Serving the Homeless is pleased to announce that our annual Christmas Concert has gone online this year! On Friday 18th December you will be able to access it via You tube, (details will be on OLL website). We were able to film at Our Lady of Lourdes and the other churches involved in ‘Serving the Homeless’ during October, thanks to Tim Browne. He kindly offered his services, to film the various participants separately and then edit it into a film for us. We hope that you will find it a wonderful way to start your Christmas celebration. Our thanks to Fr Kevin and all the other clergy and parishioners who took part.
Over the years STH has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to support local projects. It supported the development of the Day and Night Shelter that was eventually to become HARP raising £70,000 to buy the freehold of the Valkyrie Road site and later sponsoring two rooms at the new Bradbury Centre at a cost of £10,000. It purchased properties used by Acorn and more recently by HARP to house clients. It spends £250 per month on food used to provide meals for the homeless at the Bradbury Centre. It financed the start-up costs of 3 of the Churches winter shelters; it has supported numerous individuals with temporary accommodation, travel expenses and equipment. It has supported the development of accommodation for young people by Southend YMCA. Even during the recent pandemic it has continued to finance Westcliff SVP society in providing meals for the 100 rough sleepers put into temporary accommodation by Southend Council. We are also providing turkeys for Christmas lunches at the HARP properties, and delivering Christmas parcels to all of the young people at the YMCA over Christmas.
At Christmas our Carol concert is normally followed by mulled wine and mince pies. However, this year we ask you to embrace technology and join us from home, although you may like to have your mince pies and wine to hand!
We wish you all the blessings of the Christmas season.
Jo Ronan, Chairwoman, Serving the Homeless