INSIDE DISCOVER HOW YOU CAN HELP
PEOPLE SLEEPING ROUGH IN WATFORD
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Welcome to this, the Christmas 2017 edition of the New Hope newsletter — there is so much
to give thanks for amongst these pages! We were absolutely thrilled to be awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (page 14) earlier this year. This prestigious award is the highest honour for voluntary groups and is a fitting testament to all the fantastic volunteers who are the backbone of New Hope and who give so generously with their time and skills. The Big Imagine Sleepout (page 18) was our most successful fundraising event in recent years and we are incredibly grateful to the local community, especially Imagine and the other businesses who sponsored this event and enabled at least £50,000 to be raised to help prevent homelessness in Watford. Yet, as we celebrate these ordinary people doing extraordinary things, we are deeply saddened by the number of people who are sleeping rough on Watford’s streets, despite the best efforts of New Hope and other agencies and organisations.
‘You’re always wondering how you’re going to survive.’ ‘It takes the body so long to stop shivering.’ ‘Not knowing what to do with your time. Just walk, walk, walk.’ This is why this year’s Christmas Appeal, ‘A Bed Instead’, is so vital. Please give generously. Thank you for your support and interest in the work of New Hope. I hope that I will see you at one of New Hope’s events in 2018: Moving On Up, 2018’s birthday celebration, will be held on the evening of 21 March at The Wellspring Church Centre; the Community Market Garden will once again host open days first on 2 June and then in September; and there is a Connect evening on 14 May at St Mary’s Church, Watford. Happy Christmas and God bless,
Matthew Heasman CEO
Some of our current residents recently described their experience of homelessness: 3
The hard stone step of a shop doorway, beneath the flickering lights of an underpass or struggling to sleep to the sounds of thundering trains. For some, this is the reality of the Christmas period. Secluded spots, barely shielded from the wind, rain or frost. Give hope this Christmas, give a bed instead. Watford, like many towns across the country, has a housing crisis. Affordable homes are scarce as wages lay stagnant. At an average of £618 a month, for those in receipt of housing benefit, even a room in a shared house is far beyond reach. With your support, New Hope continues to offer a hot meal and a warm bed to anyone new to rough sleeping – all without any cost to those in need. At 6pm, New Hope opens the doors 4
to the Assessment Beds service. Instead of facing another night alone and exposed to the elements, care is given to those in need by an expert team of support workers to ensure that instead of the street, those most vulnerable can return to a place of safety. Over the last year, almost everyone* who had received support at the Assessment Beds moved to more secure accommodation instead of finding themselves without a space to call their own. Unfortunately however, the personal support we provide cannot continue without your help. It costs New Hope £34.45 to provide a bed, a hot meal, a warm shower and the intensive one-to-one support to ensure that everyone who accesses the Assessment Beds is given the best chance to avoid another night on the cold streets of our town. Consider donating £34.45 or whatever you can afford, to give a bed instead this year.
Thank you. *2016-17 – 85%
Peter drank to cope with a high stress career; he was successful but reliance on alcohol was taking a heavy toll on his family life. When he was dismissed from his home, Peter had nowhere to go but out onto the streets.
‘You can’t get a proper night’s sleep on the street. You’re always wary, always on your guard.’ Being homeless, sleeping outside or sometimes in churches, brought the realisation that life like this would kill him so Peter came to New Hope’s Haven Support Centre where he was told that New Hope’s Assessment Beds could give him a bed instead. The Assessment Beds gave him a bed for the first time in a year and staff helped him to process his benefit claims.
‘A mattress itself was a luxury and it did exactly what it needed to do. There is nowhere else in Watford that offers what they do.’
Before long, Peter was offered a room at New Hope’s Community Home where he could address his alcohol addiction with the support of staff, external organisations and his peers.
‘It helped me to realise I was self-medicating. I’ve been given the space and support to become comfortable with myself and my situation. Nowhere else has managed to keep me sober, ever.’ Now free from addiction, Peter is looking towards a career in counselling for others experiencing homelessness and alcohol addiction.
‘I’ve realised homelessness can happen to anyone. If I can even help one person realise there is a better way of life, that’s what I want to do.’
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How can I help? Anna Lee, from the Rough Sleeping Prevention Service, answers some frequently asked questions. 6
Q: There are several people sleeping rough in the town centre. I really want to help them. Should I give them some money? A: This is one of the most controversial questions we get asked. It often seems like the simplest way to help someone who is homeless. We know giving money is well-intentioned but it is our experience that at best it offers a temporary solution to someone and at worst; it can have devastating consequences if the money is used to support an addiction. It sounds cruel, but giving money to those sleeping rough simply sustains a life on the streets. Â At New Hope we believe getting people off the streets and into accommodation is the best way to bring about long-lasting positive change. Q: If I meet someone or see someone who is homeless, is there a way of informing New Hope? A: Yes! We have a 24 hour emergency advice line (0300 012 0168) that anyone can call. We have also partnered with Street Link (www. streetlink.org.uk/tell-us-about-a-roughsleeper) which enables members of the public to alert us about people sleeping rough in the local area. Q: My friends and I would love to go out at night and give food to people who are homeless in Watford. Please can you tell me where to find them? A: Staying safe while rough sleeping is a huge concern for anyone
experiencing homelessness. We therefore wouldn’t disclose details of where someone might be at night. The best thing you can do is encourage people to go to the Haven Support Centre on Whippendell Road to get a cooked breakfast and takeaway lunch. We also offer laundry and shower facilities and appointments with our skilled, trained support workers. Q: I am deeply concerned about homelessness in Watford. What are some of the ways in which I can help? A: There are many ways you can help those who are homeless in Watford, whether it’s time or money you want to give. New Hope is always in need of volunteers and we have a range of varied roles across our services to suit different timetables and skillsets. (See pages 14-15 for more on volunteering) Financial gifts are essential to the stable and smooth running of the charity and you may wish to become a Friend of New Hope and give a regular financial donation (you can sign up online at newhope.org.uk/friend), or you may want to leave a legacy or simply give as and when you are able. You can also give much-needed items such as sleeping bags, socks and underwear. You could also organise a fundraising event with friends, family or colleagues or take part in one of our events. Remember that whatever you are able to do, however big or small, helps New Hope to prevent homelessness in Watford and to transform lives. 7
Ruth Yule Assistant Pastor Soul Survivor Watford
My husband was a Viking – well, he said he was. Descended from a long line of short, stocky, blonde and hairy Yules and that was just the women! Our surname has caused merriment and disbelief when ordering the Christmas turkey but its origins go back in the mists of time when, on the longest and darkest night of the year, bonfires would be lit to dispel the cold and dark, and people would look forward to spring and the daylight to come. We Christians adopted this time of year to celebrate the Nativity, the birth of the Saviour - ‘the light of the world’. God came Himself as a tiny, vulnerable one-of-us: a fragile flame which would become a fire 8
that would never go out. As Isaiah prophesied hundreds of years before: ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.’ (Isaiah 9:2) We have all experienced dark times in our lives and especially those whom New Hope supports: bereavement, family problems, financial worries, physical or mental illness but Jesus comes as one small flame to ignite hope, life and new beginnings. Make room this Christmas for His light to fill you and radiate from you this Yuletide and always!
‘My time at the house is nearly up and I wanted to leave something for the new residents. I took something old and recycled it into something new to inspire hope.’ One of our service users has created a beautiful sign for the Community Home (a six-bed house for men and women with substance misuse problems who are motivated to change). Made from a range of recycled materials, the sign now
hangs in the hallway, inspiring hope for everyone entering through the front door. What a poignant gesture! The Community Home offers a safe, structured environment where people can work towards sobriety among like-minded individuals. The new sign is a testament to their successes and the family atmosphere and inspiring nature of the environment. We think this beautiful sign perfectly sums up New Hope!
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A hot meal, warm shower or clean clothes are rarely guaranteed for those rough sleeping in our town. At the Haven Support Centre, we ensure that anyone sleeping rough or sofa surfing has access to basic comforts by providing the essentials. ÂŁ4.98 will pay for one person to receive the essentials from the Rough Sleeping Prevention Service at our Haven Support Centre. This could include hot food, a shower, clean clothes and free access to the laundry facilities.
To order your New Hope Alternative Gift(s)
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Please visit, www.newhope.org.uk/gifts or phone us on 01923 227 132 or call into the fundraising office between 10am-4pm in our Queens Road shop.
Most people supported by New Hope have experienced some kind of trauma. For some it’s recent; a relationship breakdown or bereavement; for others, negative experiences in their formative years. Over half of the people who New Hope helps have a mental health difficulty. New Hope’s Community Market Garden gives people a place to heal. Anyone recovering from homelessness can attend the therapeutic environment of the garden and take part in a range of creative and educational workshops, or simply spend time surrounded by nature and away from negative influences. £15.20 will support New Hope in providing this place to heal and give many the space and opportunities to truly recover from homelessness.
Those most vulnerable should always have a safe place to stay. New Hope provides a bed, warm food and a hot shower to anyone who is currently or at immediate risk of rough sleeping. With personal and intensive support from our highly skilled staff, we aim to ensure that no one should spend a night alone on the streets of Watford. £34.45 will give one person a bed instead and intensive support for one night in the Assessment Beds service.
We have recently completed on a purchase of a five-bedroom house in West Watford thanks to an exceptionally generous legacy. This house – our second HopeHome – will be opened in the new year but first we need to furnish it. Please visit newhope.org.uk/hopehome2 to purchase the essential items every home needs. *Please place your order by 12 noon on 18th December to receive your card in time for Christmas. The downloadable e-vouchers can be bought at any time – even on Christmas morning!
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After the loss of his partner, Finn’s life began to spiral out of control. While sleeping rough in shop doorways in Grimsby, his only comfort was found in his dog and the kindness of strangers who provided Finn with small amounts of money and dog food. Before long however, he became seriously ill, spending six weeks in hospital where he was diagnosed with a life-changing illness. With no support, and decreasing mental wellbeing, Finn scraped together the money for a train to Birmingham. As his health continued to decline, he was in and out of hospital regularly and eventually became too weak to look after a dog as well as himself and had to let him go. The public humiliation he suffered on the streets was too much and he was often taunted and even spat upon.
‘I felt like a public enemy.’ It was when the abuse became too much to take and he started hearing threatening voices that Finn knew he had to leave. He jumped the station barriers and ended up on a train, hoping to get off at Milton Keynes but a stranger handed him a ticket to London. The busy atmosphere of a city
had been too much for him in Birmingham, and London could be much worse, so Finn left the train at Watford. With nowhere to go, he contacted the police who referred him to hospital and on to psychiatric support. As he began to fully understand his condition, Finn’s mental wellbeing began to improve. After a short while, he was signposted on to New Hope’s Haven Support Centre. With guidance from New Hope’s support workers, Finn began treatment for his illness and in just two weeks, his condition reduced. Now it is almost undetectable. Finn is currently living at New Hope’s Community Home and feels that, as each day passes, his life is changing for the better. Meal times are spent together around the dining table and summer days were spent supporting each other’s recovery in the therapeutic garden environment.
‘I feel like I’ve got my life back – I would be dead if it wasn’t for New Hope.’
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Pictured: Sheila Meaning BEM, New Hope founder, Penny Williams JP DL, Polly Odbert, Manager, Watford shop.
Volunteers have always been incredibly important to New Hope. The charity began with Janet Hosier and Sheila Meaning bringing teams of volunteers together to distribute hot soup, drinks and sandwiches to those experiencing homelessness in Watford. We now have over 200 volunteers who give their time every year in one way or another and their dedication and diverse skills are impressive. Recently, New Hope received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award that celebrates the commitment of those who give 14
their time freely to support services that meet the needs of their local communities. The award ceremony took place at the Community Market Garden amid the swaying trees and saw around 50 volunteers present to receive their award from Deputy Lieutenant, Penny Williams JP DL, representing the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire. This award is well deserved by each and every one of our volunteers and it is wonderful for their work to be recognised in this way. With such a high number of volunteers, New Hope would not be where it is without them.
Lisa is a breakfast volunteer at the Rough Sleeping Prevention Service. Starting at the night shelter in Rickmansworth Road and now at the Haven Support Centre, Lisa has been serving food and offering a friendly ear for over 17 years.
‘People come in starving and cold and you just want to look after them as much as you can – they don’t just want a meal and a hot drink, they need it.’ Each day, breakfast volunteers have an early start and work tirelessly to cook and prepare a range of breakfasts and packed lunches for people who are rough sleeping.
‘You hear some amazing stories from people who have been at rock bottom and are building themselves back up.’ Rod and Angela have been volunteer gardeners at the Community Market Garden for over two years and have been gardening for all their lives.
‘The garden has a kind and sharing atmosphere where people can come from all faiths and backgrounds to improve their mental health.’ Most days are spent maintaining the vegetable plots, nurturing seedlings and planting seasonal flowers to keep the garden looking at its best. Garden volunteers also spend time working with service users, supporting their goals and providing a friendly ear.
‘It’s wonderful seeing people enjoying the act of gardening or sitting around the fire, eating together and chatting.’ Read more volunteer stories at newhope.org.uk/volunteer
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A+ for Academy Fundraising
New Hope was incredibly fortunate to be nominated by the students of Bushey Academy to be their charity of the year. Students and staff got involved with fundraising events throughout the year and were able to raise a huge £2,858.22 towards the work of New Hope.
Team-building Toiletry Packs
A huge thank you must go to the Hilton Worldwide Sales team who as part of their team-building day in August spent the afternoon putting together 1000 toiletry packs. They went straight into use and have been distributed to service users at the Rough Sleeping Prevention Service as well as many of New Hope’s other services.
HURRAY FOR HOWDENS
During the month of October, Howdens Joinery (based at Croxley Business Park) spent the month fundraising for New Hope. From a sponsored sleepout in their car park to cake sales to car washes, the staff raised a whopping £4,251.53 for New Hope.
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Summer of Sponsored Events
This summer, New Hope was supported by three National Citizen Service (NCS) groups from Watford FC Community Sports Education Trust. Over three weeks, they raised a whopping £3,724.48 for our work through sponsored cycles and sleepouts as well as bag-packing in a local supermarket. Jess Howse, NCS Project Officer, said:
‘It’s extremely important for young people to understand their local community. The three teams that worked with New Hope were shocked at the levels of homelessness in the Watford area and as a result were motivated to raise huge amounts of money for such a worthwhile cause.’
Imagine…Running 26 Miles!
Jamie Downs, who works for Imagine, decided after years of wanting to do a marathon that there was no better time than the present. He took part in the Richmond Marathon on 17 September and raised a total of £615. Jamie says: ‘Working in Watford six days of the week and driving around the area, I couldn’t help but notice the increased amount of homelessness and I wanted to do my bit to help out.’
Get in touch!
Contact Sam on sweightman@newhope.org.uk or call 01923 227 132 to find out how you, your school or your business could get involved with fighting homelessness in Watford.
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the big
Mike Cole Group MD, Imagine Group ‘It seems an obvious synergy that a property business would attach themselves to a homelessness charity, but as is the case with the obvious sometimes, in truth we hadn’t put two and two together before this year. We then used our business acumen to come up with an event that would both raise the profile of New Hope and a good deal of money in the process. Once we had The Big Imagine Sleepout idea in place, our own sales team drove the interest and the combined marketing skills of both Imagine and the New Hope fundraising team resulted in the
event being promoted in all forms of media in the local area. The combined organising committee made up of members of Imagine and New Hope have formed a fantastic alliance. ‘The net result saw almost 200 people experience a taste of the reality of sleeping rough and I suspect they will never blindly walk pass a homeless person again. We will have raised over £50,000 and made a real dent in the New Hope annual fundraising challenge. This will make a genuine difference to the homeless in Watford. ‘That gives my staff and me a warm, fuzzy feeling – which was mighty useful as we slept out in temperatures as low as 2°c.’
Hope ‘We’re here tonight to help New work raise awareness for the fantastic a week they do. I volunteer there once ’re We . in the kitchen at the Haven t.’ hoping to raise even more tonigh e hav o wh ald Nicola and Ed Buckw raised a whopping £7,752! 18
e rough sleeper ‘Last year I did th Hope and it count with New me the reality of really brought ho s our town. There’ homelessness in . rt I’m taking pa two reasons why raise money Firstly, I want to remember those and secondly, to le oice. It’s a terrib who have no ch ter Taylor situation.’ Cllr Pe
‘I came here to see what’ s it like for people who are homeless and to find out how they feel when they’r e on the streets and to raise money to help them.’ Luke Bond, aged 12
‘I could never imagine myself sleeping rough. If I could sleep out for just one night but help 10-12 other people, that’s all I’m here for.’ Melanie, Imagine Group
‘When I think of The Big Imagine Sleepout and ho w much it can raise I think of ho pe. It shines a light in the dark .’ Seamus William s 19
NEW HOPE’S ANNUAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
21 MAR
Weds 21st March, 7.30pm Wellspring Church Centre, Watford
CONNECT EVENING 14 MAY
Please consider remembering New Hope in your will
GARDEN OPEN DAY 2
JUNE
Sat 2nd June, 10.30am-3pm Community Market Garden, Rickmansworth Road
New Hope 67 Queens Road, Watford, Herts, WD17 2QN
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Mon 14th May, 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Watford, Upper Room
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New Hope (Watford New Hope Trust) is a registered charity (1080784) and a company limited by guarantee (03969063). Registered office: Cansdales, Bourbon Court, Nightingales Corner, Little Chalfont, Bucks, HP7 9QS.