The Shelter season opens on 1st November and runs to 31st March with a short break over Christmas when Crisis opens its doors.
Participating churches usually choose one period – before or after Christmas; fortunately we have enough venues for them not to have to do both. It is a considerable commitment to offer your building once a week from early evening to after breakfast, to store beds and bedding, to cook evening meals and breakfasts, to host and support 15 guests. They do seem to love doing it.
Funding is an ongoing issue and C4WS is very grateful for HPC’s commitment to support our work. Every summer we wonder if we can keep going another year and yet we have been able to put our staff on permanent contract and employ a shelter assistant for the winter months. There is so much more to running the shelters than a bed for the night.
Participating churches largely raise the money to keep the shelters going themselves – providing the food [and the cooks] for their evenings. Two of the churches have had showers installed so that we now have six venues with a shower – a great help to guests. Part of the money came from our funds which reduced the number of beds we could replace this year but on balance it was worth it – comfort and dignity is more than a comfortable bed.
Welfare
Welfare work goes on year-round and is more than ever necessary now that many of the agencies that would have supported our guests no longer exist or can offer only a very reduced service. Our aim is always to get our guests off the street and into accommodation.
Then there’s the mentoring and befriending service for which we train volunteers, and we’re looking for a volunteer English teacher to work from the Kings Cross office 3 hours a week to teach guests and take referrals from neighbouring agencies. So the work grows.
Referrals
There’s a system of referral for guests – by the time the shelter opens at 7pm the coordinator knows who’s coming. We try to help as many of those in need as possible but have to be aware of our limitations and volunteer/staff safety always comes first. And we aren’t able to accept people at the door on the night. If you know of someone in need please refer them to the Camden Safer Street Scheme 0207 833 7970, 07889 067 907.
Training
Church coordinators have to be trained, as do the volunteers, so these last few weeks are a busy time for Jamie and Amanda. As well as running our shelters the staff advise and help other boroughs trying to set up their own schemes.
Judy East, CARIS Camden
Most of the material for this article has been taken from Jamie and Amanda’s recent report to the Trustees
C4WS Homeless Project
Judy East