ANNUAL REPORT PARISH OF EAST HAM • NIGHT SHELTER @ ST BARTHOLOMEW'S CHURCH & CENTRE
1st November 2002 to 31st March 2003
Yes…It is now 10 years since Newham Churches from different denominations first came together through The Renewal Programme in recognition of the need to provide tangible help and support for homeless people in the Borough and neighbouring areas.
It has gone a long way since the early days. In the region of 3,000 + people having come through the doors of the Newham Night Shelters over the years. Some of the Churches have moved on a new ones have joined. In the last year of the life of Night Shelter through ecumenical churches we welcomed the Mayflower Centre, Canning Town, E16 to cover Tuesday nights and St Matthew’s Church, Forest Gate to cover Thursday nights. Logistically over the years over 600 people in one way or another have helped or volunteered with preparation for the annual Night Shelter, on the nights themselves, and a few on Saturday mornings.
LIFESKILLS CENTRE - TOWARDS PERMENANT NIGHT SHELTER:
We saw the inception of the first ever LifeSkills day centre in the Borough - (@ Choral Hall) for homeless people to now the embryo of plans for a long term all-year-round permanent Night Shelter in Newham.
THANK YOU!
At the time of going to press, we acknowledge the additional kind generosity of the following donors who have made grants/donations: -
The Lloyds TSB Foundation for England Bridge House Estates Fund Peabody Community Fund Help The Homeless The Oliver Borthwick Memorial Trust St Botolph Without Bishopsgate Waltham Abbey Churches
As we now cease the 'Night Shelter' provision, it now congers up mixed feelings of gratitude and frustration. ‘Gratitude’ because so many people, including from the Parish Congregation contributions so generously. ‘Frustration’ in that it would be equally nice to acknowledge all the people who ‘give’ by name.
Such are the number of people who donate in one way or another that to attempt to publish all the numbers would take-up the best part of an Annual Report and we do not feel that it would do justice to choose, (even at random), just a few names.
Contributions have come from not just within the Parish but from other neighbour Parishes in the Borough, and as far away as Romford, Waltham Abbey & Burnham-on-Crouch. A number of schools and organisations have also kindly provided goods.
The donations received valuably aid offset the ever increasing costs to provide food and resources for those less fortunate and who we are sure equally value what will be provided again this winter season. Donations of this kind from individuals are treated in a sense, restricted in that these monies will only be used for the direct benefit of the Service Users/Guests, in contrast to the resourcing of the Night Shelter overall.
This, in practical terms will mean a range of things from food, perhaps haircut, or travel to Housing to have a interview for a flat, help with special needs considered appropriate by the Project and so on.
Did you know that it costs almost £350 just to dry-clean the blankets each year, which cost has for a number of years been met by a member of the St Bart’s Congregation.
However, this kind gesture, whilst deeply valued should never be taken for granted. The annual cost of foods and supplies – in 1993 it costs just a few hundred pounds generously covered by members of the Congregations. With inflation and increasing costs this has risen ten years later to between £900-£1,700 per annum alone, excluding operational costs.
During the last three year's of the ten year life of Night Shelter here we underwent upgrading and resourcing of a whole range of equipment and materials which we know predecessors would have liked to have done but were prevented by the lack of funds. Something approaching £16k+ at this Night Shelter alone will be its turnover for the season 2001/02. Much of this will fund capital items, including replacing catering equipment & utensils, liturgical material for our reflection services and much more. The bulk of this funding has already arrived with more potentially pledged. The monies will ostensibly generously come from Charitable Trusts.
The Parish of East Ham • Night Shelter paid for much of its existence – not only for the costs of food etc., but meeting the costs of the resourcing the day care provision at the Choral Hall LifeSkills Centre as part of our partnership with equipment and furnishings; and even the cost of IT equipment to facilitate work. It will pay for all its own cleaning materials, amongst other things. We have again also produced a brochure for donations/Gift Aid; one for recruiting volunteers; and one with invaluable information for Service Users/Guests. Indeed, as part of the prelude to the proposed permenant Night Shelter we donated all of our food, mterails, equaipment, and even make funding available to the Project as part of our on-going tangible support for the work.
A comprehensive handbook for volunteers who help, (which has been something welcomed by all the Churches, although our edition is tailored obviously to our situation), is also issued annually. There is also some small but extremely helpful professional training given to volunteers, e.g. first-aid, drug awareness, Health & Safety – Hygiene in the kitchen, which cost has to be equally born by each Church.
In October 2002 and again in March 2003, in collaboration with Newham Council & ODPM - Homelessness Directorate, we undertook two official census counts of numbers of rough sleepers in the Borough and following this the Housing Department have resolved to include in their future Policy review support for such a permanent Night Shelter in Newham.
The dilemma is that of a suitable premise. One potential location has been identified to meet the need. One other building (a ‘shell’ has also been offered. Timing is absolutely crucial in that as part of the decision to move to a permanent Night Shelter, Churches involved have been told that 2002/03 would be their last year.
It has become increasingly difficult to replace Churches and this could jeopardise the future of Night Shelter, albeit that the closure of those Churches who were still able to help in many ways broke links and networks which was sad and unfortunate and a significant loss to the Project. A decision is imminently needed and any tangible help to achieve this would be valued.
Night Shelter is not simply about bringing homeless people off the streets, feeding, bed them down and then sending them back onto the streets, until the next night. This season there are seven Churches covering the 7 nights a week from the 1st November 2002 to the 31st March 2003 – (20 weeks of the winter season). We close during Xmas week where the Service Users/Guests are all invited to attend Crisis at Xmas®:-
Mondays, St Fidelis, Canning Town; Tuesdays – The Mayflower Centre, Caning Town; Wednesdays – Emmanuel Church, Forest Gate; & Thursdays – St Matthew’s Church, C/o Emmanual Church, Forest Gate; Fridays - Parish of East Ham @ St Bart’s, East Ham; Saturdays – Woodgrange Baptist Church, Forest Gate; Sundays – YMCA • St Mark’s Church, Beckton.
The homeless, (‘Service Users/Guests’ as they are collectively called), come in, register & are warmly welcomed at about 8.00 pm; first have some refreshment, tea, coffee, squash; are then fed a freshly made three course meal, (with emphasis of the ingredients having nourishment). They then can sit to talk, simply sit in quiet, watch TV or video (at some locations), read a paper, or for some just sleep. A simple breakfast is provided in the morning and the Guests leave between 7-8.00 am. All Service Users/Guests are encouraged to sleep from 11.00 pm.
Downloads:
Parish of East Ham • Night Shelter Annual Report 2002-03 - [In Word .doc format]:
Parish of East Ham Night Shelter Brochure & Donation/Gift Aid Form – [In Acrobat .pdf format]:
NOTE: Simply click on the web address or highlight/copy and paste the above hyperlinks to web address browser and click return. The file will automatically download. Dependant upon the Server/ISP used it will take some little while to download owing to the size of the above data file(s).
