WINTER NIGHT SHELTER
The churches will not be able to provide a Winter Night Shelter this winter, because of the restrictions due to Covid-19. To support single homeless people this winter, the Council has received a ‘Next Steps Accommodation’ grant, which will enable them to provide alternative accommodation. They have also received funds for support workers, to help the single homeless with mental health problems, alcohol and drug problems, in the hopes that they can enable them to cope better with everyday life and keep their accommodation.
In the meantime, the Winter Night Shelter team has been helping the Council with people being housed, who have not got the basic bedding and kitchen equipment they need. The Winter Night Shelter has been providing Starter Packs containing bedding, towels, pans, crockery, cutlery, a toaster and a kettle. These Starter Packs are being stored in Barclay Hall, and the clients come to the church car park to collect them.
The Winter Night Shelter has also been working in partnership with the Street Pastors to support homeless people who do not feel they can cope with support from the Council. Items such as a simple mobile phone, sleeping bag, rucksack, warm clothes etc are being given to homeless people located by the Street Pastors.
PEACE COTTAGE
Plans are developing for the use of Peace Cottage as a Community Centre, with an accompanying Community Garden. Some work needs to be done on the building to make it more structurally sound. A structural survey was undertaken at the beginning of this month, and this will help to inform the Quakers of the immediate needs for work on the building. There also needs to be better heating installed, and a hot water system. Applications for funding for the building and the activities within it, have been started.
It is likely that work on the Community Garden will be able to start more quickly. There are some volunteers who are keen to work on the site, and this work is likely to start soon. This project has also been put forward for ‘Green Social Prescribing’.
LISTENING TEAM
The Listening Team will be called Hear4U. We have 16 people who are interested in volunteering for the Listening Team. The trained listeners can be involved in helping people in several ways:
In 1:1 listening sessions
By supporting the Bereavement Support Group
By joining a walking group, and listening alongside individuals on the group
By joining the volunteers for the Peace Cottage Garden and listening to people in that setting.
The plans are for training to take place between November and March, and for Hear4U to start in April 2021.
WELCOME TO BREWERY ROAD FLATS
Twenty-two new flats are being built by B3 Living in Brewery Road, Hoddesdon, as rented accommodation for the over 55s. They are due to be ready by the end of January 2021. Plans are being developed by Churches Together, Love Hoddesdon and local partners, to give Welcome Packs to the new residents. The welcome packs will contain information about Hoddesdon and local activities, along with information about the churches in Hoddesdon, a few goodies, like tea, coffee, biscuits etc., and a Welcome card.
