Newsletter May-Dec 2018

INSIDE DISCOVER WHY FRIENDSHIP MATTERS TO NEW HOPE

Welcome from our CEO

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Relationships are at the heart of New Hope. Our work is characterised by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers who go the extra mile and never give up. Persistently and patiently, they share the love of God with those in need.

becoming a Friend of the Haven? Friends of the Haven is a new scheme focusing specifically on the work of the Haven Support Centre on Whippendell Road. Hear from Steve Devine, the Rough Sleeping Prevention Service Manager, on pages 4 and 5 and discover how the Haven is needed more than ever.

This compassion and care has been particularly evident of late as New Hope – together with our statutory partners and a local church – provided emergency accommodation in the sub-zero temperatures of winter. The bleak situation has been tempered by the huge generosity and love shown by the people of Watford. You can read more about how we worked together on pages 16 and 17.

You may be aware of a forthcoming change to data protection law – charities, such as New Hope, will soon be very limited in how they may communicate with you.

We want to be good friends to you – as you are to us – and so it’s important to me that you only hear from us as often as you would prefer, and through the channels that you choose.

I’d therefore be grateful if you could please fill in the enclosed Keeping in Touch form or visit newhope.org.uk/keepintouch.

Many of you are already Friends of New Hope generously giving by standing order and I want to say once again how grateful I am for your commitment. If you are not already a Friend, may I please ask you to consider

Many thanks, Matthew Heasman CEO, New Hope 3

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Steve Devine, manager of the Rough Sleeping Prevention Service, tells us about the new Friends of the Haven scheme.

Every day is an opportunity to make a big difference in the life of someone experiencing homelessness. That might be a hot meal after a night spent outside, fresh and fitted clothing, or a meaningful conversation with a support worker.

It is so important to provide a space that is safe for everyone; service users, staff or volunteers – the team at the Haven work tirelessly to ensure that everyone who enters the building knows that they are entering a place of safety. As both new and familiar faces who visit us may have been let down in the past, the team work hard to engage with every service user to build a strong rapport, aware that every interaction is incredibly important.

Monthly gifts give the Haven a regular and predictable income to ensure that immediate and effective support is always available for those in greatest need and forms a firm

foundation from which to build.

Please consider giving a monthly donation, or even a single donation, to ensure that the Haven can provide the best possible support, from the first point of contact to the final move to independent living. £3 a month could provide a hot breakfast and takeaway lunch to someone currently rough sleeping, £13 a month could provide someone in need with fresh clothing and hygiene products, or £18 a month could provide the one-to-one support needed throughout someone’s journey from homelessness.

The bottom line is that we show people experiencing homelessness in Watford that they are not alone. Become a Friend of the Haven and help support them through every stage of their journey.

Thank you, Steve. newhope.org.uk/foth 5

Pictured Ruby the dog in the Community Market Garden

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Volunteers come in all shapes, sizes and breeds here at New Hope.

Recently, volunteers and members of staff have started bringing their canine companions to visit the Community Home (a five-bed house for men and women who are recovering from substance misuse). We’ve already seen the positive impact that animal therapy has had on service users and we wanted to find a way to incorporate our fourlegged friends into the work we do within the home.

Animals have a way of engaging with us in a way we can’t replicate, human to human.

We currently have four canine volunteers – Ruby (pictured in the Community Market Garden), Mia, Charlie and Mac – three of whom are rescue dogs.

One resident who has benefited from canine therapy is Paddy. Paddy is a resident at the Community Home and has battled addiction for most of his adult life. Since moving into the Community Home, he has benefited from our furry friends’ regular visits.

Paddy says: ‘Dogs are extra-sensory... if you’re really going through something, they’ll pick up on it. It seems to bring a level in the house – everybody seems to change, smiles start to appear. They just bring such a joy to the house. Their love is unconditional’.

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‘A truly magical place – a treasure hidden behind an unassuming door. Boug ht some scrummy veg and lovely healthy looking plants. Thank you for opening it up to share with us.’

‘Fantastic community atmosphere. Well done to the organisers. Everyone was welcomed – lovely!’

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St Paul, one of the early apostles, founded many churches in the first century and he wrote a lot of letters too.

In one of his letters, he writes:

Paul began life as Saul and before he became an apostle he was engaged in persecuting the early Christians in and around Jerusalem. However, on the road to Damascus he met the resurrected Jesus – and this changed everything!

Paul moved from persecuting others, to teaching and sharing and leading others. As he travelled, he shared the good news that God had come, as Jesus Christ, so that humanity could live in a new and radically inclusive way – a way that embraced the ‘other’.

1 Thessalonians 3:12

‘And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people

grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.’

Paul urges us to love all people. That means loving those who are not like us as well as those who are like us. In a world that seems increasingly divided, we can change things by living as Jesus taught, in a new and radically inclusive way. This is what New Hope does — through showing love and embracing those who are homeless and by offering them New Hope. May your love for all people grow and overflow!

Alice McDermott Pastor, St James Road Baptist Church 9

This year the theme of our annual celebration was Moving On Up. We asked some of our current service users how New Hope had helped them on their journey of recovery.

‘I came into the Haven feeling unhear d, but left feeling lik e a human being .’ my anxiety and h it w e op c e m d ‘New Hope helpe fidence to g et my on c e th e m e av g depression and ew Hope for N of aff st e th to you life back. T hank one to talk to at e m so g in av h d an always being there g arden.’ all times out in the

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‘T he Community Home has giv en me the suppor t and will to move forw ards, being at the Community Home has given me the confidence and self belief to recover from the traumatic lifestyle I had when I was ho meless.’

‘Before I came last year, I needed help. I was in with the wrong crowd. Coming here helped me to be stable and secure. Some people don’t think much of being in a nig ht shelter but it’s helped me to find myself, it’s given me the space that I need to focus on myself. When I’m stressed, I come and talk with staff.’

‘I don’t know where I would be today without the help and suppor t of New Hope and its wonderful staff.

The transition from what I was a few months ag o to the more confident and far happier per son I have since become could not have been achieved without them.

So, I say a very big thank you New Ho pe House.’

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Janet

Befriender Janet has been a volunteer with New Hope for eight years and is currently supporting the Community Home residents as a befriender.

‘We feel so privileged really, seeing how some people have been throug h such painful things in their lives.

Sometimes my heart aches.’

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Volunteer befrienders help and support service users in building positive relationships while encouraging them through their journey to sobriety and independence.

‘I long to see them moving forward, becoming welladjusted to everyday life. I love to support the residents in finding the strength to get throug h and see them standing strong.’

New Hope charity shops play and important role in the operation of the charity, not only do they produce over £230,000 in retail income, they also provide warm clothes and sleeping bags to those who are homeless.

‘We don’t treat anyone differently because of their circumstances. We help them out, chat to them and help them get what they need.’

Lynsey

Shop volunteer Lynsey has been volunteering for our Croxley Green charity shop for over a year, both face-to-face with customers and supporting the background operations of the store.

If you would like to deepen your involvement with New Hope through volunteering, please get in touch on 01923 210 680 or getinvolved@newhope.org.uk.

You can view current vacancies at newhope.org.uk/volunteer

‘The shop is like a community – we all get along and we have a lot of regulars, probably because of the friendly atmosphere and how welcoming we all are.’

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Thank you for supporting ‘A Bed Instead’ our 2017 Christmas Appeal!

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Machelle had been working as a mental health professional for 14 years when her visa ran out.

to explore her options and begin planning her route away from homelessness.

No longer able to work, and with relatives at home in southern Africa, Machelle had no access to the support of her family, or public funds to cover her rent. In a matter of weeks, Machelle became homeless, occasionally finding a safe place to sleep in the local hospital waiting room.

The staff at the Assessment Beds had been liaising with the CEO of a refugee project that could connect Machelle with a host family in London who had offered to provide a room in which to stay until she could support herself in returning to private accommodation. The family welcomed Machelle into their home, sharing mealtimes and arranging activities together. Presented with such an opportunity, even so far away, the New Hope Tenancy Sustainment Team arranged to provide future key work with Machelle by phone and made sure she knew their support was only a phone call away.

‘I was feeling completely lost.’

During particularly bad weather, Machelle spent her nights in the temporary protection of the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol beds at the New Hope Haven Support Centre. There she began to work with the Rough Sleeping Prevention Service who found her a space at the Assessment Beds service.

With the application for a renewed visa and her right to work documentation well underway, Machelle found herself building a support network with both her key workers and the other service users. This gave her a stable place

Machelle occasionally visits the Tenancy Sustainment Team coffee morning to spend time with the staff and other service users.

‘I came in feeling unheard and left feeling valued as a human being.’

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No one turned away 16

Do you know about SWEP? SWEP which stands for Severe Weather Emergency Protocol is a national initiative which sees local authorities offer additional emergency beds for rough sleepers in periods of severe weather. New Hope runs SWEP on behalf of our partners Watford Borough Council and Three Rivers District Council.

Over this past winter as we’ve experienced snow and subzero temperatures, New Hope has run SWEP on 18 occasions.

During this period, 39 people accessed the service and, most importantly, no one was turned away. Thank you to our friends at St Mary’s Church in Watford’s town centre who provided additional emergency accommodation during the most severe weather and to everyone who donated warm coats, sleeping bags, fresh food and financial donations.

Undeniably, it has been an incredible difficult time but yet we’ve still seen signs of hope.

The Rough Sleeping Prevention Service worked with all those accessing SWEP and seven individuals used SWEP as a springboard to access suitable alternative accommodation. We will continue to work intensively with those who remain on the streets – including some who have been sleeping rough for a long time – in taking positive steps forward away from life on the street.

It's exceptionally challenging work – supporting those who are rough sleeping – but the RSPS team has a gentle persistence, compassion and patience, tied with quality training in listening skills and coaching, which means we are seeing very vulnerable individuals move away from rough sleeping to safe and secure accommodation.

Please remember – and please help us spread the word – if you are concerned about someone sleeping rough in Watford, you can call our 24/7 emergency phone line on 0300 012 0168 or email rough.sleeping@newhope.org.uk.

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Than k yo u , Wa tf ord!

An X-cellent quiz!

In February, Christ First Watford held an Xmen Quiz Night for their men’s group. Instead of charging to participate in the quiz, the team at Christ First decided to ask people to make a donation if they enjoyed the quiz. Forty men gathered to take part and an amazing £254 was donated to New Hope by those taking part.

Hope from the Soul

In December 2017 New Hope was chosen by the staff and trustees of Soul Survivor Watford to receive a portion of their Christmas collections.

The incredible generosity of the congregations meant £3,671.48 was raised for New Hope!

Making a house a home

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Employees from leading global IT services provider HCL Technologies heard of New Hope’s latest HopeHome initiative and were very willing to support this. Their dedicated team from Europe decided to buy some household items from our Amazon wishlist and generously donated various essential items – from pillows to kettles to furniture.

This year, New Hope has some new exciting corporate partnerships.

The Pearly White Club

The Pearly White Club is the UK’s first environmentally friendly toothbrush subscription service, offering unique environmentally friendly bamboo toothbrushes. The Pearly White Club believe in giving back, so decided to team up with New Hope – for each subscription, they donate a toothbrush which can be handed out to our services users.

‘We’re so happy to be supporting such an excellent local charity, by donating toiletries, the aim is to take a service we provide and use it to benefit such a worthwhile local cause.’ – Jenny, The Pearly White Club

The Grove

The Grove is a five star hotel situated just outside of Watford. With a championship golf course, award-winning spa and three restaurants, it is one of the leading hotels in the world. At the start of this year, The Grove made a pledge to give unwanted spa robes and towels to New Hope.

If you are interested in partnering with New Hope, please contact Sam on 01923 227 132 or sweightman@newhope.org.uk 19

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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.