Derby City Mission Annual Review 2023

Annual Review 2023

Transforming Lives Together

God’s Abundant Grace

Last year, God promised to bless us with a deep well of Rehoboth – it means open spaces or spaciousness. At the time, it was not clear exactly what that would look like for us here at DCM. However, it quickly became obvious. Within a few short weeks, we had submitted a detailed funding application, consulted with builders and planning regulations and were successfully awarded a capital grant.

Work began in January this year to build brand new emergency accommodation for homeless people in Derby - The Ark. It has 8 bedrooms with shared facilities and is right inside our existing building. We have also been able to have a brand-new café and community shop.

What a difference a year can make!

I have been astounded by how God continually provides when situations arose during this year that made our new development look impossible: an additional funder at the 11th hour so that we could even get started, generous individual giving and regular monthly donors and grant support from other funding bodies. God has always brought alongside us the right people, with the right skills or support, to help us every step of the way. Just like He always does.

We have continued in all of our other existing services too and you will see the impact on people’s lives as you read on. Thank you to all of you for your support, finances, prayers and volunteering; it means that we will keep reaching out to those in need of love, support and the good news of the gospel.

Nothing is easy is it? Jesus never promised a life of ease if we became his follower. But we are blessed in many ways. ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ’ Eph 1:3

Elle Warrener-Davis Managing Director

Board of Trustees Update

Each year I sit down to write this I stop to reflect and each year I find myself blown away and thanking God for his generous provision and blessing. It is so easy to get caught up in the daily activities of running a charity to miss the continuation of God’s blessing.

We’ve had numerous occurrences this year where people have volunteered into roles, funding from stakeholders has arrived to meet the needs and we’ve received financial gifts that arrive just at the time we’re making decisions. These affirmations are such an encouragement to the Trustees, Staff team and Volunteers as we see the demonstration of God blessing the ministries of Derby City Mission.

While I don’t want to paint an overly optimistic picture of our year, I can personally testify that God has again put the right people in the right place at the right time to counsel and provide wisdom through some difficult decisions. Over the last couple of years, we’ve deliberately consolidated our activities in the City, providing advice into the shire when requested, but our focus has concentrated on activities in the City, our city. This has resulted in the commissioning of the Ark; but that’s not my story to unpack.

What is my story to unpack is the journey to get it in place to thank the team and funding agencies. This is a development, building out of our existing ministries, giving us opportunities to demonstrate God’s love and care. Looking forward, I’d love for a straightforward “boring” year. I know that’s not the journey we’re on as God stretches our faith as we adapt to the changing needs and opportunities to testify to God’s love to all those in the City of Derby.

Thank you all for your support this last year.

Nigel Town Chair

In the last 12 months

Our newly refurbished Community Café and Shop reopened in July this year. The lighter, brighter environment is more welcoming and better meets the needs of those who use the facilities.

3245 2184

People visited the Community Café and Shop

emergency food parcels have been given out.

This includes the period where both Café and Shop were being renovated.

Hours of volunteering are happening in the Café each week.

The Community Café has continued to be a safe place where people can come to find peace and a caring, compassionate, listening ear from our volunteers. We are blessed that Stevie Davies, an artisan craft expert who specialises in fused glass, comes in regularly to lead craft sessions.

We make it clear that we are a Christian Mission and that Jesus is central in all we do. Prayer is offered at every session and Bibles are always available and free if requested.

Supporting the work in the Café and Shop is a team of volunteers who take and sort the donations, ensuring all items are in date and stock the Community Shop on a weekly basis. Even more volunteers collect throughout the week from the various supermarkets who support us.

We are, as always, incredibly grateful for the tireless work our volunteers do and would like to offer them a huge thank you. May God bless them.

In the past twelve months, our Jubilee Clinic advisers have:

Meetings with

3753 Clients which included working with

1345 New Clients

Members of the Jubilee team have: Prevented bailiff action, homelessness, disconnection from utilities and court action for 80 cases.

Recorded a whopping £1,357,521.31 of recorded outcomes in twelve months.

Have started a one-to-one budgeting course with some clients, to help them manage their money.

We thank God for this amazing provision and for the skill and wisdom of those serving God as part of the Jubilee team.

Secured a total of

£50,594.47 charitable payments for items such as washing machines, cookers other essential items, along with shopping vouchers and help towards gas and electricity bills, helping 422 people.

In January 2023, construction began, bringing to life our vision of emergency accommodation for Derby’s homeless. The Ark, with its eight bedrooms and shared facilities, now stands as a beacon of hope. But it’s more than shelter; it’s a place of compassion and community. Along this journey, God’s providence has been evident, with timely funding and the right people stepping in to help. The community’s unwavering support, through donations, prayers, and volunteer hours, has been our driving force. As we welcome our first guests, we do so with gratitude, hope, and an unshakeable faith for what is to come.

This year, we have provided emergency overnight provision for different people who would have otherwise slept outside.

This equates to: over the year

A big thank you to our fantastic builders

2150 vulnerable individuals have been given a warm, comfortable and, most importantly, SAFE place to sleep.

ByMySide acts as a support system, a surrogate family for those who may have little or no family care. Trust is built and bonds are formed among clients and the dedicated team working alongside them. For many of our clients, several of whom have faced addiction and challenging life circumstances, the chaos of addiction and life on the streets has left them yearning for a sense of normality. So, every Wednesday, the clients of ByMySide are offered the opportunity to come together for a weekly workshop, hosted in partnership with the team at Derby’s ArtCore. These serve as a haven of creativity where art becomes therapy and begins the healing process, as well as providing an outlet for buried emotions. Through the act of creation, individuals can express themselves, confront their struggles, and begin to heal. Beyond the art itself, these workshops foster a sense of community and connection that is often missing in the lives of those who have faced addiction and homelessness. We are grateful to see God moving powerfully in the lives of our clients. The journey is ongoing and we are excited to witness the transformations yet to come.

On leaving prison, many of our guests find it difficult to secure housing as landlords are unwilling to give them a chance. Even if they do, often their addictions and lack of budgeting skills mean they fail in their tenancy and go back into the cycle of homelessness and offending behaviour. Ultimately, we aim to build relationships with them and help them rebuild their lives. We also aim to engage our clients in activities that will reduce their offending behaviour and allow them to continue in their tenancies after their involvement with the project has ended.

were offered by 75 volunteers who gathered, sorted and distributed the toys, right up to Christmas Eve

£45,000 worth of gifts were donated and distributed in December 22

Children received an average of five gifts to the value of £40-£50.

Parents were able to choose from a category that met their child’s interests, giving them dignity through choice, and gifts were distributed unwrapped so that parents knew what they were giving to their child.

We expect Christmas Connection 2023 to be even busier as more parents struggle financially as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. We thank God for His hand in this work and for the success of the project.

Alongside our regular, amazing volunteers, we were blessed to have helpers from Rolls Royce, Alstom & Pinnacle Surveyors. ;

Street Pastors

Once again, our team of volunteers have continued to walk the city centre streets of Derby every Friday and Saturday evening until the early hours: helping to provide assistance to vulnerable people, handing out water, flip flops, collecting bottles and glasses from the streets, and ensuring members of the public get home safely. Street Pastors also support people with first aid and in more serious cases providing a safe environment until the arrival of emergency services.

This year we have welcome our newly recruited street pastors who have joined the dedicated and committed team. We are also thankful to the Derby Central United Reformed Church for yet another year of their continued support – the very hub of Street Pastors every weekend!

Thank you to all of you for your support of finances and prayers that mean we can share the love of Jesus on the streets of Derby.

In the heart of Derby, Storehouse isn’t just a place for food; it’s where lives intersect, stories are shared and spirits are lifted.

Every Thursday, around 50 attendees gather, with a team of 30 volunteers ready to extend a hand and a heart. In today’s world, with soaring costs, Storehouse remains a lifeline, bridging the gap between limited incomes and growing expenses. But Storehouse is more than sustenance; it’s a sanctuary of hope. We don’t just pray; we embody the love of God, following the teachings of Christ to “feed my sheep.”

Beyond nourishing bodies, we nurture souls, creating a tapestry of compassion, one meal, one heartfelt moment at a time.

At Derby City Mission, we believe in the power of prayer to transform lives and situations. Prayer fuels our mission.

Each month, our Prayershield connects intercessors and supporters to our city’s needs.

Please take a look at our website and sign up to our monthly prayershield.

Derby City Mission is blessed to have

110 Volunteers who regularly give up their time to help in the ministries, projects and programmes that we run. Volunteers also collect donations from our supporting supermarkets and sort them in our warehouse.

We would like to express our heartfelt and grateful thanks to our volunteers who cheerfully offer their time to help. Without them, the work Derby City Mission would not be efficient, successful or even, in some cases, possible. Their help is invaluable and we are immensely blessed by what they do. They are amazing!

We will never take their sacrifice of time for granted.

It’s easy to donate financially to support the work we’re doing through Derby City Mission. Whether you’re looking to give a one-off donation or commit to supporting the people of Derby month in and month out through regular contributions, all you donate goes to improving the lives of people in Derby, moving people from chaotic lives to contributing ones.

Visit our website for more information about gifting to Derby City Mission.

Or you can scan the QR code to donate.

Want to support us in bigger ways?

Inspire your community with an extraordinary fundraising challenge!

Whether it’s a sponsored trek, a bake sale, or a daring skydive, your possibilities are limitless. Commit to a challenge, and the rewards could be too! We want to express our gratitude to those who took the plunge and fund raised for Derby City Mission in 2022/2023.

From marathons to sky dives, your contributions were phenomenal.

Financial Statement

In March 2022 we aimed for to break even in the year to 31st March 2023, acutely aware that this was a very tough target.

The operating surplus of £92,000 has therefore been received by the Trustees with gratitude and encouragement. In addition, £223,000 was a one-off capital grant for the building of The Ark. So at the year end, the published accounts show a surplus of £315,000.

Of the £92,000, £89,000 has been added to restricted reserves. These are funds which have been earmarked for specific purposes and the balance has gone to unrestricted reserves, to which there are no strings attached by external parties.

Excluding the funding for The Ark development, income was £1,119k, a small increase on the previous year, and expenditure remained steady at £1,027k, in spite of increases in activities and facilitated by reductions in central costs.

The Trustees recognise the amount of effort that has gone into delivering the financial result for 2022/23, and are hugely grateful to supporters and other funders for their generosity. We are, however, very aware that there continues to be unlimited demand for the services that DCM delivers but limited financial resources to fund them.

We exist to make disciples of every people group, in partnership with churches and other agencies, by demonstrating God’s love and bringing hope.