Malton and Old Malton

Hendrik & Mavis Klaver

hendrik@omg-malton.org.uk and mavis@omg-malton.org.uk

June 2024 Update

OMG Malton organised their fourth Free Pop-up Shop for Kids last month and this time they welcomed almost 900 visitors in just 5 days.

“We now organise these pop-up shops twice a year as it continues to be such a great expression of the kingdom of God where there is no money involved at all and people share freely and very practical needs are met and nothing gets wasted.”- Hendrik Klaver

We start every day in the Pop Up Shop with a short time of prayer and it has been positive to see how the team of volunteers – some are new to this – value this moment to pause and to offer ourselves and the day to God. Especially during the first few days, there are a lot of donations to sort through and we are grateful to see how people from the community volunteer to help us with this.

This time we were offered the use of a bank building and as people now get to know us it was touching to hear some of the stories of some of the people in our community who are struggling, Our wider offer of activities allows us now to invite people to other activities such as the weekly Parents Space and Family Bible Adventures, where families explore a Bible Story together through a range of activities.

Read more about OMG Malton below.

February 2023 Update

Jennifer and Aimee recently caught up with Hendrik, eager to hear about OMG’s community project that was featured on the local news, attracting a lot of attention on social media…

During the lockdowns, Hendrik and his wife Mavis were particularly worried about the effects of the pandemic on the people in their local community, especially since they hadn’t been working in the community long before lockdown. They were, and continue to be, able to provide a variety of events and resources, attracting those new to faith as well as maintaining involvement for those who aren’t.

They created ‘Bible Adventure Bags’ filled with activities and resources for anyone to go through at home. This was hugely successful – 90 bags were taken home! He and Mavis also planned outdoor gatherings, providing a space for small groups of people to meet and socialise, helping to combat loneliness in their community. These gatherings were so successful that they have continued post-pandemic, attracting a wide variety of age groups.

Last summer, the team at OMG Malton had an idea for a ‘Free Pop-Up Shop for Kids’. They noticed an increased interest by the community in sharing and living more sustainably whilst they were aware that others in the community were struggling financially - compounded by the Cost of Living Crisis.

The Fitzwilliam Estate provided OMG with an empty shop space for one week in November, enabling the shop-like atmosphere and a place to store the donations. The generosity of the community inspired them, as they were inundated with donations until they couldn’t take any more! These donations included children’s clothing, maternity wear, toys, baby care equipment, and books all available to anyone in the community. Ceri, one of their OMG team members, took the lead with organising the shop, and the whole team helped run it.

The shop brought some awareness of the needs in the community and it made Hendrik and Mavis realise how offering a space for practical sharing in the community is a great way to really connect with their local community. Due to the success, Hendrik and the OMG team hope to do two of these every year; one just before the Summer Holidays, and one just before Christmas. The shop was called “such a lifesaver” by many who used it, highlighting the need that OMG identified. They also showed an awareness of the impact the Pop-Up Shop could have had on local businesses, as operating for longer than the five days may have begun to undercut other shops, especially charity shops. However, over these five days, Hendrik estimated that 400 people attended the shop which likely generated some custom for local businesses.

The OMG team expressed reservations around the number of items that people would take, leaving very little for others. They wondered if they would need an item limit. They were pleasantly surprised, however! Nobody took more than they needed, and so many people were desperate to donate money – many were shocked when they were told they didn’t need to pay. This really resonated with Hendrik; it was significant to do something so removed from money, and it reminded him of how things are in the upside down kingdom of Jesus.

We are so excited to see how Hendrik and Mavis continue the work God has called them to do.

Installation service

We live-streamed Hendrik’s installation service on Facebook, you can watch it here.