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Night Shelter help for the homeless
More than 150 volunteers from Firm Foundation – a charity established by eight church groups in Harrow (including Trinity) are manning the shelter in the Large Hall at the Welldon Centre, which is open from January to the end of March. The project co-ordinator, Michael Scott, is able to accept 10 rough sleepers at a time, who must have been referred and cannot simply turn up at the door. They are provided with an evening meal, a bed, laundry service, a shower, breakfast, a packed lunch, help with travel costs and advice on issues like benefits. They can only stay at the Centre between 6pm and 7am, and alcohol, drugs and anti-social behaviour are forbidden. The breakfast is being provided in the rear hall at Trinity from 7.15 to 8.15 am on weekdays by a rota of Trinity volunteers, before the Welldon Activity Group begins. This enables Welldon Centre to be cleared ready for the Little Learners Pre-School children, who meet their every weekday.
Because of the sleeping arrangements it is only possible to accept men, but there are measures in place to provide help for women.
Michael explains that “The reason people find themselves out of their home is always down to finances, but the reason they find themselves on the street is a relationship breakdown and, as a result, they have no-one to turn to when they lose their job. We’re very positive about being able to make a difference.”
The foundation, based at St Peter’s Church in West Harrow, gets its funding from churches and other charities sympathetic to the homeless cause. It monitors its guests the rest of the year, when the shelter is closed, often assisting them to adjust to life. A total of 31 visitors were accommodated last year and it is hoped to be able to offer help to as many as possible this year.
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