ThresholdHomeless Care supporting Homeless & Vulnerable People

Visit from Bishop Trevor We were delighted when the Bishop of Dover, Trevor Wilmott, dropped in to Maidstone Day Centre to talk to some of our staff and clients about the realities of homelessness. He shares our concerns about the plight of homeless people in our community and wanted to see for himself the work that is going on at the Day Centre. Bishop Trevor and his team saw for themselves the hustle and bustle of an ordinary morning with queues for hot showers and clean clothes, the preparation and serving of home cooked meals and men and women relaxing with newspapers or just sleeping safely after a night out in the cold.

Bishop Trevor Wilmott, Bishop of Dover

The visitors inspected the stores where staff member Adam was sorting some of the tins, packets and frozen goods for our growing community food share scheme, Food for Thought. Back in the dining room there were smiles all round as clients Sue and Tony announced that each of them would soon be moving into one bedroomed flats of their own. With the generosity of our supporters we will be able to provide furniture and all the other things they will need to set up a home from scratch.

The Day Centre had supported Sue and Tony throughout their long periods of homelessness and we will do so for as long as they need us because we know how hard it can be to adjust from being homeless to coping with the responsibilities that go with having your own place. Accommodation for single homeless people is scarce so

theirs was very good news but we know that there are many more people still waiting to find somewhere to live so our work goes on.

The Bishop’s visit was an opportunity for us to raise awareness of some of the problems that our homeless and vulnerable clients face every day. We talked about the valuable support we receive from the people of Maidstone and of what can be achieved for homeless men and women when a community works together.

Revd Julia Pickles, Chaplain to the Bishop of Dover, Mick, Mike FitzGerald, Chairman of Homeless Care, Revd David Bond, MDC Treasurer (back), Andrew Sewell and Heather Taylor Lay Chairman, Maidstone Deanery.

Bishop Trevor commented: “I was moved by the work of Homeless Care and the support they offer to homeless people through the Maidstone Day Centre. Homeless Care, along with other projects such as the winter night shelter in Maidstone, is a great example of churches and community working together to make a real difference to vulnerable people, helping and supporting them in times of need. I hope and pray that this work goes from strength to strength.”

Maidstone Day Centre

Homeless Care

Threshold newsletter number 13

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For a free copy of our newsletter Threshold: please e-mail your name & address to mdc@homelessinmaidstone.org.uk or write to the Day Centre or see it on line from www.maidstonedaycentre.org.uk If you would like to receive it online please email events@maidstonedaycentre.org.uk

“The cold is the worst thing about being homeless . . . “

...and I suppose the loneliness,” said 53 year old Brett who for now is living in a tent in nearby countryside. “I have a little camping cooker so at least I can heat up drinks and have some hot food. If it gets too cold I can put it on to take the chill off. I have permission from the land owners to stay there, “ he hastened to add, “I explained that I am homeless and they said that they didn’t have a problem with me being there. Just before Christmas I had a nice surprise when one of them came up for a chat and brought a big parcel of food for me and another homeless person who, like me, is living in a tent.”

Brett has been coming to the Day Centre for about six months. He had lived in a flat in Southampton but lost that because of problems with his Housing Benefit. He tried to find accommodation in Dorchester and then London but Local Authority accommodation for single homeless people is increasingly scarce throughout the UK. New rulings require prospective tenants to have a local connection and he wasn’t eligible.

Brett suffers from depression but thinks that is because he has been out of work for so long. “I did an engineering

apprenticeship and got as far as the 3rd year,” he said. “ I do want to get a job but I have been out of work for so long, about 10 years now and it is a matter of getting someone to take me on. I have done warehouse work and a bit of care work, when I was looking after a chap in a wheelchair.” If you have been homeless for some time your self esteem can sink very low and it is hard to keep enthusiastic and motivated but Brett is doing his best. “There is a chance of some decorating work for one of the dog walkers I have made friends with where my tent is,” he said. Asked about his future he told us, “What I would really like is a bedsit, in a shared house.” This would be a chance for him to relax in a safe place and indulge his passion for reading. “I like scifi fantasy books but I have just got in to detective stories. If I get into a book I read until all hours, with my head torch,” he added.

“Apart from the depression, I am in fairly good health but the last couple of days I have come down with blisters on my feet because of all the walking I do.”

Brett reflected on his present lifestyle. “It is about getting the help you need to get out of the situation. I am getting that help here at the Day Centre.”

DeanDean attended Maidstone Day Centre over a period of four months when he became homeless. The only place he had to sleep was on an old boat belonging to a friend. It was cold, damp and uncomfort-able and when he first came through our door he had reached a very low point in his life. Our staff made sure that during the daytime he was warm, safe and well fed and eventually a room was available at a nearby hostel. Dean is now looking well and confident and is looking forward to the future.

“When you have been homeless for a while it becomes a way of life but now I have built myself up again and I have new friends. I am working as a volunteer in a charity shop and I have some experience as a gardener but my next step is to find full time employment. My dream job would be as an archivist with radio or television or music.”

You can give online through www.maidstonedaycentre.org.uk or text MDCC33 £2 / £5 / £10 to 70070 to donate now eg MDCC33 £10

mdc@homelessinmaidstone.org.uk www.maidstonedaycentre.org.uk Maidstone Day Centre 15 Knightrider Street, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6LP 01622 674064

@MaidstoneDayCtrRegistered Company Number 08414392 Registered Charity Number 1151412 Chairman: Mike FitzGerald. Company Secretary: Angela Clay

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The year certainly started with a vengeance. The wintry weather and seemingly relentless rain caused disruption and misery for many but particularly for homeless people. We were pleased that for a couple of weeks over Christmas and New Year, all the rough sleepers that we knew about were safe and warm in accommodation in the town. We also made sure that everyone was able to enjoy some good and festive food as well as little gifts, to carry the message that ‘someone cares.’ We couldn’t have done any of this work without the help and support of people in our community. A huge thank you to our support group, Friends of Maidstone Day Centre, who picked up the bill for the accommodation, and to everyone who contributed gifts of money or food. Once again the Kent Messenger’s Christmas campaign You can Help encouraged supporters at supermarkets, schools, churches and offices to give food items to our community food share project, Food for Thought, so that we could in turn help those who would otherwise go hungry. We had a fantastic response to the appeal which helped to fill our store cupboards so that we can distribute food parcels to even more people in need. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed.

We are well into February now and continuing our daily tasks of providing hot showers, clean clothes, good home cooked food and help with medical care for our clients as well as assistance with obtaining benefits and most importantly, finding accommodation.

We have been working with homeless people in Maidstone for almost 30 years now, always supported by churches, schools and individuals in our community to whom we are ever grateful.

At the end of last year, we joined with Porchlight, the Borough Council and the Salvation Army to deliver Maidstone Churches Together, Winter Shelter pilot project. The night shelter, which can take up to ten people a night, opened on 30th December and will run until 23rd February. It is located at a different church each night and each morning when that closes, Maidstone Day Centre in Knightrider Street is waiting with a warm welcome, breakfast, a hot fresh cooked lunch and a food bag to take with them at the end of the day.

We have progressed from a simple soup run nearly 30 years ago, to becoming Maidstone’s leading provision for homeless and vulnerable people. Our staff and volunteers have gathered much valuable experience through the years but we are always looking for new ways to offer an even better service of support to those going through difficult times. One thing we do know is that great things can be achieved when a community works together to make a difference.

Further information about Maidstone Day Centre or Food for Thought please contact us on 01622 674064 or info@homelessimaidstone.org.uk

Colliers GreenC of E School

Free turkeys from Coombe Farm Bags of goodies from KCC

Collier Street C of E School

maidstonedaycentre.org.uk

You can give online through our website www.maidstonedaycentre.org.uk ortext MDCC33 £2 / £5 / £10 to 70070 to donate now eg MDCC33 £10 Gift Aid support - via our newsletter

@MaidstoneDayCtr

Homeless Care Limited Registered Company Number 08414392 Registered office: 15 Knightrider Street Maidstone Kent ME15 6LP Registered Charity Number 1151412

Food For Thought

Community Food Share Scheme

GoodsellHouse

Maidstone Day Centre

Maidstone Christian Care

Maidstone Day Centre

Homeless Care

Saturday 29th March 2014 at 7.30 pmat The Vine Church, Boughton Lane, Loose ME15 9QF Tickets £8.00

Contact Paul Rodman 07966 424945 or Mike FitzGerald 01622 743270 or Maidstone Day Centre 01622 674064

Event organised by Friends of Maidstone Day Centre in support of homeless and vulnerable people

The Kent Police Male Voice Choir

Come and enjoy