The PCC voted enthusiastically at it last meeting to accept an invitation from C4WS to host the winter night shelter in the Parish Rooms on Saturday nights next November through to mid- January 2018.
This is an exciting opportunity to extend the Church’s outreach and to focus the congregation’s energy. We would be welcoming up to 16 Guests, mostly young men, and a few women who, for a great variety of reasons, find themselves homeless in Camden. We would give them a bed (mattress) and duvet, dinner, breakfast and most importantly a warm welcome. C4WS’ staff and other volunteers will provide a raft of welfare help, help finding a job ad help with English, as needed.
Timing will be a little tight but we are confident that the shelter can be accommodated without disruption to the Church’s other activities (e.g. letting for parties on Saturday and the Crèche/Junior Church on Sunday morning.
There are many ways in which you can help and we will be putting out a fuller call for volunteers in September, meanwhile, here is a taster of the sort of help that we will need:-
Cooking: preparing the meals to give to guests, both in advance at home and on the night and on Sunday morning.
Laundry: there will be 16 sheets, duvet covers, pillow cases and towels needing to be taken to be washed on Sunday and returned for Saturday.
On the night: help in preparing beds, setting out refreshment and welcoming guests, talking to them and, possibly, providing entertainment.
Co-ordinators: we will need a few people prepared to organise the food, the rotas, and to be in charge on the night and provide continuity, by being present most Saturday evenings. Someone will also need to stay the night with the guests.
Please think about how you might contribute to this exciting initiative, and contact Andrew Penny via the Vestry if you have any questions.
CW4S Night Shelter at St John’s
Andrew Penny