the chapel due to numerous repairs carried out over the centuries. Despite its diminutive size and stone roof, it retains the essence of the saint’s original space.

Present day

St Trillo’s Chapel is nestled next to Marine Drive, a scenic route that stretches from Colwyn Bay along the tranquil seafront. From the road, the chapel is almost hidden from view, but a small signpost will guide you to its location.

The most convenient place to park would be Trillo Avenue, located on the inland side of Marine Drive. From here, you can stroll back to Marine Drive and make your way towards the chapel. It’s just a few metres north of the junction and is accompanied by a small garden, overlooking the sea.

One visitor shared their experience on TripAdvisor, writing: “Stumbled across this as I was walking along the promenade. It was so cute, and I was surprised to see it was open.

“It was quite cold outside, so it was a relief to get out of the wind. Very peaceful inside with two candles burning, and it was well kept. Useful sign nearby detailing its history.”

Another visitor added: “I have been fascinated with this tiny little chapel ever since I read about it on TripAdvisor. Took ages to find but so worth it.

“I could of sat there for ages as it had a comforting and peaceful atmosphere. It is wonderful that it’s kept open for visitors and so well looked after. The little garden is beautifully kept. A magical place on the beach.”

The beach

Beyond the iconic chapel, visitors find themselves surrounded by the stunning scenery of Rhos-on-Sea Beach. A well-loved promenade for walkers and cyclists curves along the golden sands, dotted with numerous cafes, pubs and other establishments perfect for enjoying refreshments whilst overlooking the ocean.

The beach sits within easy reach of the town centre and forms part of the considerably longer three-mile Colwyn Bay coastline. Boasting sweeping sea vistas, it proves particularly popular with families during the summer months who flock here to sunbathe, paddle in the waves or enjoy various water sports.

One recent visitor described it as a “traditional seaside town”. They wrote: “Lovely traditional seaside resort. Clean beach, plenty of car parking, plenty of little cafes and little ice cream and gift shops, like seaside resorts used to be.”

Bear in mind that whilst parking spaces line the promenade, charges do apply. Additionally, dog walking restrictions are enforced on specific sections of the beach during the period between May and September.

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The administration of United States President Donald Trump has broadened its prosecution of the protesters involved in a church demonstration to 39 people, up from nine.

The demonstration was part of a backlash to Trump’s deadly immigration surge in the midwestern state of Minnesota, but officials have sought to frame the protest as an attack on religious freedom.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the expanded indictment on Friday in a message posted to social media.

“Today, [the Justice Department] unsealed an indictment charging 30 more people who took part in the attack on Cities Church in Minnesota,” Bondi wrote. “At my direction, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day.”

She added a warning to other protesters who might seek to disrupt a religious service.

“YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP,” Bondi said. “If you do so, you cannot hide from us — we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you. This Department of Justice STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith.”

Appealing to Christian voters

Since taking office for a second term, Trump has sought to appeal to Christian conservatives by launching initiatives, for example, to root out anti-Christian bias and prevent alleged acts of Christian persecution, both domestically and in countries like Nigeria.

But critics have accused his administration of attempting to stifle opposition through its prosecution of the Minnesota protest attendees.

Some of those indicted deny even being a part of the January 18 protest. Defendants like former CNN anchor Don Lemon and reporter Georgia Fort say they attended in their capacity as journalists.

Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have publicly questioned whether their prosecution is an attempt to curtail freedom of the press.

The superseding indictment, filed on Thursday, levies two counts against the 39 defendants, accusing them of conspiracy against the right of religious freedom and efforts to injure, intimidate or interfere with the exercise of religious freedom.

“While inside the Church, defendants collectively oppressed, threatened and intimidated the Church’s congregants and pastors by physically occupying the main aisle and rows of chairs near the front of the church,” the indictment reads

It also describes the protesters as “engaging in menacing and threatening behavior” by “chanting and yelling loudly” and obstructing exits.

A magistrate judge on January 22 initially rejected the Justice Department’s attempt to charge nine attendees who were at the protest.

But the department sought a grand jury indictment instead, which was filed on January 29 and made public the next day.

A reaction to Trump’s immigration surge

The protest, dubbed “Operation Pullup”, was conceived as a response to the violent immigration crackdown that had unfolded in Minnesota.

Many of the enforcement efforts centred on the metropolitan area that includes the Twin Cities: St Paul and Minneapolis.

Trump had repeatedly blamed the area’s large Somali American population for a welfare fraud scandal involving government funds for programmes like Medicaid and school lunches.

In December, the Trump administration surged federal immigration agents to the region, nicknaming the effort Operation Metro Surge. At its height, as many as 3,000 agents were in the Minneapolis-St Paul area.

But the effort was plagued by reports of excessive violence towards detainees and protesters alike. Videos circulated of officers breaking the car windows of legal observers, pepper-spraying protesters and beating people.

Officers also engaged in the practice of entering homes forcibly without a judicial warrant, which advocates described as a violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Cases of unlawful arrests were also reported.

But a turning point came on January 7, when an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was caught on camera shooting into the vehicle of 37-year-old mother Renee Good. She died, and her killing sparked nationwide protests.

Operation Pullup took place at Cities Church in St Paul less than two weeks later.

It was intended as a demonstration against the church’s pastor, David Easterwood, who serves as a local official for ICE.

Several protesters have indicated that they are prepared to fight the government’s charges over the incident, citing their First Amendment rights to free speech.

Some also said that they intended to remain vigilant towards government immigration operations, even after Trump administration officials announced Operation Metro Surge was winding down in mid-February.

“This is not the time to be Minnesota Nice,” one protester, civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong, wrote on social media last week. “It’s time for truth, justice, and freedom to prevail.”