STREET WISE
September – December 2015
Interview with the CEO / We find out more about Jonathan Lee. 1 year on / Spring of Hope talks about how their project has developed in their new home.
THE SUPPORTER MAGAZINE OF CRISIS CENTRE MINISTRIES
LITE to LIFE The LITE course is changing…
Contents / 1 Thank you to all our supporters / 2 Interview with the CEO / 4 Spring of Hope report / 6 Volunteer highlight – Judith / 8 From LITE to LIFE / 10 Client story – Lynn / 12 About our projects / 13 Staff highlight – Ruth / 14 Finance & fundraising / 16 Can you help? / 17 Upcoming events
Editorial
About us
Welcome to the new look of Streetwise. This magazine has been around for a very long time and it was finally time for a redesign. This new format will bring you more insight into the workings of our charity and the impact that you have as our supporters. We hope you like it.
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.
So many exciting things are happening at Crisis Centre at the moment. Jonathan Lee, our new CEO has been well and truly inducted into the charity’s work and getting stuck in. Read our interview with him to find out about his thoughts on CCM and his hopes for the charity. Our women’s night shelter project Spring of Hope has been in their new building for over a year now. SOH manager, Val Thompson shares how the building has enabled the project to provide a wider range of services in helping vulnerable women. The LITE course, which has been running almost as long as CCM itself, is also changing. LITE manager Stuart Leitch introduces the improvements and also explains the integration with the Life Recovery Group, a Christian-based group for clients in recovery. I am also very pleased to share Lynn’s story with you. Lynn is a brave woman who, having endured many years of abuse, experienced a psychological and spiritual transformation when she started to receive support from CCM. We hope you are inspired by these stories. CCM
Our mission is to empower personal change through offering food, shelter, hope and support through our four 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 client holding a cup of coffee during a Life Recovery Group gathering. 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
Thank you to all our supporters Thanks to your support in 2014, Crisis Centre Ministries:
We simply could not carry out this work without your support, prayer, volunteering and donations. Together we are stronger in providing God’s love and provision to those who need it the most. Thank you from all the staff at CCM to each and every one of you for being part of the CCM family.
■■ placed 241 persons into short term accommodation and 23 into long-term accommodation ■■ provided 110 women with emergency shelter
Giving thanks for...
■■ served 3200 meals every week 50 weeks of the year
■■ God’s amazing provision and faithfulness to CCM.
■■ made 274 visits accompanying clients to courts, rehabs and hospitals
■■ A sense of family, community and support in our projects.
■■ handed out 1729 food parcels, which fed 3685 people, 1443 of which were children
■■ The steady and compassionate commitment of our trustees and volunteers, and their generous giving of their time and talents.
■■ provided 665 counts of practical help which includes sleeping bags, clothing and furniture
■■ Donations and prayers that have enabled us to help people in very destitute circumstances.
■■ provided 1760 sessions of listening support.
Praying for... ■■ Breakthrough for those in long term addiction; peace and wholeness for each of our clients. ■■ More volunteers for each project so that they can run well and enrich the services offered. ■■ Deeper partnership with churches across Bristol. ■■ Continued financial support for CCM.
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Interview with the
“The one thing that I find so different about this type of organisation is the heart of the people that work and volunteer for it; that makes it worth coming in the morning.”
CEO
What gets you excited about this role? The one thing that I find so different about this type of organisation is the heart of the people that work and volunteer for it; that makes it worth coming in the morning. We’ve all got our different tasks but there is real community here.
Jonathan Lee joined CCM as the new CEO in January 2015. We sat down with him to ask him how his first few months have been…
What are the challenges that CCM face? I think there is always more that could be done; the fact that the Wild Goose is not open on a Saturday and Spring of Hope is closed two nights a week, for example. When our night shelter is closed, women are sleeping rough. We’re not just about providing food and shelter but establishing relationship and journeying with people; this is a challenge, building up relationships takes time.
Your background is in engineering, how have you ended up at CCM?
What makes CCM unique?
It’s a bit of a long story… I did start off in engineering but then moved into procurement, managing purchasing teams and suppliers; I was in aerospace for about 15 years. It was about ten years in when I started to be challenged by God to see my work place as a place of ministry. In 2007 we visited a friend in Pakistan which opened up conversations about overseas work. On our return we began looking for opportunities to work overseas and found ourselves moving to Cairo, Egypt. I took on the role of Director of a programme working with refugees and asylum seekers. It really placed me in at the deep end, I had no experience of the plight of or systems for refugee/asylum seekers; and it was a completely different work culture. But I loved it! It was one of those times when you know you are where God wants you to be.
We very much put our Christian faith at the centre of the work. We are also distinctive by being a person focussed organisation. We help people with what they would like to change about their lives rather than telling them what needs changing. We are not driven to impact X number of people in a day, a week, a month. We journey with people for however long it takes and allow God to do His work. What is your prayer for CCM today? My prayer for CCM today is the prayer I have for every day; that everything we offer enables service users to experience Jesus at work and that they have the opportunity to encounter Jesus themselves. And what’s your dream for CCM in the next five years?
Returning to the UK in 2012 I joined the George Muller Charitable Trust as a church partnership consultant. I had a strong sense that God wanted me to apply for the CEO role at CCM even though I wasn’t looking for a new job!
To have a significant and greater impact on reducing rough sleeping and shortening the time between someone becoming homeless and coming back under shelter.
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SPRING OF HOPE
REPORT – 1 YEAR ON
By Val Thompson, Spring of Hope Manager
On Tuesday 19th May 2015, Spring of Hope Women’s Night Shelter celebrated their first birthday at Spring of Hope House. This building was an amazing gift of a building from a property developer in the summer of 2013. As I reflect back on our move from the LITE Training Room at 32 Stapleton Road, into our own accommodation it was of mixed emotions. On the one hand I felt great excitement that our prayers were being answered beyond our wildest dreams. On the other hand I also felt sadness that I might not see some of the CCM staff on a regular basis. We are a family at CCM, so moving out of 32 Stapleton Road felt like leaving home.
comments about how beautiful, relaxed and friendly it is. Volunteers have also mentioned how peaceful and safe they feel volunteering in the shelter. We currently open our doors five nights a week serving women from all walks of life in their homelessness. This varies from abuse, trauma from childhood into womanhood, mental health, human trafficking, broken relationships, street workers and debt. We have also noticed that some of our ex-service users are finding the transition from living nowhere to having their own home lonely and isolating. Therefore when we can, we have invited these women back to Spring of Hope for extra support, community and friendship.
Our move surprisingly went smoothly, with help, advice and support from staff, volunteers and supporters. A massive blessing came from Our Father God when a furniture shop gave us 12 divan beds, a dining table and chairs and a beautiful red sofa.
Our working relationships with new and previous agencies have also grown from strength to strength. This has been powerful for us as it enables us to support a wider remit of service users going into detox and rehab. Another new support which has grown has been to partner with agencies to support service users to relocate. These are clients who have chosen to go back to their home country or home town in the UK. These are real God moments when I receive messages saying all is well and life is now different in returning home.
On Saturday 14th June 2014, we had our official opening attended by the Bristol Lord Mayor and the Mayor of Bristol. It was fantastic to see our volunteers, supporters, new neighbours, the wider community and media celebrate with us. It was a very special day for me and CCM, to know that Spring of Hope House would be a place of refuge, safety and support for women in Bristol. Spring of Hope House has been much appreciated by the service users. It has been lovely to hear
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For the future, I’m praying for more resources so that we can open six nights a week. The Spring of Hope drop-in is also launching in Autumn 2015 where we will run a variety of activities 5 days a week for the women.
I would like to thank all of you for your support, help and prayers for our story so far. I hope that you will continue to journey with us as we remain open to do the will of our Father God.
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Volunteer highlight Although I live in Grantham, in rural Lincolnshire, I began a course in Theology at Trinity College in Bristol in 2012. I came to Crisis Centre Ministries on placement as a part of my course. The volunteer coordinator Steve Smith ensured I had time with all the CCM projects, including a part-shift with Spring Of Hope just before Christmas. I really enjoyed my time on all of the projects at CCM, particularly as it is a faith based and faith funded charity, and there is a real sense of God’s Holy Spirit at work there. However, my heart and prayers really led me back to focus on the Spring of Hope. When I first started volunteering there, one of the ladies was the same age as my Mum, which made a huge impact on me.
After my placement, I returned to Spring of Hope as a volunteer fitting this around college and work. A few months later I had to change jobs and couldn’t commit to volunteering. My final shift (or so I thought!) was the first night the ladies stayed in the new building. I asked Val to ‘keep the door open’ for me to return, but couldn’t see how I’d be able to do this.
As I’ve said ‘yes’ to God, He has opened up more opportunities for me to serve Him and the ladies at Spring of Hope, as well as providing for my day to day needs. Although I have looked into volunteering closer to home, I feel that Spring of Hope is very special and I want to continue to help the women that really need me. Even if I can’t connect with every person I meet at Spring of Hope, the conversations and breakthroughs I manage to have make driving down from Grantham each week worthwhile.
In January 2015 Val asked me to cover a shift, which I agreed to. During my shift God told me to prioritise volunteering with Spring of Hope. I got a real sense that this was a special place where lives really do change and turn around. I knew that I wanted to be a part of that. My line manager adjusted my shifts to allow me to do this and I was able to commit to a regular slot. I knew I wanted to get to the point where I could take on the Duty Manager role and was surprised and delighted when Val emailed and asked if I’d like to do this!
Judith works as an Age UK responder in Grantham, Lincolnshire from Sunday to Wednesday. Every Thursday morning she drives the 170 miles from Grantham to Bristol to manage an overnight team at the Spring of Hope on Thursday nights. On Fridays Judith also conducts support work with SOH clients. She then drives the 170 miles home to Lincolnshire on Saturdays. We are very appreciative of her travelling so far to help us.
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“The Life Recovery Group is called ‘a family’ because in many ways that’s exactly what it is for many members.”
From LITE to
LIFE
By Stuart Leitch, LIFE course manager
This autumn, LITE will be relaunched under the banner of LIFE. Since its inception LITE has provided basic training for employment for clients primarily with a history of homelessness and addiction. In recent years, due to the changing benefit and employment climate, and the need for early recovery life skills support, we have shifted our focus. We have seen a need to teach life skills within a recovery context, where work is a component of healthy recovery rather than the goal of recovery. So LITE has become LIFE, an emphasis on positive life skills for positive recovery, and not just about ‘not using’ drugs/alcohol.
life course.” Providing space to listen, tell their story and even pray is of great therapeutic value to those whose histories are filled with trauma and neglect. For many clients this journey towards a “normal” life (as one client said) has involved faith as part of the healing process. Another client recently said “I have discovered in God the father I never had.” The LIFE course has also evolved to partner with the Life Recovery Group (LRG). This group was formed around 2009 as a cross church initiative under the Woodlands Church umbrella. It is set in a Christian setting where individuals can find a safe space to grow their faith whilst strengthening their recovery. The group started because there was not enough recovery in the church and not enough church in recovery. Attendees wanted a place to make both church and recovery happen together without pressure. It is again about making connections, which encourages individuals to heal.
We have also witnessed a great desire for human connection from our clients and it is this desire for connection that is at the heart of LIFE. The commitment to making a connection with the clients we work with starts with the staff and volunteers. The Joseph Rowntree report “Tackling homelessness and exclusion: Understanding complex lives” states that “persistent encouragement and support is key to homeless individuals with complex needs, committing to meaningful change and successfully overcoming the often formidable barriers they face”. We are committed to them and the process. The process involves five LIFE modules which explore self-care, positive thinking, healthy relationships, life management and ‘telling your story’. These modules, plus recreational and volunteering activities, build up the client’s “recovery capital” (the sum of resources necessary to initiate and sustain recovery from substance misuse).
There has been a great crossover between LITE and LRG and we expect that this will increase as we run the LIFE course. The group has 60 plus members and runs in Easton on Friday nights, Southmead on Wednesday afternoons and provides a bi-monthly training programme for Christians supporting people in recovery. Our meetings are characterized by sharing, praying, worship and discovering what the Bible says about making those recovery connections real for each person… plus lots of laughter and the occasional outburst!
The Rowntree report goes on to state that “frequently the roots of many people’s experiences of homelessness and exclusion in adulthood, lay within very troubled childhoods. While it does not follow that all people who experience troubled childhoods will have complex lives or become homeless, childhood experience has a pervasive impact on an individual’s
The Life Recovery Group is called “a family” because in many ways that’s exactly what it is for many members. A place of belonging, acceptance and hope. Our hope for the future is that both LIFE and LRG will grow and be accessible across the city, providing essential recovery life skills and a place to find faith and connections that make life worth living.
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Client story
Lynn My earliest memory was when I was 2 and my mum broke my leg. She used to beat me a lot. After my dad died I remember my mum with lots of men - boyfriend after boyfriend. When I was 13, my mum’s boyfriend raped me. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone and that the other kids would go into care. That is why I didn’t say anything and the abuse went on for years until I was 16. My life was terrible. I wasn’t allowed out, I wasn’t allowed to have friends and I was regularly beaten. I wasn’t even allowed to go to school. That’s why I don’t have an education. That was when I ran away from home. But then I got married, at the age of 17. Charlie raped me on our wedding night. That year I gave birth to my son, and then 15 months later I had another son. By this time my husband Charlie was very possessive of me. He would rape me most nights. He treated me like a piece of meat. Having been brought up as a child like that, I thought it was normal. By the time I had four sons, things were really bad. I didn’t have any money or friends.
disowned me because my sister accused him of abusing her grandchildren. The police confiscated my daughter’s laptop and found all his child pornography pictures on there. He was found guilty. One day I went to visit him and I told him that I wanted a divorce. I couldn’t cope anymore. He said that it wasn’t necessary and that we were getting by. And I suddenly realised that I don’t want to get by anymore. I just wanted to break free from him. I did divorce him though. I was 51 years old.
One night eight years ago the police arrested Charlie on allegations of being a paedophile. My family
About a year after I got divorced, I came here to do the LITE course. And I also started going to the Life
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“I don’t want to just exist. I want to live.” Recovery Group. I did things on the LITE course that I never did in my life. Like climbing and building huts. Being on LITE has given me the confidence to do things that I didn’t think I could do. I can do things now.
and kind. Receiving and seeing the love in this place I have realised that God is real. And also since I’ve known God, my life has changed. I know that when I am fighting something, He is there. God, the Wild Goose, Val, 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. I want to be a support worker to help others like me.
Seeing people be loving and kind to each other was freaky for me. But the more I came here the more I thought I could also have this life. It gives me the confidence that I need. I also love the Friday women’s group here when we do Bible study. Crisis Centre is the family I never had. Jonnie, the Wild Goose manager, is my big brother, Val, the Spring of Hope manager, is the mother I never had – loving
I don’t want to live in the past, I don’t want to just exist. I want to live. My life is getting stronger and better.
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Each shift in the Wild Goose Drop-In Centre, volunteers serve around 500 cups of tea and coffee. This equates to 1500 hot drinks served every day, and a grand total of 5kg of sugar and 1.2kg of coffee!
Every day in the Wild Goose, volunteers and staff wash up over 1500 dirty dishes and kitchen utensils.
In the last 12 months the Life Recovery Group sold 13 Bibles to members, 45 new members started attending and 15 mentoring relationships were established.
In an average month we give out over 500 carrier bags of food (which equates to over 2100 meals) at our food banks.
Every breakfast, the Wild Goose serves 300 pieces of toast.
About our projects The Spring of Hope Women’s Night Shelter does 4–10 loads of washing each day, meaning that their washing machine is on almost constantly!
In February we recorded 491 times that volunteers came to support our projects.
Staff highlight
Finance Manager Ruth Nott Ruth joined the CCM team at the end of June. We put some questions to Ruth to get to know more about her.
Q What were you doing before CCM? A I worked as an Admin and Finance Manager at Bristol Refugee Rights. Before that I worked at The Big Issue South West.
Q What made you apply for this role? A I’ve been a supporter of CCM for a number of years and have admired the work. I saw the advert and liked the idea of a new challenge, but still working locally.
Q What are you most looking forward to? A I’m looking forward to getting to know the team better and to be involved in a great organisation.
Q What do you enjoy doing when you are not working? A I’m involved at Easton Christian Family Centre and enjoy walking Tilly, our rescue dog. I recently completed the Bristol 10k, raising money for CCM so also like to keep reasonably fit!
Q Do you have a skill or talent that few people know about? A I make a nice cup of tea... 13
Finance & fundraising Fundraising news
Jollie Socks We have partnered with Jollie Socks to provide socks to the homeless community. Jollie Socks is a social enterprise that is passionate about creating fun and tangible opportunities to support local homeless charities. For every pair of Jollie Socks purchased, a pair of hard, hiking socks is sent to local partner charities in the same city as the donor. These socks are then distributed to those who need them. “Wear a pair, share a pair.” Buy a pair or several via their website www.jolliesocks.com
Bristol 10K
Regular giving Our most urgent need is regular donations. Only 15% of all our giving is regular and planned. It is very hard to plan our services without knowing how much money we will have each month. If you are able to give on a regular basis this would help us plan the vital work that our clients depend upon. Please see the opposite page to read about why regular giving is important. However, we are still very grateful for your donations even if you are not able to commit to regular giving at this time.
Ruth, Stu and Clare ran the Bristol 10K and raised over £2000 between them. Well done and thank you for running for CCM!
Fundraising ceilidh
Gift Aid If you are a taxpayer, we can claim 25% of gift aid on top of your donations for the past four years, and on your current and future donations. Therefore if you have not done so already, please fill out a gift aid form. You can download the giving form from our website or give us a call to post or email one to you.
Our very first ceilidh event that we held back in May was a great success, with fantastic music from the band, lots of dancing and delicious food and cake. We also held a silent auction with exciting items to bid on, including a set of beautiful paintings, glamping breaks for two and even an afternoon tea party with tigers at the Paradise Wildlife Park! We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped us to raise an amazing £2,400 for homeless and vulnerable people in Bristol.
Financial status 2015 First quarter year to date (April–June) figures: Budget Expenditure: Actual Expenditure: Actual Income:
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£141,402 £103,428 £89,884
a y u b o t d r o ff Can I a offee today? cup of c
Can I afford without begg to eat tonight ing or stealing ?
Some problems are more urgent than others
We are inviting you to regularly give to our work to help those who desperately need our help. Why is regular giving important to Crisis Centre Ministries?
How can I set up regular giving? Online: you can set up a standing order to us via your own internet banking, using our banking details (Crisis Centre Limited, a/c no. 01408518, sort code 40-14-13). Please quote your surname as the reference.
Because supporting and helping homeless people, who for the most part have very complex issues, requires long-term investment. Knowing what funds to expect in the coming months and years help us to effectively plan our services where they are needed the most.
Via our website: Go to www.crisis-centre.org.uk, click on the Donate button on the right hand side. Click on Donate and follow the instructions to set up your regular giving. Remember to select ‘regular’ when choosing which kind of donation you are making.
How much should I give? However much is comfortable for you is the answer, as long as it is an amount that is sustainable for you. We suggest £10 a month, at less than £2.50 (the cost of a cup of coffee) a week it’s an amount most are able to spare. However, please be as generous as you can, as every penny helps in supporting people who have very little.
By post: please call the fundraising department on 0117 405 7113 and we can email or post a giving form to you.
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Can you help? Volunteer needs
Christmas Appeal
Some would say that more real life changes happen in September than as a result of New Year’s Resolutions. Maybe we are more energised after the summer than following the Christmas season. If you are looking for a new challenge (or feeling a divine prompt to put faith into action), consider volunteering with CCM. We have a variety of roles to be filled, from serving in the Wild Goose Drop-In, to van driving or helping at the Spring of Hope night Shelter. Please call Steve on 0117 405 7112 or email steve.smith@crisis-centre.org.uk if you would like to know more.
Winter is one of our busiest times of the year and when we need the following: Items for the Homeless
Details
Sleeping bags
Lightweight, portable and winter grade
Hats, gloves & scarves
New, windproof winter sets would be the most useful. Sadly, knitted items are not preferred as they let the wind through
Pairs of socks
New, for male & female, winter grade, all sizes
Underwear
New, for male & female, winter grade, all sizes
Coats
Winter grade, for male & female all sizes
Shoes
New, winter grade, sturdy and waterproof
Christmas Shoebox Presents
Toiletries
We are in need of Christmas shoebox presents to bless the homeless community. Please include a new windproof winter set of a hat, pair of gloves and a scarf, two pairs of medium winter socks for a male, 2 pairs of medium underwear for a male and a packet of sweets in each shoebox. Please drop off at our main office by Weds 16th December
Deodorant, body spray, foot spray, hairbrushes, combs, toothpaste, toothbrushes
Bath towels
Harvest Appeal Our ten most essential items that we need are: Instant coffee Sugar Rice Tinned Tomatoes Jam
Peanut Butter Porridge Oats Tomato sauce Brown sauce Lentils
For the full list please go to our website www.crisis-centre.org.uk/content/harvest-appeal
All donations are gratefully received at our main office (address on the inside cover).
Volunteers for the Client Christmas Party
Winter Funds
This event will be held on Thurs 17th December at Elim church. If you are able to volunteer any time between 9am–3pm please email steve.smith@crisis-centre.org.uk
Please consider choosing to support our charity when planning your company or church’s Christmas events.
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Upcoming events Annual General Meeting & Celebration Date: Mon 12 October Start Time: 6:15pm for 6:30pm start Finish Time: 9:00pm Venue: Stapleton Road Chapel, Newton Street, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0QY As a CCM member, you are invited to our Annual General Meeting to vote on the appointment of board members and hear about our past year’s work. This evening will also be an opportunity for you to hear about the vision and future plans of the organisation, plus/ as well as life-changing client stories. Light refreshments included. Please RSVP to admin@crisis-centre.org.uk or call 0117 330 1230.
Sleep Out 2016 Date & Time: 26 & 27 February, 10pm – 7am Venue: Pip n’ Jay Church, Tower Hill, Bristol BS2 0ET Come and join us at the annual Bristol Christian Action Network Sleep Out to raise awareness of homelessness and help us raise funds for the vital work that we do. For more details please email holly.lloyd@crisis-centre.org.uk or call 0117 405 7113.
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Get involved
Pray
Donate
Volunteer
Fundraise
Pray for the developments in our work as outlined in this newsletter or 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 call us on 0117 405 7113 and we can send you a 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 groups.
Follow us facebook.com/crisiscentreministries
@crisiscentre
Subscribe to our fortnightly e-bulletin on www.crisis-centre.org.uk