StreetWise The magazine for supporters of
Summer 2020
“It’s such a pleasure to be able to support a service that supported me in the past, thank you!”
Contents 1 News in brief 2 Q&A with Sally from East Bristol Foodbank
10 I’m no longer a slave to sin – a reflection on addiction and freedom.
4 Volunteer stories
14 Support for women continues
5 The Wild Goose during covid-19
16 Fundraising
7 Sprucing the Goose update
18 Regular giving
Editorial Only a few days after you read the Spring edition of Streetwise, we were all plunged into lockdown, unable to leave our homes, except to get food, medicine and one hour of exercise. Rainbows soon sprung up everywhere as a symbol of joy and hope, to bring a smile to passers-by on their daily walk. I am blessed to have a garden but am keenly aware that many of our clients and people ‘on our patch,’ who live in the high-rise flats in St Judes, Easton, Lawrence Hill and Barton Hill, don’t have that luxury. If anything, the
covid-19 pandemic has made the disparities in our society, which have always been there, more obvious – these can no longer be ignored. Despite the challenges of social distancing, you can read in this edition how we have adapted and remain on the frontline, serving the increasing numbers of people who need emergency food parcels in East and South Bristol, serving food to homeless people at the Wild Goose pop-up, and providing one to one support via phone and zoom for vulnerable women and those in addiction recovery. We are determined to be there for those who need us most. Sarah Luckwell Editor
About us We are a Christian charity that has been working in Bristol for 35 years. We are there for those who need us most; those who are the most vulnerable and marginalised in society. As well as alleviating people’s emergency crises, our aim is to help people achieve healthy and independent lives. We offer food, shelter, hope and support through our four projects: The Wild Goose Drop-in Centre, Spring of Hope Women’s Night Shelter, Life Recovery and East Bristol Foodbank.
Contact us 32 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0QY T. 0117 330 1230 admin@inhope.uk www.inhope.uk Company No. 2214814 Registered Charity No. 298528
News in brief engaged with, and an online network for homelessness agencies to learn from each other’s experiences and share emerging practice. If you would like to find out more, they have shared resources here: homeless.org.uk/covid19-homelessness
Thank you! We have been blown away by the support we’ve received during the covid-19 pandemic. Not only have our regular volunteers (if they were able) continued to serve vulnerable people in the Wild Goose pop-up and East Bristol Foodbank, we’ve had amazing messages of encouragement, prayers and support from volunteers and supporters who have been in lockdown, longing to be with us physically, but definitely with us in spirit. We’ve received emergency monetary gifts, that enabled us to buy PPE, hand sanitiser and food for the foodbank, all of which have been vital. We’ve also had additional people sign up to volunteer, and there has been an increase in support from the community, such as Bristol Rovers Community Trust. A simple thank you doesn’t seem enough but know that it comes from our hearts.
The Bristol situation Bristol City Council and their commissioned homelessness service provider, St Mungo’s, have been working hard to provide hundreds of spaces in hotels for those who have been sleeping rough. This clearly indicates that the official rough sleeper count taken on one night in November (98), is much lower than the reality, and is predicted to worsen because of the economic impacts of covid-19. Most of the hotel rooms have been taken (280 in total) but there are people still sleeping rough. People in hotels have complex needs (mental health problems, addictions, domestic abuse sufferers) and have found it incredibly challenging to be alone for long periods of time. Some have been evicted due to aggressive behaviour. It has not been simple. We hope that this situation will galvanise those in power to end rough sleeping for good and look for sustainable, creative and achievable solutions to the lack of affordable housing in Bristol.
Homeless Link Homeless Link is a national charity whose vision is for a country free from homelessness, where everyone has a place to call home. During covid-19, they have been hosting weekly webinars, which several of us have 1
St a BaM ptisrk’s t
EAST BRISTOL FOODBANK Sally is one of the deputy managers of East Bristol Foodbank. I caught up with her to find out what’s been happening during the covid-19 crisis. Hi Sally. It’s been great to have you back with us since you returned from maternity leave. How long have you been back now?
time but suddenly we now have no childcare! It’s been nice being able to spend more time together as a family though, and we’re very fortunate that we live right by some woods, so this is where we take our daily walks.
I returned in January, so by the time you read this I will have been back for 6 months.
Before the crisis started, you were involved in conversations about setting up some new foodbanks in South Bristol. Can you tell us about that, and what is happening with the plans?
I don’t suppose you imagined that within two months of returning to work that the coronavirus would hit! How has family life been for you in lockdown?
South Bristol is covered by a number of independent food projects and they’ve been trying for a while to link up and be more coordinated. We offered to help with this and so pre-lockdown I was meeting with them most weeks; to get to know the volunteers, see how they operated and whether they wanted to join us to become South and East Bristol Foodbank.
No, I assumed I’d just get stuck in with the same things I’d been doing before! I started planning cooking courses again and looking at working more closely with the independent foodbanks in South Bristol. But then suddenly it all changed! Family life has been challenging at times. I’m still at work and my husband is studying full
There was also a church who were looking at setting up a new outlet with us. This church has now opened a temporary emergency delivery centre. We’re still in touch with the other food services and are helping them source food now that donations in supermarkets have decreased, but the other plans have been put on hold at the moment.
donate food and money. They also pray and support us. If there’s been a hard situation or if something’s gone wrong, they’re always there to support us. Our volunteer teams are much larger now and each volunteer goes above and beyond for our clients. They also love to hear client stories (with permission).”
What has been happening at East Bristol Foodbank since the crisis started?
What has been the most challenging thing you’ve seen or experienced during the crisis?
Within a week of lockdown starting our referral numbers had doubled, and at one point we were helping three times as many people as we had done previously. We’ve now moved to a delivery service, delivering emergency food parcels to people’s doorsteps. Kingswood Community Transport and a team of furloughed British Gas engineers have been helping us deliver. They’ve been great and it’s an example of the community spirit and togetherness that’s been sparked by the crisis.
The second week of lockdown was rather hectic! We were desperately trying to catch up with the changes in circumstances, getting hundreds of emails and phone calls each day from referrers and desperate people trying to find out how and where they could get food. By the end of the week we were completely exhausted! The other challenge has been not being able to offer the ongoing support we usually provide – usually we can do financial capability work with clients, we run cooking courses, we have a benefits advisor on site and we offer a cup of tea and a listening ear, whereas now we can’t offer any of this.
Previously, most of our food donations came from our collection points at supermarkets. However, these have decreased rapidly since the crisis started. Emergency monetary donations have increased though, and we have been able to buy in food from various sources, including through the Bristol Churches Fund. We’ve also employed a freelancer to cover the logistics of food coming in and going out, ensuring it gets to the right distribution centre etc.
How can inHope supporters help East Bristol Foodbank? Monetary donations are always welcome, especially if you are unable to drop off food, as we are incurring extra costs for purchasing food, PPE and delivery boxes. You can make a financial donation via our website here: eastbristol.foodbank.org.uk/.
We have opened temporary emergency sites in Hillfields and Southville. We have partnered together with Severn Vineyard Church and St Paul’s Church Southville, so that we can cover greater areas of East and South Bristol, to make sure that no-one who needs emergency food is missed.
If you can donate food, items can be dropped off at St Mark’s Community Café, St Marks’ Road, on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday mornings from 10:30am – 2:30pm (excluding Bank holidays). We need any long-life food, such as tinned meat, tinned vegetarian meals, tinned fruit and vegetables, and chocolate. We also need toiletries such as nappies (sizes 3–6+), shower gel, shampoo and washing tablets for clothes. Thank you so much for your support.
Is hosting a Foodbank seen as part of what the church is doing; something that they get behind and support? “Yes, very much so. A lot of the volunteers are church members. People from the church
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Volunteer stories
“I love engaging with people and being able to give them a smile...”
Emmie
Abi
I’ve been privileged to be able to volunteer with the Wild Goose team, giving out food parcels to Bristol’s street homeless community during the Coronavirus outbreak. The team have been so upbeat and made it so fun; it’s been the bright spot in my week. We even had Easter eggs and hot cross buns to give to people on Good Friday!
I wanted to volunteer because I wanted to help people who are vulnerable and not able to access food, during the Covid-19 crisis. I also felt this was a good use of my time as I had to leave year 11 early because my school closed and I wasn’t due to start sixth form until September.
I love engaging with people and being able to give them a smile and a kind word at a time that is very difficult.
At East Bristol Foodbank, I have been working with other volunteers to sort deliveries and make up food parcels for home delivery. I have enjoyed working at the Easton outlet for 3 days a week and whilst it has been busy, we’ve also been able to laugh in what is a difficult time.
I first heard of the Wild Goose a few years ago, when I was living in a hostel and struggling myself. I’d never even needed to apply for benefits before this period in my life and I was scared of everybody, but the staff at the Goose were always friendly and non-judgemental, and knowing that I wouldn’t go hungry gave me a some much needed comfort at a difficult time.
The Foodbank team are positive people to work with and made my experience with them an enjoyable one and I would recommend volunteering with them.
It’s such a pleasure to be able to support a service that supported me in the past, thank you!
e s o o G Wild
vid-19 o C g n ri u d g in rk een wo How they have b
The service of the Wild Goose was going always to be different during this time as the planned refurbishment of Carpenter House took place (end of March – Summer [approx.]). However, a few days before the Wild Goose was going to open a pop-up cafe in Stapleton Road Chapel next door, the Covid-19 crisis started.
to safeguard their health. This left me and provisions manager, Andy, on the ground to start a new service model. We sent a message for help to some of our existing volunteer force and ‘new’ people from churches, the local community, other frontline services, and 12 step fellowships came forward. This gave us all a deep sense of gratitude and pride, that people were keen to help those less fortunate. God had provided, yet again, the means to serve our clients.
Talking to Mick, the Wild Goose Manager: can you tell us what happened during the first couple of weeks of the crisis, and how lockdown and social distancing impacted the service?
As a team, we had planned for many months, supported by the Stapleton Road Chapel team John, Mike, Keith, Pam and caretaker Gary, to provide a basic pop up café service during the refurbishment, with use of the inside of the chapel building. These original plans had to change drastically because the chapel building was closed to public use.
This was a challenging period as there was a lot of confusion for staff, volunteers and clients around how to stay safe, isolate and maintain their wellbeing. Frontline services became extremely limited or closed altogether, which complicated matters for our clients who needed scripts, mental health support or had housing issues.
A new plan was quickly introduced consisting of staff and volunteers wearing gloves and masks, and social distancing within the building. A robust cleaning schedule was also implemented. The service for clients was adapted to a ‘gate service’ providing a take-away bag with a variety of items; croissant, fruit, sandwiches, cold drink, tea or coffee. Staff ensured clients kept two metres apart with use of chalk and electrical tape on the fence posts.
Many of our usual volunteer force were asked to stay at home because some were in the at-risk age group or had other health issues that wouldn’t normally interfere with their duties, but put them at increased risk if they caught covid-19. The staff team was also down by several members; one recovering from a serious operation, one isolated at home to safeguard their family, and another furloughed 4
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The Wild Goose clients come from a variety of living arrangements. Some are sleeping rough, some live in tents and caravans, some live in hostels, and others have long term accommodation but don’t have enough money to buy food. During the crisis what have been the noticeable effects on the clients? Have some of those sleeping rough been put up in hotels? How have they coped?
they were hungry during the daytimes. As part of the city-wide food provision response, we advised the partnership that we would provide hot lunches and change our opening days, to include Saturday lunch times, where there was a gap in provision. On Thursday 21st May, we started to open from 11:30am – 1:30pm, offering a hot lunch to takeaway, as well as the usual snacks and drinks. The Methodist Centre provides hot lunches on Mondays and Tuesdays, we provide them on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and Stokes Croft Food Project on Sundays. Our plan is that this will be a temporary measure for 3 months, when we will then reassess where we are with the refurbishment and social distancing rules.
We created a document to find out what accommodation, if any, clients had and where else they were getting food. This allowed staff to see patterns of instances where clients were coming out of hotels or hostels for food. Hostels have shared kitchens and using them would put clients at risk of catching covid-19.
Our Monday volunteers were kind enough to swap to Saturdays and all volunteers were happy to change start and end times. They’ve all been really amazing! I would like to take the opportunity to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers, drivers and staff who have enabled us to still serve homeless and vulnerable people on the frontline.
There were high numbers of people coming out from unsuitable housing, who were not able to meet their basic needs due to various hardship reasons; financial, addiction, and mental health deterioration. Rough sleepers were also still desperately in need of food, housing support, and toiletries.
Furthermore, without the use of Stapleton Road Chapel and support from John, Mike, Keith, Pam and Gary, inHope would not have been able to help as many people as we have in the community. A big thank you to them as well.
Jonathan (inHope CEO) and I joined the weekly food strategy partnership communications meeting to discuss food provision across the city. We have been part of a joint approach with other charities, to continue to support rough sleepers, as well as homeless clients who were offered a place in hotels and other housing options.
What message would you like to share with our supporters at this time? Without their vital support in prayer, practical donations and monetary gifts, we would not be able to help all those who turn up for food, clothing, toiletries, or a friendly listening ear. It’s important to say that many of our clients were stuck in isolation and loneliness long before the government-imposed lockdown.
What has changed with the Wild Goose pop-up since the beginning of lockdown? The Wild Goose pop-up continues to flourish and because of the weekly meetings about food provision across the city, has improved in a variety of ways. There was a definite gap on a Tuesday lunchtime, which is when inHope staff have joint meetings and training. On liaising with Ross, the manager at the Methodist Centre (another charity helping homeless people), about gaps in the week, Ross and his team decided to open Monday and Tuesday lunchtimes. Our engagement worker Steve, returned to work safely, as did our chef Lee. As a team, we put together a plan about how we could provide a hot lunch meal, due to feedback from clients that
“What has been uplifting in this time of anxiety and caution is the awareness and warmth shown by the Bristol community.”
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What has been uplifting in this time of anxiety and caution is the awareness and warmth shown by the Bristol community. One day someone went by on a bus, saw what we were doing and at the end of their journey took the time to send a donation and write a beautiful card. What was said in the card touched the hearts of staff and volunteers, and boosted us to keep going in serving, loving and supporting our clients. 7
SPRUCING THE GOOSE In spite of the Coronavirus lockdown, we have been blessed that building work has been able to begin in Carpenter House. The amazing team of builders have been able to adapt their approaches, maintain social distance, and rearrange their plans to fit around the resources available for different aspects of the work. As we’ve all got used to using video platforms such as Zoom, the builders have been able to contact building control officers and others, and have been able to discuss any queries with Jonathan Lee and our project manager Chris Kennedy.
room has had one of the corners removed. At the time of writing, none of these transformations would be noticeable from the outside, where work has yet to start. The lockdown meant that we were unable to get scaffolders on site. It also meant that we would be unable to get hold of certain building materials, including the new doors and windows. This part of the work has therefore been delayed, and it is possible that this will lead to a delay in the reopening of the Wild Goose. Of course, another factor that now needs to be considered is how the drop-in can be opened again safely. As government guidance about how and when cafes and day-centres can reopen becomes clearer, the Wild Goose team will be able to plan accordingly, so that we can provide much needed support for our clients and minimise the risk to them, volunteers and staff.
The transformation inside has been amazing so far. The toilets and new wet-room have been reconfigured and are now awaiting their finishing touches. The kitchen too has been completely rearranged, including the removal of a pillar and the installation of new load bearing beams. Ventilation systems have been installed, both in the toilets and in the kitchen. A new fire escape has been built and the staircase to volunteers
Upcoming events Back in March, when we were clearing out the Wild Goose and the upstairs offices, we were preparing for the shut-down of our home and getting ready for the arrival of builders. We were making plans to run a pop-up Wild Goose drop-in using Stapleton Road Chapel, and for staff to be working remotely in temporary offices. Little did we know how useful this preparation would be as Coronavirus hit the UK and workplaces, offices and cafes were locked down. 8
Vision for the Vulnerable An evening of hearing updates and praying for three charities who work with homeless and vulnerable women in Bristol; One25, Beloved, and Spring of Hope emergency women’s night shelter (inHope project). Tuesday 14th July at 7pm. This will either be via Zoom, like we did in April, or at Horfield Methodist Church. If you would like to attend, please email Steve Baker, steve.baker@inhope.uk 9
I’M NO LONGER A SLAVE TO SIN…
I AM A CHILD OF GOD
By Stuart Leitch, Life Recovery Manager
Slavery, Freedom and Addiction in Pauline Texts
Have you ever seen the damage someone is doing to themselves, or to those around them, and asked the question, “Why don’t they just stop behaving that way?” Or maybe you have had a time when it has been a bit closer to home and asked “Why can’t I just stop doing something which I know is destructive or wrong?” If you’ve ever tried to change an entrenched selfdefeating behaviour in yourself (or impossibly in others!) and struggled, and more often than not failed, then you probably get why Paul said, “the trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin…” (Rom 7:14)
Gerald May, who says “…addiction is a state of compulsion, obsession, or preoccupation that enslaves a person’s will and desire…” He goes on to say, “I am not being flippant when I say that all of us suffer from addiction. Nor am I reducing the meaning of addiction… the psychological, neurological, and spiritual dynamics of fullfledged addiction are actively at work within every human being... We are all addicts in every sense of the word.”1
It’s a vivid image Paul paints of our human nature – “you used to be slaves to sin… you used to offer yourself as slaves to impurity…” (Rom 6:17, 20). This may be hard to read for our modern sensitive (“It doesn’t make me feel good”) ears but Paul’s words should at least stop us thinking in terms of ‘us and them’ when coming to discussing addiction, and may even get us thinking about what true freedom is and how free we really are?
The Roman Empire was a slave society2 with most slaves performing manual labour or domestic services. At its peak there was an estimated 6 million slaves in the Empire acquired through military conquest, slave trade or simply by being born into slavery. At the time Paul wrote to the church in Rome, a conservative estimate puts the number of slaves at 25% of the population. It would be fair to say that the
The universality of our human condition is echoed by the psychiatrist and theologian,
1. From Gerald May’s book “Addiction and Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions” 2. Much more could be said about the atrocities of the Transatlantic slave trade and modern slavery and the church’s (mis)use of Pauline texts regarding slavery but that is beyond the remit of this article.
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life of most slaves was one of brutal conditions and harsh masters. It is not surprising that most slaves died before reaching that age of 20.
inheritance, loss of years. It is a life of enforced servitude rather than a life being free to love. For some there has never been a time when they have known anything else. It is as if, to extend the metaphor, they had been born into slavery.
The fact that Paul uses the language of “being a slave” without apology is even more striking as the early church would have contained both slave and free. In fact, historians think that the church grew significantly among the slave population because in the church community they were “spiritually” emancipated from their societal roles, status and relationships (“There is no longer …slave or free... For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal. 3:28)
St Augustine of Hippo juxtaposes both themes when he says “The good man, though a slave, is free; the wicked, though he reigns, is a slave, and not the slave of a single man, but – what is worse – the slave of as many masters as he has vices.” Goodness doesn’t enslave lives, sin does. There may be many other factors that increase the likelihood and impact of addiction but what must change for a person to be free is not primarily circumstances but ‘the will’. ‘The will’ must be freed from bondage and its direction turned back towards God. A good environment will help (‘freedom’ without resources, status, opportunity, home is not really freedom at all) but inner change is what is truly needed, which involves admitting the need to change, having the willingness to be changed, and taking action
Slaves were considered property under Roman law. They had no personhood, no family name, no freedom of choice, no ‘inheritance’, no legal protection – they were non-citizens. In many ways the parallels between the life of a slave and the lives of many of those enslaved by addiction are striking – loss of identity, loss of family connection, loss of freedom, under the tyranny of a loveless master (being ‘used’), loss of 11
to live in a changed way (no longer living as a slave).
The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture. This is more than just being set free as some were (in a process called manumission – which Paul may be alluding to when he says “God bought you with a high price” in 1 Cor. 6)… it is becoming a member in God’s family, and an heir. It is about becoming a recognised somebody, a family member with privileges. It is a safe place.
Many in addiction do an “addiction geographical” in the hope that a new location will give them a chance to start again. But we always take our heads with us when we go! The run-away slave was never truly ‘free’. Christ offers us so much more than a breather between tyrannies. Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” (John 8:36) and in Galatians 5:1 Paul says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
The power of this new relationship – from slave to son – cannot be underestimated. Nor can the impact of this identity change for someone’s recovery journey be missed given the high incidence of adverse childhood experiences and broken family relationships. But by contrast to the patterns of Paul’s day where manumission and adoption were for the few best slaves who would be rewarded for exceptional work and behaviour, God’s invitation into his family reaches particularly to those downtrodden in this world, those who are captive, those who have messed up, those in “need of a doctor”.
So, what is this hope for recovery? Here are some reflections from Paul. The starting point is the reality of our fallen human nature. Paul paints such a vivid picture that anyone with addiction can say, “That describes me!” “…There is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.” (Rom 7:24.) This is the ‘powerlessness’ you find in Step 1 of AA. The ‘righteous’ may not get this connection with the text but ‘sinners’ will, as they have known this slavery to sin, self and substances. As an aside – it is unlikely that we can help others find freedom if we haven’t ever seen our own slavery yet!
once said that God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them. We also have good things to give and receive from others but when our hands are closely holding on to other things we are not free to participate in love.
by the world [of men]. Paul mixes freeman / freedman language to express the fact that we, as Christians, are all both slaves and free in some way. The divisions are not so significant when together we pursue love. We need to treat each other as brothers and sisters – as dear brothers and sisters (Phil 1:16), and live out our freedom in love, enabled by God’s spirit in us.
Maybe it’s time to rethink a little what it means to be free? In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul writes “The important thing is to keep God’s commandments [to love]…if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free(d) in the Lord. And if you were free(man) when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ. God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved [again]
I am no longer a slave to (fill in your words)… I am a child of God. That is living inHope. If you would like to find out more about addiction and recovery, keep an eye on our Understanding Addiction training events, via our website.
The life of a slave was one of fear especially if his master was unkind and punitive. A life of fear and insecurity is both a cause of addictive behaviour, and the fruit of that same behaviour. But Paul says we now have a secure attachment with God, we can call Father. For the slave that must have taken some getting used to! As a slave he had no family name and would be buried in an unmarked tomb… and now, in Christ, he had a name, a family and an eternal home.
Interestingly, Paul speaks about those who have made a new allegiance. He speaks about the turnaround of lives, “…though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” (Rom 6:18–19) And later, “But now you have been set free… and become slaves of God” (Rom 6:22). There is a paradox here that true freedom is found in a ‘new slavery’. It is not in the freedom to do anything, but in surrender to the will of God.
It can be so hard seeing people live out ‘slave’ identity, living as if they were unloved and unforgiven. Lost. Homeless. Constantly anxious. Escaping the pain. Recovery is a journey of homecoming, an homecoming to the love of God (think of the Exodus account where the journey to freedom was so that they could worship God (Ex 8.1) in the land he would give them).
This is much more that ‘behaviour (sin) management’, Paul says it’s rooted in a spiritual experience which is at the heart of new identity. Rom 8:15 ‘So, you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children*. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”’
Love is at the heart of true freedom. Paul says, “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” (Gal 5:13). The freedom God wants is not to “do as we will” but to love. Saint Augustine 12
“The power of this new relationship – from slave to son – cannot be underestimated.” 13
“I give God the thanks for a home that I didn’t have before.”
Despite the lockdown, there is still hope as Cynthia finally finds a home.
piece of information, which we didn’t, but he said he would sort it out and he did! He shared with us that he wasn’t supposed to be in work that day but had just come in ‘by chance’ and had been asked for his advice on Cynthia’s application!
Cynthia*, a 63-year-old client, came to Spring of Hope having been sofa-surfing with family and friends for over a decade. She had no income, no home, no ID, and no belongings, other than clothes. She had an open application with the Home Office under the Windrush Scheme. In the past 8 years, she suffered two strokes but due to her immigration status and the cost implications of further treatment and care, Cynthia had only been able to access emergency treatment. Her relationships with her immediate family had broken down under the stress and strain of her situation, and this had a negative effect on Cynthia’s physical and mental health.
Spring of Hope helped me to get Universal Credit, get registered with a GP, and helped me into temporary accommodation at ‘Help Bristol’s Homeless,’ where containers have been converted into single living spaces. I just want to give thanks for Jasper, who runs Help Bristol’s Homeless. He helped me through my struggles at his place. And from there I moved into my beautiful home. I give God the thanks for a home that I didn’t have before. Alice helped me to get all my furniture and everything that I needed in the flat. She also arranged for it all to be delivered to my home safely, especially because it was during lockdown. It was a real blessing to me. I give God thanks for Alice and all the other charities who have helped me.
“I was in a really difficult situation after my dad passed away. I was homeless and had to move from place to place. I took ill and since then I’ve been moving from one daughter to another. It never worked and I was very low.
Spring of Hope: support for women continues 14 12
I’m part of the ‘My Time’ group at Spring of Hope, which I enjoy a lot. I do a bit of knitting, we study the bible, and share food together. We have ladies who visit and do our nails and hair. It makes us happy that someone is there for us if we need a bit of pampering. I give God thanks for them. The staff and volunteers (Val, Alice, Trudy and Sharon) are so lovely; we can talk to them about anything and they help us all on our journeys. The Spring of Hope weekend away was so amazing. We went away to a residential house near Bridgwater. I’ve never been to somewhere like that before and it was great to have the opportunity to be with the ladies in that way and share extended time together.
I went to a friend and she helped me. I stayed with her daughter on the living room sofa for a little while. My friend took me to Spring of Hope, and I give God thanks for that. It was a blessing when I went there. I spoke to Val (Spring of Hope Manager) on the phone, who handed me over to a brilliant lady called Alice (Spring of Hope Deputy Manager at the time), she was so amazing; beautiful inside out. I just clicked with her and she clicked with me, maybe because we have the same birthday! Then things started to change in my life and started to come together. Alice and I would go to a lot of meetings together to sort out GP registration, National Insurance application, and other interviews. Whenever we went to any interview we never came out of the car unless we prayed. Every meeting, God opened the door. Like when we were struggling to get my NI number, we were going round in circles. There was a man at the office who saw my form, held up my birth certificate and said, “I know this place. My parents are from there!” He asked if we had a
The support of Spring of Hope means a lot to me. It helped me through my journey, full of struggles. If any woman is out there that needs help, just go to Spring of Hope and you will find love inside there.” *name changed. 15
Financial Summary
Full Year to March 2020
Actual Income: £800,196 Actual expenditure: £687,691 Net Surplus/Deficit* £112,505
Income Source
Fundraising during lockdown Normally, during Spring and Summer people raise money to support homeless and vulnerable people, by participating in organised sporting events, such as 10k and half marathon running races. However, this year, because of lockdown, sporting events have been cancelled.
Businesses & Organisations – £93,363 Churches – £86,582 Individuals – £324,835 Trusts & Foundations – £210,680 Legacies – £62,687 Other income – £22,049
a marathon over a number of days, bouncing 26 ping pong balls into a bowl, and climbing a flight of 26 stairs in a triangular method (ask Jonathan Lee for details!).
Expenditure Wild Goose Drop-in – £215,968 LIFE Recovery – £100,213 Spring of Hope – £146,549 East Bristol Foodbank – £97,326 Spruce the Goose – £14,414 Fundraising – £113,221
We’ve also had other fundraising events for us, including a church online bingo night, people using their birthdays as a fundraiser, sponsored silences, and local businesses setting up JustGiving pages for their staff to support us.
The organisers of the London Marathon realised the impact this would have on charities and so they created ‘the 2.6 challenge!’ Essentially, people were encouraged to participate in a challenge to do with the number 2.6, 26 or 260. InHope supporters and staff joined in; baking a 26 layer crepe cake, a variety of activities to complete the length of
A huge thank you to everyone who has raised funds! Your support has raised awareness of our work, and the money you raised will go a long way to helping homeless and vulnerable people in Bristol. 16
* of the surplus, committed to the refurbishment of the Wild Goose, and will be spent when the refurbishment takes place. £84,081 ** of the surplus, committed to project spend for following financial year. £56,953
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Support the recovery from coronavirus As devastated and traumatised people begin to rebuild their lives, inHope will walk with them, providing food, shelter, hope and support every step of the way. As we enter this recovery phase, we are asking you to walk alongside homeless and vulnerable people too.
Could you provide the regular support that will make the difference to those who need most help? Regular donations from supporters will play a crucial role in our unfolding shared ministry. Monthly donations enable inHope to plan with certainty and confidence, and mean that we can commit to providing hope and support at the right place, at the right time. Throughout the coronavirus lockdown, we have been amazed at the generosity of our supporters. Your donations enabled us to purchase items we hadn’t expected to need including face masks, sanitiser, emergency food supplies and even an additional staff member (employed on a freelance basis) to support the coordination of deliveries from the foodbank. Your generosity, love and compassion has fed an average of 60 people every day at the pop-up Wild Goose, provided a listening ear for vulnerable women and for anyone in recovery, and delivered emergency food parcels to individuals and families across East and South Bristol.
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£4 per month could provide 3 meals per day for a homeless person every month.
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£10 per month could give a parent peace of mind that their family will not go hungry today.
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£30 per month could provide one to one support for a vulnerable woman or somebody in recovery from addiction or trauma.
We know that life is difficult for many people right now. If you are unable to support our work on a regular basis please know that we greatly value your support in other ways, including prayer, messages of support and volunteering. If however, you are in a position to support us on a regular basis, please do set up a monthly standing order, using the form opposite. If you are a UK taxpayer, please do complete the gift aid section too, as this means your donation will go 25% further. Or you could set up a regular donation on the donate page on our website – www.inhope.uk/donate.
It is now clear that coronavirus will be part of our lives for the next few months, and probably into 2021. The effect of the lockdown on people’s jobs, housing, and ability to afford even the most basic of items is likely to go on for years to come.
‘We know that life is difficult for many people right now...’
I’d like to help homeless and vulnerable people in Bristol (You can also donate online at inhope.uk)
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Instructions to your bank/building society: Please pay this sum to inHope (Bristol) Limited, account no: 01408518; sort code: 40-14-13; HSBC, 62 George White St, Cabot Circus, Bristol BS1 3BA.
And your gift will mean 25% more! For every £1 you donate, Gift Aid allows us to claim an additional 25p from HMRC. Please treat as Gift Aid donations all qualifying gifts made: in the past four years/today/in the future* I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HMRC to adjust your tax code. Full Name (inc. title) Address
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Data protection: inHope. will not share your information with any third party except HMRC if applicable. To find out how we use your personal information, please read our policy inhope.uk/privacy-policy/
Please return this form to: FREEPOST RSTX-XTYH-CJCA, inHope, 32 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0QY
Thank you for your support Summer 2020
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Title:
An excerpt from a Bristol Cable article indicates that homelessness is predicted to get worse in Bristol.
First Name:
Paul Sylvester (Bristol City Council Head of Housing Options) said social housing was being prioritised for people in supported homelessness accommodation, to create vacancies for those coming out of hotels. Lindy Morgan from the housing association sector warned the pandemic would create a flood of homeless people on the city’s street.
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“This is just going to be the first wave, isn’t it,” she said. “More people may lose their home, and become homeless. We’re just dealing with the people we know about at the moment and we don’t know what it will look like in six months’ time.”
Postcode: Tel/Mobile: Email:
thebristolcable.org/2020/05/coronavirus-homelessbristols-rough-sleepers-to-be-moved-out-of-hotels/
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Please note that should we have a specific query regarding your donation, gift aid status or volunteering we reserve the right to be able to contact you, even if you do not select to receive any of the above communications.
A monthly e-newsletter and specific emails relevant to my interests A monthly prayer e-newsletter
Data protection: inHope. will not share your information with any third party except the HM Revenue & Customs if applicable. To find out how we use your personal information, please read our policy on our website inhope.uk/privacy-policy/
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Quarterly news magazine and occasional letters relevant to my interests
Please complete and return this form to: FREEPOST RSTX-XTYH-CJCA, inHope. 32 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol BS5 0QY
The Life Recovery team have been supporting clients in recovery via phone and online. Some client’s mental health during lockdown has seriously deteriorated, with some experiencing suicidal thoughts and relapse. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52139895
Read the experience of someone in recovery during lockdown:
A Trussell Trust statistic shows how important East Bristol Foodbank is and will be in the economically uncertain future, ‘Coronavirus has affected us all. But in the first two weeks of the pandemic, food banks in our network were busier than ever – with a record 81% more emergency food parcels being given out, compared to the same period last year.’ trusselltrust.org/get-involved/campaigns/
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Get Involved Volunteer If you’d like to give your time to serving vulnerable and marginalised people, you can volunteer at one of our projects. Get in touch if you’d like to find out more about the different opportunities: volunteer.manager@inhope.uk
Pray As a Christian charity, prayer is vital to our work. If you’d like to join the group of volunteers who pray regularly for inHope, and the people we work with, you can sign up for our monthly prayer email here: inhope.uk/get-involved/charitycommunications-sign-up
Donate With the long-term effects of covid-19 hitting the most vulnerable, your donations are appreciated now more than ever. They help provide hot meals, shelter, hope and support to our city’s most destitute. You can donate via our website here: inhope.uk/donate/donate-now/
Fundraise If you’d like to raise money for homeless people in Bristol then we’d love to work with you. Whether you’re thinking about hosting an event or taking part in a challenge, get in touch with our Communications & Supporter Engagement Officer: sarah.luckwell@inhope.uk
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter Social media can be a powerful tool for good. You can share our posts with your friends and family to raise awareness and get them enthusiastic about a cause you believe in. We regularly post about practical needs (clothes etc) and appeals, as well as sharing snippets of stories of the impact your giving is making to people’s lives. facebook.com/inHopeBristol @inHopeBristol Sign up for our monthly email newsletter on our website inhope.uk
