STREET Summer WISE 2019
Life Recovery: Tony’s story Navigating addiction, loss and family on the journey to recovery. East Bristol foodbank Help feed a struggling family this summer.
THE SUPPORTER MAGAZINE OF CRISIS CENTRE MINISTRIES
“It was the one thing that really helped me after Mum died.”
Contents / 1 News in brief / 2 A letter to the Wild Goose / 3 Spring of Hope: Introducing Alice / 4 Life Recovery: Tony’s story / 8 Help feed a struggling family this summer / 10 Volunteering: Thank you, Jon / 12 Sprucing the Goose: You did it! / 13 Fundraising / 14 Fundraising: Steve starts / 16 Upcoming events /
Editorial
About us
‘More daytime services for homeless people in Bristol.’ You might have seen this petition in the news, backed by local charities, politicians and even some famous Bristolians. We also supported the petition, as it rightly highlighted that there are times during the week, such as early morning, early evening and at weekends, when homeless people have nowhere to go.
We are a Christian charity that has been working in Bristol for over 30 years. We’re dedicated to helping the most vulnerable and marginalised in society achieve healthy and independent lives.
It’s thanks to people like you, our volunteers and supporters, that our city’s homeless people have anywhere to go at all during the day. On page 12, you’ll see the fantastic news that together you’ve raised the £150,000 needed for the refurbishment of the Wild Goose drop-in centre. This amazing achievement means that people who might otherwise have had nowhere to go will now have somewhere they can rely on in the years ahead. We will keep you updated as building work gets underway, but for now, a huge thank you from us and on behalf of each and every guest at the Wild Goose. Matt Parsons Editor
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 Recovery project, East Bristol Foodbank and Spring of Hope women’s night shelter. 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 Happy retirement, Jean!
Mary, our prayer coordinator
Many of you will know the Wild Goose’s beloved chef, Jean. So it follows that many of you will be sad to hear that, after spending three years preparing delicious meals for homeless people at the Goose, Jean is retiring.
Mary, who’s served as our Office Administrator for two years, has kindly also stepped forward to become our new Volunteer Prayer Coordinator. If you’re interested in praying for this ministry and the people we work with, you can sign up for our prayer emails at the back of this magazine.
Jean’s skills reach far beyond the kitchen – she’s loved by volunteers and guests alike, and has also frequently contributed photographs to Streetwise. She will be sorely missed, and we wish her the greatest happiness in her retirement.
Save the date! The CCM AGM now has a date, so make sure you’ve got the evening of Monday 21st October saved in your diaries. There are two other important things happening in October – a memorial service on Thursday 10th for homeless people who have died, and the annual Sleep Out on Friday 11th. We’ll publish more details about these events over the summer.
BCWNS Impact Report The impact report for Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter 2018/19 is now available to read. You can find out about the difference everyone made at crisis-centre.org.uk/ content/publications 1
A letter to the Wild Goose
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Spring of Hope: Introducing Alice Last year, when Spring of Hope women’s night shelter was under great pressure from increasing demands, we had an emergency appeal to raise funds for a Deputy. Thanks to your generous donations, we were able to appoint Alice, who joined us in January this year. my season at DCS was drawing to a close and, although this role involves working with a client group and professional network that’s new to me, I could see how my experience and skillset could be adapted to support CCM & Spring of Hope in the next stage of its development.
What were you doing before you joined CCM? For the past 9 years I’ve worked in social care for Disabled Children’s Services, setting up inclusive short breaks in youth and play provision across the city. I worked closely with mainstream services to develop their understanding, skills and capacity for supporting children and families with diverse and complex needs. Before that, I was project manager of a charity in Lawrence Weston that provided out of school activities for local children and young people. Alongside the frontline work, my previous jobs have always involved project development, administration and multi-agency partnership work which I really enjoy. (I have a geeky appreciation of the wonders of Excel!)
What has been the highlight of the job so far? Spending time with the women who come to Spring of Hope – guests, volunteers, and staff, both in the night shelter and at the daytime session. It’s been great starting to get to know them and a privilege to hear some of their stories and have the opportunity to walk alongside them for a season.
And what do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
What made you apply for the role?
I have a very lovely 11 year old who happily takes up a fair amount of my time and energy, and a wonderful group of friends who I enjoy hanging out with, watching films, going for woodland walks, eating (a lot of) good food and playing silly games! I like to travel and explore new places whenever possible – although we do have a favourite spot in North Devon we return to each year!
A friend emailed me the job advert with the message “this looks like a perfect job for you”! Not quite a postcard from heaven but a wise steer perhaps?! I have a heart for social justice, inclusion and equality. For the past 15 years I’ve worked in jobs supporting vulnerable and isolated people to access opportunities and services, and developing the necessary project infrastructure and networks to support these projects. I knew 3
Client story
Life Recovery:
TONY’S
STORY 84
Tony joined the LIFE Course in late 2016. Chatting with Stu, it soon became apparent that his recovery journey was as much about family as it was about drugs. This is his story: London life
The darkest places and hardest choices
We became carers for my mum at an early age, me, my twin brother Franky and my older brother John. My mum had significant learning difficulties – she couldn’t even work a washing machine or cook. She had love, but she didn’t understand feelings. My dad was always at work – seven days a week on building sites. It was quite a weird upbringing, really. Quite a lonely one, to tell you the truth, for all of us.
The decision was too much. I couldn’t cope. I tried committing suicide, putting dirt and fag ash into my hits of heroin to get septicaemia. I thought I would just die in my sleep, but I woke up one morning and was ill as hell. I could hardly breathe, hardly walk. The ambulance crew knew straight away – God knows how they knew – exactly what it was. I got taken to hospital and all my family came down. I could see the surgeons talking to them. I knew what they were saying. ‘You’d better say your goodbyes. We really don’t think he’s going to make it.’
I lived on a council estate in south west London. Obviously there were a lot of drugs going around, and a bit of crime. I got into drugs from an early age, about 12. Heavily glue-sniffing first. My parents didn’t know, or really didn’t want to know. We must’ve had glue all down our clothes. I got into small bits of crime and then it was cannabis and speed. I got a bit of work, labouring on road works. Then I got into heroin. I was on heroin right up until the age of 40. Never had a day clean.
I was in an induced coma for seven months. I had to have so much surgery throughout this time, because a lot of the cells in my tissue where I’d injected had all completely died. When I woke up from it, I wasn’t happy – I really did want to die! I was about six stone because I had been tube-fed for so long. I’ve still got the scars round my mouth from where the tubes went in.
I used to be quite financially comfortable from drugs – I used to sell a bit to people that I knew wouldn’t come knocking on our door later. My twin also started using around the age of 25 but we didn’t feel comfortable using together, we didn’t really want to acknowledge it was going on. He is still using today.
I ended up getting looked after by my two brothers. Even now, I still don’t think my family really understand me – or what happened. There was no notice given at all to what I’d done, no one said a word about it. I went back to looking after Mum.
Anyway, my dad died when I was about 30. And I knew that it would be left to me to look after my mother, even though I was an addict. I’d sort of prepared myself for it through the years. For five years I was flat out using and looking after Mum, but by the age of about 35 all I wanted to do was get clean. I knew I’d have to walk away from my mother. It would mean leaving London altogether.
I stayed doing drugs until I was about 40, until I thought, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ I said to my mum ‘Look, I’m getting myself into prison, I can get you put into care.’ She was not happy at all. But I did it – I got over two and half years in prison for robbery. I wanted to get caught; I knew prison was the safest place for me to get into recovery, where I could sort my head out and not have to worry about anything on the outside. 5
I knew I would use again, and I didn’t want that as my last memory.
Getting clean and seeing Mum one last time So my mum went into care full time and I got clean, completely. Came off all the drugs in about a year. I knew I’d get the chance to relocate, so I came to Bristol, which was weird – I’d never lived in another city before. I did a lot of recovery programmes in Bristol. It was all good.
My family didn’t understand and I was heavily criticised for it. But to me it made perfect sense.
The LIFE Course and a new future I joined the LIFE Course because I had depression due to everything that had been going on with my family. It was the one thing that really helped me after Mum died. It got me talking again, especially about my family. I had extra sessions with Stu, who was a brilliant person to talk to. I’ve kept in contact with him (we even play badminton together sometimes).
I had gone a long time without contact with my family, but when I tried to get back in touch I got nothing whatsoever. I couldn’t even find out where my mum was. So I just sort of left it… I felt shut out. Things with my family left me feeling lost and depressed. Eventually the door got opened to see my mum, but not as I would have wanted it. It was about three years after coming to Bristol when I got a call from my older brother John. He said Mum was on her deathbed and if I want to see her I needed to come to London soon. It felt like the worst weekend of my life. I’d been clean in Bristol for three years but this trip back to London was too much. I went on a two-day bender because I could not cope with my mum dying. I wished I’d had the chance to see her earlier as her mind had completely gone from dementia.
Talking together tapped into lots of emotion around my family and how I really felt. It was during my time on the course that, with Stuart’s help, I got a tree of remembrance for my mum. It was on a plot of land just outside Bristol. We went there together one wet afternoon, walked through the long grass to my mum’s tree, planted some flowers at its base and said a prayer. I grieved and said goodbye to her. I’ve also managed to get back in touch with my older brother, John. Family is very important to me, and I think I’m naturally a very caring person, but for now I have to do family relationships from a safe distance.
She passed away in September 2016. I didn’t carry on using after that weekend, but I had to decide whether or not I should go to her funeral. I didn’t make my mind up until the day before, when I chose not to go.
While on the LIFE Course we were encouraged to do volunteering. I’d been a good brick layer in the past, but I wanted to train in new skills like plastering and rendering. So I started back at college and then Stuart helped me explore options for volunteering and eventually linked me up with a builder, through a contact of a CCM trustee. For the last year I’ve been working voluntarily three days a week for him, and I’ve even been offered a full time job for when I’m ready. I’m learning some other stuff in the building trade and my plastering and rendering are coming along great. I also volunteer at The Arc Café [at St Mary Redcliffe] one day a week just to break things up – it’s a café run by ARA, who run the recovery house I am in. 6 10
‘The LIFE Course has helped me regain my confidence to do life, to get out of depression, and to build better relationships without compromising my recovery.’ place. I am soon moving into my own onebed flat for the next chapter of my recovery. I hope to continue to feel settled in mind and spirit, and, remembering my family, be at peace with them all.
The LIFE course has helped me regain my confidence to do life, to get out of depression, and to build better relationships without compromising my recovery. I still haven’t totally accepted Bristol as my home (I’m a Londoner!)... I just know London’s not a safe 7
Help feed a struggling family this summer Usually school being out for summer is cause for celebration among young people. But that won’t be the case for everyone in our city. For many families in Bristol, it will be a time of increased anxiety, and a greater struggle to make ends meet. That’s because when school ends, so do free school meals. And this puts additional pressure on families already living in poverty – already struggling to put food on the table. It was reported last year that more than one in four children in Bristol are living in poverty, and struggle to get three full meals a day. In Easton, where we operate, it’s one in three children. And in Lawrence Hill, our neighbouring ward, more than half of the children live in poverty.
out of poverty, foodbanks can provide three days’ worth of food for a person or family who will otherwise struggle to feed themselves. When free school meals stop for the summer, foodbanks become a lifeline. It’s a privilege to be able to share food with people who need it most during this time. But it means that our stocks deplete more quickly than usual. And with people away on holiday, donations don’t come in as regularly. That’s why we need your help. By donating something as simple as a tin of beans or a bag of rice, you’ll be helping a struggling family in Bristol to put food on the table.
This means that during the summer, families in these wards and all over Bristol rely more on foodbanks. While not enough to lift anyone
Donations can be dropped off at your local supermarket if you live in the area. They can also be dropped off at our four outlets: Kingswood Open Monday, 11am–1pm Bourne Christian Centre Waters Road, Kingsdown BS15 8BE
Fishponds Open Friday, 12.30–2.15pm Fishponds Baptist Church Downend Road BS16 5AS
Tudor Road Open Wednesday, 12.30–2pm The Church of God of Prophecy Church Hall 2 Tudor Road BS5 6BW
St Marks Open Friday, 2–4.15pm St Marks Community Cafe St Marks Baptist Church, St Marks Road BS5 6HX 8
Here’s what East Bristol foodbank will need most over the summer:
G LON
LONG
LIFE
MILK
LIFE
T
I FRU
E C I JU
Long Life Fruit Juice
Long Life Milk
Instant Coffee
D TAR S U C
Tinned Pulses
(beans, lentils, chickpeas)
Custard
Tinned Rice Pudding 9
Tinned Tuna
Volunteer story
JON THANK YOU,
Jon, who’s recently finished studying at Trinity College, has been a volunteer at the Wild Goose for two and half years. As he prepares to leave Bristol to take up his curacy, he reflects on his time serving as a Duty Manager.
What made you get involved?
Someone else at Trinity said, “Why don’t you come down to the Wild Goose?” So within two weeks of being in Bristol, I found myself there, volunteering pretty much every week.
a sandwich. I think what the Wild Goose has made me realise is that each person has a story to tell, a story that has for whatever reason meant that they’re in the situation they are in. And taking the time to pause, to hear their story, to journey with them a little bit, is key to seeing society change. I think that’s a shift – from just wanting to be a ‘nice person’ who gives a sandwich, to being someone who has time to listen and engage in a credible way with people who are stuck in a position of homelessness.
And how was it?
What have been the challenges?
It was amazing! I loved it. At the end of my first night I chatted to a few people and heard some stories, and I knew it was a place I could serve, and hopefully bring a bit of God’s love to a world that’s hurting. I got to pray with some people, which was an absolute privilege. It’s been pretty much a privilege every night since!
It’s sometimes really difficult when you can only do so much. For example, there was a guy who was using heroin and was in a really bad way. Just as we were about to start CPR, the ambulance rocked up and managed to give him some naloxone. And within a minute or two of having that injection he came round and was lucid and able to tell the medics that there was no way he wanted another injection, no way he wanted to be going on the ambulance, even though they were very clear that within 15 minutes that injection would wear off and he would potentially become unconscious again, and who knows.
I found Trinity College a bubble of Christian people – lovely, lovely Christian people! But it sent me slightly insane. I’d moved from a council estate in Oxford, and within two weeks I knew I needed an outlet, a way to get back into the real world.
I remember being amazed at the number of people that came in. It was staggering. You hear a lot about homelessness, but until you see a line of people that have queued for an hour and a half to get food, to be warm, to stay dry, the numbers don’t really mean anything to you.
As a Duty Manager, how far do you go? How much can you care? When people are making decisions that are potentially harmful for themselves, it breaks your heart, and you
If I’m honest I’ve often seen homeless people in the street and walked past them, at best bought the Big Issue, or given them 10
want to do more, but you’re limited by what you’re actually there to do, and people have to own their decisions eventually. That’s tough. On the flipside, you have these little moments. You get to hear people’s stories and you just feel incredibly privileged to have been let in. Someone made me a leaving card last night, which is incredibly special.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about volunteering? Just come and visit, come and spend an evening at the Goose. You can start gently, get a feel for the place, meet the volunteers, and realise that it’s actually not a scary place – it’s an amazing place to be. It’s a place of real joy. It’s a really simple way to serve this city, and to serve our God. 11
SPRUCING THE GOOSE:
YOU DID IT! We’re humbled and delighted to announce that you’ve done it! You’ve raised the £150,000 needed to refurbish the Wild Goose drop-in centre. Which means that together you’ve made sure that homeless people in Bristol have somewhere safe, warm and welcoming to be in the years ahead. possible. We will keep you updated, and everyone who has helped make this happen will be invited to see the fully refurbished Wild Goose when it reopens.
A huge, huge thank you to everyone who’s fundraised and donated. We’re currently in the process of scheduling the work, which we hope will be able to begin as soon as
£50,000
£100,000
£150,000! 12
Fundraising
Here’s to you, Mrs. Kinnersley
Grace and Caleb’s excellent adventure
Just what the doctor ordered
Heaven holds a place for those who pray and, we’d like to think, for those who knit chickens in order to raise money for homeless and vulnerable people in Bristol. Mrs. Kinnersley (mother of the Wild Goose’s Andy Kinnersley) hand-knitted 250+ chicken egg holders with her friends, and sold them at Golden Hill Tesco, with all proceeds going towards Sprucing the Goose. In total they raised an amazing £775.50!
Back in April, brother and sister Grace (aged 12) and Caleb (11) set off from Glasgow on the West Highland Way. Their aim? To walk all the way to Fort William and, in the process, raise £500 for our city’s homeless people.
Dr Clare started running in her mid-50s, when she first ran the Bristol 10k to fundraise for Crisis Centre Ministries. She’s run it every year but one since! Clare says, “Entering the 10k is the one thing that gives me the motivation to keep training, so CCM has had a big impact on my physical fitness. I have a lot to thank CCM for!”
Seven days and 96 miles later, they had made it! And they far exceeded their target – raising £1,150.22 in total. A big thank you to everyone who sponsored them, and to their parents for accompanying them all that way. And, of course, a round of applause for Grace and Caleb themselves. Bravo! 13
Well, we have a lot to thank Clare for too. Not only does she serve as one of our trustees, but she’s also raised a lot of funds over the years, including an impressive £1,584.38 this year. Thank you, Clare!
FUNDRAISING:
STEVE STARTS Our new Development and Relationships Manager
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What were you doing before you joined CCM?
What has been the highlight of the job so far?
I spent the last nine years at Young Somerset – a charity focusing on the needs of young people across a vast rural area. I’d worked in various roles – Participation, National Citizen Service and eventually as the Deputy Chief Executive, with responsibility for everything from youth work programmes and safeguarding to budgets and fundraising.
I’ve loved meeting so many different people who have a passion for making a difference. Within CCM, the volunteers, staff and trustees have such a range of skills, talents, enthusiasm and a heart for people and it’s been a privilege to spend time with them and to learn about what they do. But it’s also been amazing to meet other people – churches, businesses, trusts and charities – all who want to make a difference in Bristol.
What made you apply for this role? I grew up in Bristol and for as long as I can remember, homelessness and poverty have been challenges within the city. It’s a cause that I’ve always cared deeply about – I remember being part of church youth groups that raised funds to help the homeless.
What excites me most about working for CCM in this role is the potential resource, capability and will-power that could be unleashed by people working together. There are so many opportunities to transform people’s lives – both the people that we serve, but also ourselves. By stepping out, trying new approaches and working with other people, very often God transforms our faith and our churches, whilst making a difference to the people we serve – and I love that!
My faith is incredibly important to me. I’m passionate about how Jesus can transform lives and the role that the church can play in making a difference to those who need it the most.
And what do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Within my previous role, I’d done a lot of development work, including writing funding applications, working with local communities and developing partnerships with different organisations. So when I saw the role of Development and Relationships Manager advertised at CCM, it seemed to encapsulate all my passions, skills and faith in one role!
My wife and two children find plenty to fill my spare time with! Together we’ve made a commitment to walk the South West Coast Path – we’re 60 miles in, so only another 570 to go! I’m the treasurer at Castle Cary Methodist Church, a supporter of local sport, including both Bristol City and Bristol Bears, and in my spare time enjoy a spot of gardening.
‘What excites me most about working for CCM in this role is the potential resource, capability and will-power that could be unleashed by people working together.’ 15
Upcoming events Addiction & Recovery Training
This training series, now in its fourth year, equips churches and pastoral care workers with a better understanding of how to support people struggling with addiction.
Homelessness to Independent Living
LIFE RECOVERY GROUP | SUPPORTING RECOVERY – GROWING FAITH | 2017–18
UNDERSTANDING
ADDICTION & SUPPORTING RECOVERY IN THE CHURCH Saturday Morning Training Seminars 23.09.17 18.11.17 13.01.18 10.03.18 12.05.18 08.07.18
This session explores the journey to independent living, including the hurdles along the way.
Addiction & the Brain Relapse & Recovery Trauma & Attachment Mental Health The 12 Step Programme & Mutual Aid Groups From Homelessness to Independent Living
Dr. Fergus Law, Consultant Psychiatrist Ant Newman, Recovery Navigator Fr. Giles Lascelle, Trauma Specialist P-J Charters, BABCP Therapist Lydia Davenport, Drugs & Alcohol Counsellor Richard Sayer, Salvation Army Hostel Manager
VENUE: Woodlands Church, Upper Hall, BS8 2AA TIME: 9.30–12.30am Coffee from 9.15am Suggested donation £5 per session on the door | Refreshments provided To book your place or for more information please go to: www.liferecoverygroup.org or call 07858 757 226
Date: Sat 6th July Time: 9:30am–12:30pm Venue: The Old School Rooms, St Michael’s Centre, North Rd, Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS34 8PD To book your place, please visit: crisis-centre.org.uk/LRGtraining2018/19
Our AGM – save the date!
We know it’s still a way off, but this year our AGM will take place on Monday 21st October. Like last year, it will be held at Fishponds Baptist Church. It will also mark 35 years since the beginning of Crisis Centre Ministries.
Sleep Out 2019
Date: Fri 11th October While you’ve got your diary out, why not make a note of the date for this year’s Sleep Out? If you’re interested in taking part this year to raise money for homeless people in Bristol, you can find out more and register on our website. Just visit crisis-centre.org.uk/sleep-out-2019
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Why your support is so important 1 2
The number of people rough sleeping in England has risen for the sixth consecutive year, to an estimated 4,134.1
3
Recent changes in welfare have led to people being evicted due to the inability to access benefits.3
4
The growing housing crisis is also fuelling homelessness. For example, rental prices in London have increased 24% since 2010 whilst average wages only 3%.4
5
A homeless rough sleeper is 35 times more likely to attempt suicide than someone who has never faced homelessness.5
One in every 170 Bristol residents is homeless.2
1. Department for Communities and Local Government, 2016: Rough sleeping in England: autumn 2016 2. Shelter, 2017: Far from alone: Homelessness in Britain in 2017 3. Housing Justice, 2017: Homelessness Overview 2017 4. Ibid 5. Ibid
Could you become a regular supporter? a month
a month
a month 17
Sign me up! First Name: Surname: Title: Address:
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Communications preferences I wish to receive the following communications by the methods given (please select all those that apply): By phone Updates regarding my donations and/ or updates relevant to the projects I’m interested in By text message E.g. emergency volunteering needs, event reminders or announcements about new projects By post Quarterly news magazine and occasional letters relevant to my interests By email A monthly e-newsletter and specific emails relevant to my interests A monthly prayer e-newsletter
Emails related to my volunteering commitments
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 elect to receive any of the above communications. Data protection: Crisis Centre Ministries 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: crisis-centre.org.uk/data-protection-policy
Please complete and return this form to: FREEPOST RSTX-XTYH-CJCA, Crisis Centre Ministries, 32 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0QY
I’d like to help homeless and vulnerable people in Bristol (You can also donate online at crisis-centre.org.uk.)
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OR every month
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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 an additional 25p from HMRC. Gift Aid Declaration: 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 (Title) Address Postcode Data protection: Crisis Centre Ministries 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 at crisis-centre.org.uk/data-protection-policy
Please return this form to: FREEPOST RSTX-XTYH-CJCA, Crisis Centre Ministries, 32 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0QY
Thank you for your support Summer 2019
Getting involved Everyone can make a difference to the homeless and vulnerable people in our community. If you’re not already part of the work that we do, here are some ways to 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. There are a range of volunteer roles available across the organisation, suitable for differing gifts and availabilities. Contact Steve Smith, our Volunteer Coordinator, if you’d like to find out more: 0117 405 7112.
Pray
As a Christian charity, prayer is integral to all that we do. If you’d like to join the group of volunteers that prays regularly for the work that we do and the people who we work with, you can sign up for our prayer email newsletter via our website.
Donate
With the number of homeless people increasing in Bristol, your donations are appreciated now more than ever. They help provide hot meals, shelter, love and hope to our city’s most destitute. To find out more about donating, visit our website or call us on 0117 405 7113.
Fundraise
If you’d like to raise money for homeless people in Bristol, we’d love to work with you. Whether you’re thinking about hosting an event or taking part in a challenge, visit our website to find out more about fundraising with us.
Follow us facebook.com/crisiscentreministries @crisiscentre Sign up for our monthly email newsletter at crisis-centre.org.uk