As a thriving community of faith, sport and religion, the Raithby Methodist church held an unprecedented service incorporating local girls’ and boys’ brigades as well as players the Raithby Universals Rugby Football Club on Sunday (5 May). The community, like so many others that are battle-scarred, has expressed an immense need for togetherness, or bymekaarkom. For the past year this is what the local rugby club, under the leadership of Trevor Herman, has vowed to do – create an environment in which all people, young and old, are welcome at places such as the sports field and church. The club’s cohesion has rendered exceptional talent and pledged to continue to raise the bar to nurture youths and lead by faith so they can grow. So too the town’s brigade, led by Deon Hendricks and Colleen Stevens, has undertaken to allow talented young musicians to grow in the music sphere. The initiative, which sees the community build on the foundations already set, is also supported by local ward councillor Patricia Crawley.