CARIS Families – an update
The church has long supported Caris Camden, chiefly although not exclusively, for it C4WS project, and the winter night shelter which we hosted for Saturday nights for three seasons before the arrival of Covid. The C4WS project moved to a separate and distinct charity in July 2021.
Caris also ran, and now only runs, a another successful project- Caris Camden Families – organising after school play and homework clubs in two of Camden’s “temporary” hostels for homeless families. Temporary could mean ten years, and accommodation one room for a family of 4 – the need for space and opportunity for children to play and do their homework is obvious. We also organised an “enrichment programme”, taking families on outings to the zoo, the theatre or a trip to the seaside which as well as being fun, opened parents’ (most often single mums) to the opportunities, many free, that London offers outside the hostel.
All this came to an abrupt halt as Covid closed one hostel and Camden’s lease expired on another. Several of the families did quite well as result, at least in the short term, as a rather nice new block of flats (intended for commercial letting) appeared and housed the families. We helped them move in but our core activities were effectively halted for 18 months, and will not start again in Camden for some time while a new temporary hostel is built and another made Covid safe (i.e. without shared bathrooms and kitchens).
We knew, however, that we had a good model and sought to export it to neighbouring boroughs. Unhelped by lockdowns, but driven by our director, Becky Walker’s determination, we managed to interest Hackney and after long negotiation finally agreed in November 2021 to start clubs in two of Hackney’s hostels. Hackney is very different from Camden with about 10 times as many families and as many more, but much smaller hostels, many of which are in multi-occupation-not exclusively for families. That and the shortage of space has been a challenge, but equally opened opportunities for helping families in different ways, with welfare advice and some advocacy.
We see the future carrying on the core activity of clubs and trips, and hope to move back to at least one hostel in Camden soon, meanwhile continuing to develop welfare and some campaigning work. Having ceased to be exclusively Camden based a change of name to just “Caris Families” seemed appropriate.
Becky Walker led us though these difficult but ultimately successful times, but took leave to have a second baby, Eliza, born on 18th April. Simon Pickering a management consultant is looking after the project in her absence, assisted by the staff of three who are pleased to be back at work having been furloughed so long. Our board has been much strengthened by four new female trustees, two charity executives, one a former service user and one a banker and all mothers. We are optimistic that we can meet the challenges ahead and help more families in more places and more ways in the future.
(The photo is from the Easter holiday trips that Caris has been running)