2016 May-Aug Streetwise

STREET WISE May – August 2016

The importance of prayer / Find out why we pray.

Interview with the new chair / We welcome Andy Street.

THE SUPPORTER MAGAZINE OF CRISIS CENTRE MINISTRIES

Rough Sleeping Task Group swings into action

Contents / 1 News in brief / 2 The Importance of Prayer / 4 Chair Interview / 6 A Night at the Shelter / 8 Client story – Vanessa / 10 Volunteer story – Andy / 12 Finance & Fundraising / 13 Upcoming Events / 14 Thank You

Editorial

About us

Praying is something we do a lot of here at Crisis Centre Ministries. Every morning, every shift and at every meeting. Read on pg. 2 about the importance of prayer in our work.

Our new Chair of Trustees is an answer to prayer, bringing with him a new direction as the charity enters its next phase. Read on pg. 4 about the vision and heart that new Chair Andy Street has for CCM.

We are a Christian charity that has been working in Bristol for over 30 years, dedicated to helping the most vulnerable and marginalised in society achieve healthy and independent lives.

This edition of Streetwise is accompanied with a special Fundraising Guide that we hope you will find useful. The harsh reality is that helping homeless and vulnerable people is a long-term process with unavoidable costs.

We hope that every supporter will consider putting on a fundraising event, large or small, to fund our work.

In these pages, you will also read the story of Vanessa who was a client of the women’s night shelter, and how we were able to help her in her hour of need.

We hope you will be inspired by these stories.

CCM

Our mission is to empower personal change through offering food, shelter, hope and support through our four main projects – the Wild Goose drop-in centre, the Life Skills course, the East Bristol Foodbank and the Spring of Hope women’s night shelter.

Cover Image: a young homeless man on the streets of Bristol.

Contact Us 32 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0QY T. 0117 330 1230 admin@crisis-centre.org.uk www.crisis-centre.org.uk Company No. 2214814 Registered Charity No. 298528

News in brief the Rough Sleeping Task Group, led by St Mungo’s, which is just one dimension of Bristol City Council’s Homelessness Prevention Board. The task group is comprised of active partners, the Police and representatives from local businesses.

The issue of homelessness in Bristol has been very apparent during the winter, with tents popping up in some unlikely places, various media reports and social media campaigns. Through the services that Crisis Centre Ministries offer, particularly the Wild Goose Drop-In Centre and Spring of Hope Women’s Night Shelter, we seek to support the needs of the homeless first hand.

As a result of this Task Group, new shelters and accommodation have opened, providing 45 more bed spaces in Bristol. Those sleeping in tents and on the streets are being encouraged to access the support available.

We are actively developing partnerships with Bristol City Council, their commissioned service provider, St Mungo’s, other agencies, faith groups and the business community to seek viable short-term and long-term solutions.

Through this we are now active members of

Please do keep this situation and the task group in your prayers as the group discuss and pursue solutions to this pressing need.

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The Importance of

PRAYER and we prayed. The next week an anonymous cheque arrived for just that amount!

By Geoff Haskett, Prayer Coordinator Prayer can be a journey of discovery, an adventure with God to find His heart and to feel His compassion. It’s then that we find we are better equipped for the work He has given us. We walk a wobbly footway alongside the homeless, but God warms our hearts to let His compassion flow out. People are drawn to support our work, maybe because of the visible need on the streets. But there are days when the demands on the frontline are daunting and it feels like there’s a mountain to climb. We are an organisation who has been responding to God’s call for 30 years. In that time, we’ve learnt to love trusting God and to take Him at His word that He will sort things out.

Countless supporters have carried us in prayer through our ups and downs. You don’t have to be at Stapleton Road to be involved in our prayer journey. Many folk all over Bristol, including some of our clients, regularly pray for all aspects of this work. Particularly we lift up staff and volunteers who are on the frontline. Two afternoons each week in the Goose we keep the door to the downstairs office ajar where a small group maintain a prayer watch. Any client can come in and there are some clients who do appreciate our prayer support.

When confronted by a challenging situation it may not be our first reaction to pray – but when we do, our actions may go a lot further than we expect. We are following in Jesus’ footsteps, doing work which demonstrates an everlasting love that knows no bounds.

CCM was built on prayer and through it we’ve steered a course which we believe has been hewn out by God. Sometimes we’re asked to pray about a particular challenge, like when we launched the women’s night shelter and all we had available was the training room. It really wasn’t the right place - so we prayed. The answer to those prayers now stands just around the corner in Old Market! Another example was back in the autumn when finances were tight

To get involved, or receive the prayer e-bulletin, please contact Geoff at prayer@crisis-centre.org.uk or through the office.

“We’ve learnt to love trusting God and to take Him at His word that He will sort things out.”

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Interview with the new

Chair of Trustees

Andy Street served on the CCM board for nine years before becoming Chair. We sat down with him to ask how he got involved with the charity and his vision for the years ahead...

“That response is founded on a biblical imperative for us as a church community to meet the needs of those who are broken and rejected by society.”

In 2016, and beyond, I believe that CCM needs to take on an increasingly strategic role in working in partnership with churches and other agencies to meet this immediate need, but also to address the underlying issues around poverty and deprivation. The vision is to see lives and communities transformed. With God’s help all things are possible.

How did you become involved with CCM? In late 2005 I transitioned to part-time working with my business to make more time for other things, not knowing what those ‘other things’ might be. I got involved with CCM in 2007 when I was asked to be a trustee.

What prompted you to become a trustee and Chair?

What challenges do you think CCM faces?

I knew very little about CCM back in 2007, had no charity experience and no clue why I’d been approached. I spoke with my church leader and after much thought and prayer decided to accept the invitation. Up until the end of last year the Chair of Trustees was Graham Donald, for whom I have great respect. I considered the request to become Chair for some months, and again sought the counsel of a number of people. I came to the view that it was the right step to take.

As CCM grows, so does the financial challenge of running the charity. The principal focus will be to find ways to further release the potential of the church community across Bristol. This will be a source of incredible blessing for the church, but also to this city of ours. Partnership is essential for CCM going forward – we can’t do this alone!

What else are you involved with other than CCM? I work part-time as a founding Director of a global environmental consultancy, a role I still really enjoy. I chair FareShare South West and Bristol Together and am a trustee of a number of charities and social enterprises, focused on urban regeneration and employment creation.

I’m passionate about finding new, strategic and sustainable ways of releasing human and financial capital that bring real and lasting change to lives and communities.

What is your vision for the charity in 2016 and for future years?

It’s a sad reflection of our country that the work of CCM has grown in response to an increasing need. That response is founded on a biblical imperative for us as a church community to meet the needs of those who are broken and rejected by society. Bristol is the 10th largest city in the UK, the 3rd wealthiest in economic terms, but behind London has the 2nd highest number of homeless people sleeping rough on a regular basis – that simply isn’t right and needs to change.

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A Night at the Shelter

by Judith Gardner, Spring of Hope Duty Manager

She has also had her child taken away from her. She admits to a drug and alcohol problem and does not engage well with the council hostels. She brings me her washing and we have a chat about how she is doing.

As I prepare the building to receive any and every woman whom walk through the doors, I think about our recent women and hoped that I would see them again.

Flo arrives, apologising for being late. Flo is often late as she works one hour away on 12-hour shifts. She became homeless when her zero hours contract didn’t provide her with enough hours to pay the rent. However she is determined to do as much work as possible to save for a room she has seen.

One of the first to come into the shelter is Jane. She’s tired and ready for bed, but keen to have a chat and catch up with the other women at the shelter. Jane became homeless when her relationship broke down and her partner returned to his country. The stress of living on the streets is evident on her mental health. It has also had a further negative impact as she had all her ID documents stolen.

Despite all this she keeps her lively sense of humour and smile.

These women as well as many others on the streets know that the Spring of Hope night shelter is open to them five nights a week where they can find an emergency bed in a safe environment. Many also engage with further support that we offer, to address the wider issues of homelessness in their lives.

Just behind her is Sarah, who is a young adult who has come through the care system.

Sarah exhibits behaviour and attitudes developed to cope with being in care.

As one of our clients said “They’re all very kind at the Spring of Hope, they don’t judge you and they’re really, really helpful…”

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“They’re all very kind at the Spring of Hope, they don’t judge you and they’re really, really helpful…”

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Client story

Vanessa

“I asked Valerie to pray that I would see my children again. It didn’t happen straightaway, but I’ve recently got into contact with them again.”

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I was homeless for 2 years, I was very miserable. I was suffering from mental health issues and drug problems, and I lost my family.

A lot of nights I was spending at the bus station and I used to wander off with anybody, mostly men. A lot of the time I found myself in vulnerable situations. The outreach team told me about the women’s night shelter here.

I stayed there every night I could. Back then the shelter was only open two nights a week, and then three... and now five nights. They gave me somewhere safe to sleep. I felt safe at the ladies night shelter. It was a bit strict at times. We had to be in bed by 11pm, but then we had to be up by 6am. It was good to have a nice place to go to, with nice staff who genuinely cared about you. Val (the night shelter manager) used to ring my service coordinator to let her know that I was at the night shelter, and she was then able to come and work with me. She was a big part of getting my life back on track. I only have good things to say about this place.

And then Val found me a place in a hostel, and things have improved from there. I now have my own flat. I was also trying to find my children and I wasn’t having any luck.

I asked Valerie to pray that I would see my children again. It didn’t happen straightaway, but I’ve recently got into contact with them again. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

At the time you think there isn’t but there is. If someone had said to me back then that in a couple of years I would have my own flat and I would see my children again, I wouldn’t have believed them. My hope for the future is to build better relationships with my children.

I want to tell people that if they are feeling a little bit sad or down, and they think nothing can possibly work out in their lives, that’s exactly how I felt. I was addicted to heroin and crack cocaine. I had a big habit. But there is hope. I still have a long way to go, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

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Volunteer story

I heard about Crisis Centre Ministries because it was part of my Street Pastors’ Training. Part of the training was alcohol and drug awareness and it was held at Crisis Centre Ministries. I looked at your website and found out more about you. At the training, I was encouraged to sign up as a volunteer and I started the following week! This is where I am happy to be, working with vulnerable people. It is a pleasure to come here to help. I am also a CAP befriender, which means that I help people who are in debt.

I am a duty manager one Thursday evening every month and a normal volunteer the other three Thursday afternoons. Being a duty manager involves making sure that the team know what they are going to be doing, which stations they are going to be on and where I am going to be. I also monitor the outside to make sure clients don’t come in with drugs and alcohol, and also to prevent people from leaving with food or cups. I’m always popping in and out to check that everything is going ok and that there are no problems inside.

Sometimes when it gets very crowded in the Goose I do allow clients to take a cup of tea or coffee outside to have a smoke but they stay by the door. I do that because then it frees up tables for people who need to sit and eat.

My team consist of 11 people including me.

But I never have less than seven volunteers on any one shift. I’ve been a volunteer for three years, and a duty manager for four months and I really enjoy it.

The Goose plays an important role in giving the opportunity to those who need it to at least have one hot meal a day. Clients are also able to meet other people and ask for help from staff and volunteers.

I’ve been very blessed in my life. I have never been unemployed. I’ve had a good wage and living. I own my house. These people have fallen on hard times. It is very easy to lose a job, your income and your house. It can happen to anybody. It’s important to talk about these things.

If I can help somebody along the way, I will.

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“These people have fallen on hard times. It is very easy to lose a job, your income and your house.

It can happen to anybody. �

Finance & fundraising Fundraising news

Many Blessings We have received several donations large and small from across our supporter base at the beginning of this Spring. Please keep these coming in as the need continues to grow.

Sleep Out Success

F is for Fundraise!

We have included a fundraising guide with this edition of Streetwise as we want to encourage our supporters to fundraise for us if you can.

Why? Because the summer months are the time when we experience the lowest level of donations, but we still need to maintain our funding to continue helping homeless and vulnerable people. A fundraising event needn’t be big or complicated, and can be good fun.

Read our guide for some ideas and tips to start your fundraising journey! Remember to let us know about your event and we will help publicise it and add our support.

Could you promote our work?

Can your workplace or business display copies of this newsletter to promote the work that we do? Please email yan.lau@crisis-centre.org.uk to request more copies for your workplace.r

The Sleep Out took place on the 26th February and was a great success! With homelessness an ever-growing concern in Bristol, the event attracted more interest than ever from people wanting to do something to help. In total, there were around 250 participants from various homelessness organisations across the city. At the time of going to print, our participants have already collectively raised around £21,000 (plus gift aid)! This is an incredible amount. We are so thankful to every person for taking part and raising money to help fund our work, and to those who generously supported them.

Financial status 2015-6 third quarter year to date (April-Dec) figures: Actual Expenditure: Actual Income: 12

£354,156 £358,798

Upcoming events Could you undertake a sporty challenge to help us raise more funds? Or maybe you want to get fit and need a challenge to get you motivated. Here are some upcoming local challenge events in 2016 to choose from:

Bristol 10k Sun 15 May 2016 www.greatrun.org/great-bristol-10k

Bristol Harbourside Triathlon Sun 5 June 2016 tribristol.org/race-general-info.php

Bristol Nightrider Sat 25-Sun 26 June 2016 www.nightrider.org.uk/#!bristol/zqdlt

Great Weston Ride Sun 17 July 2016 www.greatwestonride.com/home

Bristol Half Marathon Sun 25 Sep 2016 www.greatrun.org/great-bristol-half-marathon

Please visit our website www.crisis-centre.org.uk/fundraise to set up an online fundraising page, download a sponsorship or gift aid form or contact fundraising@crisis-centre.org.uk to have these sent to you.

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Thank You to all Thanks to your support in 2015, Crisis Centre Ministries:

placed 217 persons into emergency accommodation placed 142 people into supported accommodation provided 144 women with emergency shelter

Giving thanks for…

Praying for…

■■ The amazing life stories shared on the LIFE course, stories of being lost, battling adversity, key turning points towards recovery, and finding faith, hope and love.

■■ More housing and support solutions for the homeless community.

■■ More women only accommodation for vulnerable women.

■■ A continuing supply of people called by God to serve in the work.

■■ An increase of restoration and transformation in lives of the women we help at the shelter.

■■ The potential start of a Life Recovery Group in Knowle West.

■■ The opportunity to be part of a citywide initiative designed to create affordable and accessible housing solutions for the homeless.

■■ For the duty managers as they serve particularly difficult clients.

■■ Volunteers who serve here faithfully on a regular basis, as well as additional teams who come in to do everything from reorganising the stores to cutting clients’ hair.

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our supporters served 3200 meals every week, 50 weeks of the year

handed out 1581 food parcels, which fed 3606 people, 1483 of which were children

provided 2400 sessions of listening support

made 187 visits accompanying clients to courts, rehabs and hospitals

provided 481 counts of practical help which included sleeping bags, clothing and furniture

We simply could not carry out this work without your support, prayer, volunteering and donations.

Thank you from all the staff at CCM to each and every one of you for being part of the CCM family.

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Recent comments from service users: “I walked to the Wild Goose Cafe for some lunch.

You can eat for free, and there is always lots of cake. You’ll never starve as a homeless person in Bristol.”

“Without Spring of Hope I would have been on the street, and that terrifies me.”

“I was safe and warm and I could get help.”

”.ot kaeps ot elpoep thgir eht htiw hcuot ni tup saw I cinilC teW eht fo pleh eht htiW .degaruocne dna detpecca ,dootsrednu leef em edam sreetnulov dna ffats ehT .em evag yeht pleh lanoitome dna lacisyhp eht rof sraey eerht tsal eht revo em rof enil efil rojam a neeb sah esooG dliW ehT“

“The Wild Goose has been a major life line for me over the last three years for the physical and emotional help they gave me.

The staff and volunteers made me feel understood, accepted and encouraged. With the help of the Wet Clinic I was put in touch with the right people to speak to.”

“Crisis Centre is the family I never had. God, the Wild Goose, the people here have made it all possible. It’s like I’ve been given a new start in life. I now have a new family who love and care for me. And if I have any struggles I can come here and they won’t judge me. It’s amazing. Life is exciting now.”

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Five

reasons why you should donate today 1 2 3 4 5

The average age of death for a homeless man is 47, the average age of death for a homeless woman is 43 (a).

Up to 70% of homeless people have mental health issues (b).

The pressures of the economic downturn, lack of affordable housing and housing benefit cuts mean more people are facing homelessness.

37% of homeless people have no qualifications whatsoever.

The experience of homelessness itself deskills and isolates (c).

Each homeless person carries an annual cost to the state of £26,000, which includes the cost of benefits, hostel accommodation and care of children (d). a. Crisis (2012) Homelessness Kills b. St. Mungo’s (2009) Down and Out c. Crisis (2013) Homelessness Briefing d. New Economics Foundation research (2008)

Make a monthly gift and provide the following every month:

£10 £30 £40 could provide eight hot meals for a homeless person.

could provide for one family’s emergency food for three days.

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could provide for a bed, shelter and a hot meal for a vulnerable woman.

Sign me up!

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Other Full Name: Address: Postcode: Phone: Email: D.O.B: Please send me Streetwise 3 times a year in the post Please send me your fortnightly email bulletin Please complete and return this form to: FREEPOST RSTX-XTYH-CJCA, Crisis Centre Ministries, 32 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0QY Data protection: Crisis Centre Ministries will not share your information with any third party except the HM Revenue & Customs. Crisis Centre Ministries would like to regularly update you on our work, news and activities.

I would like to give a gift!

(You can also donate online via www.crisis-centre.org.uk)

Single Donation I would like to make a single donation of

£10

£20

£50

other £

I enclose my cheque/postal order payable to Crisis Centre Limited.

Regular Donation

I/We would like to make a monthly/quarterly* gift of: £10

£20

£50

starting from

other £ (dd/mm/yy) until further notice.

Name(s) of Account Holder(s)

Bank/Building Society Name

Bank/Building Society Full Address

Postcode

Account No.

Sort Code.

Instructions to your Bank/Building Society: Please pay this sum to Crisis Centre Limited, a/c number 01408518 sort code 40-14-13 HSBC, 62 George White Street, Cabot Circus, Bristol, BS1 3BA.

And your gift will mean 25% more!

For every £1 you donate, Gift Aid allows us to claim 25p from HM Revenue & Customs – increasing the value of your gift at no cost to you.

Gift Aid Declaration: Please treat as Gift Aid donations all qualifying gifts made: in the past 4 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 HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.

Full Name (Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms*) Address Postcode Tel/Mobile

Email

Signature

Date

*delete as appropriate Please return this form to: FREEPOST RSTX-XTYH-CJCA, Crisis Centre Ministries, 32 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0QY

Thank you for your support

Get involved

Pray

Donate

Volunteer

Fundraise

Pray for the developments in our work, for the clients, volunteers, trustees and staff of the Crisis Centre.

Your contributions help us to provide free hot meals, practical & emotional support and a safe, nurturing environment for homeless and vulnerable people. You can set up a donation online via our website or fill out and return the attached giving form.

Come and be a part of our life-impacting work. We are a small charity and there is always more that can be done. We need volunteers across the whole organisation from back office admin to front line support of clients.

Call Steve Smith, our volunteer coordinator on 0117 405 7112 and we will find a role for your skills.

Host an event, take part in a challenge event or nominate us as your preferred charity at your work, church or community group.

Follow us facebook.com/crisiscentreministries @crisiscentre Subscribe to our fortnightly e-bulletin at www.crisis-centre.org.uk