autumn 2012 Helping the homeless and people in need in Bath Lifeline Centre | Life Skills Courses | The Wood Works | Genesis Furniture Project Soup Run | Sunday Centre | Lunch Box | Bath Foodbank | Bath Street Pastors Great support for the Canal Challenge Helping the homeless and people in need in Bath The Genesis Trust 1-3 James St West | Bath BA1 2BX 01225 463549 offi[email protected]www.genesistrust.org.uk Lifeline Centre | Life Skills Courses | The Wood Works Genesis Furniture Project | Soup Run | Sunday Centre Lunch Box | Bath Foodbank | Bath Street Pastors Registered Charity No 1045828 Don’t forget to sign up for the 2013 Bath Half see details inside
Transcript
autumn 2012
Helping the homeless and people in need in Bath
Lifeline Centre | Life Skills Courses | The Wood Works | Genesis Furniture Project Soup Run | Sunday Centre | Lunch Box | Bath Foodbank | Bath Street Pastors
Lifeline Centre | Life Skills Courses | The Wood Works Genesis Furniture Project | Soup Run | Sunday Centre
Lunch Box | Bath Foodbank | Bath Street Pastors
Registered Charity No 1045828
Don’t forget to sign up for
the 2013 Bath Half
see details inside
Two weeks ago we had the busiest week at Lunch Box ever. Also, about 50 people attended the Soup Run one evening recently. The Lifeline Centre has been consistently busy all year and we are continually meeting people who are having problems with changes to their benefits. This is also the major issue for those using Bath Foodbank. At the Furniture Project we continue to struggle with the issue of meeting people’s needs for affordable furniture without taking the prices so low the project is unsustainable. And it is very likely to get worse with the introduction of universal credits and more cuts to come as one council employee was telling me last week.
At such a time it is vitally important that community groups such as we are to continue to identify with our community and are prepared to go on a journey together. I was listening to the radio last night and a sociologist was talking about how the financial crisis is having a profound impact on how people are relating together and towards the economy. It is my prayer that as we all respond in our various ways to our own challenges and those of others we will be built up in Christ and display an alternative model of relating based on love welling out of a new life in Christ refined by the trials we face together.
Paul Solly | October 2012
Director’s
Thoughts
The Genesis Trust runs nine projects across the city of Bath
Lifeline Centre A drop in centre, providing friendship, guidance and referrals to other professional agencies. A warm safe place off the streets
Life Skills Courses A programme of educational, training and social activities offered free to vulnerable adults to enable them to actively move forward in their lives
The Wood Works Provides onsite training to those out of employment for 6 months or over, offering furniture restoration, chair caning and upholstery classes. All goods are sold to the general public at our Wood Works Shop
Furniture Project Sells furniture and household goods at low cost to those in need or on benefits at our Oldfield Park premises
Bath Soup Run Serves soup, fruit and sandwiches every night of the year to the homeless
Sunday Centre Serves an affordable lunch and provides shelter, newspapers, and companionship on a Sunday
Lunch Box Serves hot sandwiches twice a week
Bath Foodbank Provides emergency meals to those in a temporary crisis. Following a professional referral a vulnerable adult is able to obtain enough food for 3 days for an individual plus dependants
Bath Street Pastors Helping on the street to ensure those who are vulnerable during the late night/early morning are kept safe
Matt, an animator and illustrator is a new volunteer to our Life Skills art group. He lives in Twerton and was told about volunteering for Genesis through Letti, our creative writing volunteer. Matt has helped us also with designing our new Life Skills timetables and some posters and is also working with Suited and Booted (also with Genesis clients) to project images onto the Holburne Museum.
Letti leads our Life Skills creative writing group. She started volunteering with the Furniture project and now also helps us write our press releases for the Bath Chronicle.
Cheryl and Rob have been volunteering for Genesis for 10 years and lead the Soup Run, ensuring that we provide soup and sandwiches to people in Bath every day of the week.
In my other article in this edition of Genesis News I mentioned how our various projects are facing an increase in demand. Within Genesis our major strength is the voluntary contribution of so many people in many different ways. This has been true from the very beginnings of Genesis with the Bath Churches Soup Run as it was then and continues to be so with our latest project the Bath Foodbank.It has been heartening to witness the continued commitment by ‘old-timers’ who have volunteered for Genesis for many years and newcomers willing to give their time and effort. Thank you to you all. At the recent AGM I quoted from John 17.23 in which Jesus prays ‘May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me’. Having so many people working together from so many churches is a clear sign that God is alive and still in the loving and restoring business. Paul
We couldn’t do it without you!Thank you to our amazing volunteers
Here are just an example of some of amazing Genesis volunteers Andrew is the new Deputy Manager at Lifeline, working three afternoons a week. He is married to Angel and they live in Newbridge, Bath. Before joining Genesis, he’d been working with 10-18 year old young offenders for 14 years, initially with Swindon YOT and then 9 years in an inner London YOT. He is very excited to be working for Genesis especially at this time of transition for Lifeline. Part of Bath City Church, he is also a Street Pastor and enjoys rugby and cricket.
Welcome
A Note from Peter HeywoodChair of the TrusteesRight from the start 22 years ago, Genesis has brought volunteers together from many churches in Bath to help people in need in our city. That’s a long time, and I’m sure that our ability to keep going for so long is because we are fuelled by the love of God, so that we can keep sharing it with others. Being a volunteer can be very challenging at times, and it can be very tiring.
But our enthusiasm is the same as ever, and that’s wonderful. And we often seem to get more out than we put in, which is amazing. So to all our volunteers I would like to say a big Thank You for all you do, and for all your enthusiasm. Let’s keep refuelling with God’s love, and sharing it with others. It’s a real blessing to all be working together.
Giles has been volunteering for Genesis for over 20 years and continues to lead the Sunday Centre team.
Glenys, one of our Lunch Box team leaders has been volunteering with the project since it opened in 2000.
Sarah has been with Genesis for a number of years, attending Life Skills courses and helping in the offi ce with Foodbank. She has now gone onto work more full-time hours in her current job.
Christian is our new Graphic Design volunteer who recently helped design the Canal Challenge information sheet and the Genesis harvest postcard.
A huge thank you to so many that regularly give their time, effort and prayers to Genesis. We defi nitely couldn’t do it without you!
Some of our furniture project volunteers with students from the University of Bath’s Students in Free Enterprise scheme.
Lifeline has continued to increase in numbers, and this winter, we are expecting visitor numbers to increase even more. We are being visited by many more people who are street homeless than before –often those who are living in temporary campsites and tents. We are also seeing more couples sleeping rough and there is a worry that more changes to payments and credit systems may create a greater vulnerability for those who visit Lifeline.
Thank you very much for your prayers for our Lifeline Appeal from the last Genesis News in Spring 2012. We are so grateful to have found a new home for Lifeline – we are currently in the midst of moving to the Abbey vaults. The move has been smooth due to our dedicated help from visitors and friends of Lifeline. The wonderful team made it so much easier for everyone involved. When we first told our visitors that the Abbey had agreed to house the Centre, many were amazed that the Abbey have welcomed them into the heart of the community and some couldn’t believe it when it was announced.
We still have some way to go – we have had to lay pipes for running water, add in electric lines and currently there is still no telephone line, however the Abbey staff have been so welcoming and helpful. We have been putting together the vast storage needed for donations of clothing and bedding items etc. We also have new opening times from 1.30 – 3.30pm to fit in with the Abbey choir times and to follow on from Lunch Box at St Michael’s on Mondays and Wednesdays.
We are so grateful to our volunteers – we currently have approximately 12, and a number of those are rough sleepers. The loyalty of our volunteers is incredible – some have been with us since the beginning of Lifeline in 2003, and some are aged in their 70s! However, we are always looking for more volunteers to help us.My hope for 2013 is that Lifeline continues to be a place of safety, respect and an ongoing service to people’s changing lives. I would like to thank Bath City Church for the last 9 years in housing us, their financial support and their help with our recent move. Gloria
You can also find Gloria now at the OneStopShop on Manvers Street from 10am – 12.30pm every Tuesday. If you are interested in volunteering with Lifeline please contact Gloria at [email protected]
Lifeline MoveSalvation ArmyGenesis Life Skills are pleased to report that we have relocated many of our activities and courses to the newly refurbished Salvation Army. This has already given us the opportunity to broaden our scope of support; in November we are introducing a new hands-on cookery course to develop hospitality and catering skills which will give clients the confidence to volunteer or work in community cafes and so build on the successful collaboration we had with the Bath Soup School this summer.
Soup SchoolThe Genesis Trust recently had the exciting opportunity to take part in a pilot Soup School run by local social enterprise, the Bath Soup Company. Clients from Genesis’ Life Skills programme were given the opportunity to attend the Bath Soup School, working alongside Dominic Povey, the founder of Bath Soup Co and Duncan Glendinning of the Thoughtful Bread Company.
In June, eight of the Genesis Trust’s Life Skills clients participated in two sessions of bread
making, two sessions of soup making and completed a Health and Hygiene Level 2 certificate over a five week period. They were then given the opportunity to complete up to a month of practical work experience in a café environment, either at St Michael’s Broad St Café, Jacobs Coffee House or National Trust Prior Park’s cafe.Eight of the Genesis Life Skills’ clients graduated at a ceremony at Bath Rugby Club where Genesis was the local charity most represented. They were very proud to pick up their certificates and received signed books of Duncan and co-author Patrick Ryan’s, Bread Revolution. They are now helping the Bath Soup Co to work on further improvements to the Bath Soup School for future courses.
Street PastorsThey say how time flies when you are enjoying yourself! Well it was over 4 years ago a crowded Guildhall of potential Street Pastors (SP) heard Rev Les Isaac OBE, founder of SP, challenge, ‘Bath is known around the world for its wonderful architecture – may it be known as a place of peace and safety’. Since then representatives from 30 congregations in and around the city have been going out in the name of Jesus most Friday and Saturday nights in all winds and weathers, simply listening, helping and caring for those in need.
Working in partnership with police, taxi/street marshals and doorstaff, SP has been part of Bath gaining Purple Flag status for its safety. Volunteers range in age from university students through to a lady just turned 80.
Do you think this might be for you? We next recruit in Spring 2013, in the meantime why not take a look as an observer. Contact Coordinator Paul Bright m.07554854609 [email protected]
Life Skills
AGMThe Genesis Annual General Meeting and Supporters’ Celebration took place at St Michael’s, Twerton on 19th September. As well as a recent update from the Genesis Trust, we heard about what was happening in Twerton from Richard Wilson and then Roger Sutton from We Gather spoke. Roger’s reflection of the evening was, “I was so inspired to hear about all the impressive and extensive work that Genesis Trust is engaged in. Serving those who are most vulnerable in society is following in the footsteps of our Lord and Saviour. May God Bless all your work in the future and may those who are often without hope and support receive the love and care they deserve.”
Left to right: Roger Sutton Founder of “We Gather”Peter Heywood Chairman of Trustees
for GenesisPaul Solly Director of GenesisRichard Wilson Minister at St Michael’s,
Twerton
Wood Works This summer has been hailed as one the best for sport in this country, with the Olympics, Paralympics, Ryder Cup amongst many others. Also this summer, Martin from The Woodworks, took part in his 14th British Transplant Games in Kent. This 4 day festival of sport brings together people from all over the country.
Also this, summer we said goodbye to Renée, our upholstery tutor, who joined us in March 2010. We will miss her energetic presence, humour and patience in the workshop. Fortunately, Renée was able to introduce us to Vicky who is a very capable successor and has settled in nicely.
Among other exciting developments in the workshop, we are very pleased that so far this year we have had 7 people awarded certificates in the safe use of woodwork machinery.
Canal Challenge!We have been running our Genesis Canal Challenge for many years but this year we tried it with a twist. Throw in a family focus, Olympian Gold Medallist Amy Williams, doughnuts, a picnic stop and sunshine and we had a great day!
Thank you to everyone who supported our event – through sponsorship, training and promoting our work. We raised over £1500 through the event… thank you.
10 year old Molly who took part, wrote to a pen friend,
Recently Kayley and I cycled along the canal with our mummy(Val) 6 miles for a charity called Genesis Trust. We got a certificate each and a medal for completing the challenge. Our favourite part was meeting a lady called Amy Williams who won a gold medal in the winter Olympics. She brought her medal and we got a chance to hold it. A man from the newspaper took photos of us all and an article is in our local newspaper.
Having been voted “charity of the year” by the Bath Business Women’s Association a few months ago, we offered to host their September Network Session. The evening took place in our Wood Works shop with a visit of our workshop. They were very impressed and have described the experience as an “eye-opener”, stating that they did not realise how much the Trust was doing.
An evening to remember! Bath Business Women’s Association
Martin in the middle of his No-one can test-drive rigorous training programme! a chair like Renée!
Friday 23rd November
Church Fundraising Quiz7.30pm at St Philip and St James’Enter a team of 6 people (£8 each member to enter and a fish and chip supper). Email [email protected] to enter your team before Monday 19th November!
Saturday 8th December
Freshford Singers’ fundraising Christmas sing11am St Peter’s Church, Freshford Free entry and mulled wine!, donations to Genesis
Sunday 3rd March 2013
Bath Half MarathonRun for Genesis as a “Silver Bond” place or separately, details overleaf
Saturday 16th March 2013
Church Walk10am - 4pmStart at Nexus Methodist Church, visiting churches on the way to end at St Matthews with light refreshments.
Do your Christmas shopping online and raise money for Genesis today!If you shop online with retailers like Amazon, eBay, Argos, Tesco and Marks and Spencer, you can help us raise money for The Genesis Trust by doing it through easyfundraising.org.uk
It works in a similar way to Sainsbury’s Nectar, but instead of earning points, you raise money for The Genesis Trust whenever you shop online. Over 3000 retailers will each donate up to 15% of the cost of your shopping.
It won’t cost you a penny more to shop via easyfundraising.org.uk and by making this one small change to your shopping habits, you could make a big difference to The Genesis Trust.
Find out more - http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/genesistrust Thank you!
We would love you to raise money for us this way (with free entry and a minimum sponsorship of £200 to have a “Silver Bond” place) and can find our Genesis page through their charities page http://www.bathhalf.co.uk/charities/list-of-charities/genesistrust
For all your hard work, you will get: • A high-quality Genesis running t-shirt
• A Krispy Kreme doughnut (back by popular demand from the Canal Challenge!)
• A post-run goodie bag
If needed, we can also pass on tips for running or link you up with local training groups.We will also be present on the day at their charity area.
Alternatively if you would like to enter for Genesis but not sure you can raise £200, you will be able to register for it separatelyhttp://regonline.activeeurope.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1102516
Please let Michelle know [email protected] if you would like to enter the Bath Half either as a Silver Bond place, or if you will be registering separately so we can order your T-shirts.
Don’t delay, sign up today!
Sunday 3rd MarchWe have booked Silver bond places for the Bath Half Marathon.
Sign up now for the
2013 Bath HalfUpcoming Events
Keep your eyes
peeled for a
Genesis garden
party next spring!
(details to be confirmed!) and other
great retailers
Q When did you start volunteering at the Genesis Trust?
A I started helping at the Furniture Project every Tuesday evening in the summer of 1997.
Q How did you start volunteering with us and what made you want to get involved?
A My church, St Michael’s Broad St, were asking for volunteers. At the time I was working as an electrical engineer for a railway signalling company. I was motivated by re-using waste and felt that I can use my skills to help others.For me, it is really rewarding to see someone’s “junk” being used again. In tiny ways we can make a difference, for example, some young families come in with little English and to help them in a small way to set up home can make a huge difference.For me, Ephesians 2 v 10 sums it up, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” I feel for as long as I have the skill and there is a need, I will continue to help out.
Q How long do you think you’ll continue to volunteer?
A Forever – till I can’t do it anymore.
Q What is your volunteering role and has it changed over the years?
A Back in 1997 I volunteered as their PAT tester. Since retiring in 2011, I now volunteer on Tuesday daytimes. My role hasn’t widely changed although I have been known to drive the Furniture Project vans from time to time. I am also now on the Furniture Project’s Steering Group.
Q Any advice for people interested in volunteering for Genesis?
A Try it, you’ll love it. The Furniture Project, and other Genesis projects, allow volunteers to feel appreciated and have value.
Things have been moving along steadily here at the furniture project, one of our biggest changes that has been welcomed by all, are our new opening hours. We now open the shop from 9.15am to 1pm whilst we close for lunch and then re-open at 2pm to 4pm from Monday to Friday.We have been undergoing many changes within the department too, the new customer reception area has been the biggest! It allows our staff and volunteers the time they need to serve each customer one at a time rather than one big push, and by doing this it gives the customer the benefi t of our staff/volunteers allowing to give them their whole 100% service with no other distraction.
To everybody, for the efforts in doing this “A BIG WELL DONE!”
Our second major change is still undergoing construction , we will be having a new offi ce built upstairs for our two fundraisers Katie & Michelle, as their duties grow within the Genesis Trust they require more accommodating space & they will welcome the warmth, light & privacy the new offi ce will bring to them.
Our sales at the moment have been steady and slow, some weeks good, some weeks bad, we are carrying on with business as normal no matter how hard things have been. Some way, some how we continue to carry on helping all our customers and those that need us.
We are also still in need of good quality furniture from all of our donors, the demand still being for white goods (fridges, freezers, washing machines) as well as other items such as chests of drawers, wardrobes, beds (singles & doubles).
I wish to thank all our volunteers & staff for all their hard work & effort during the shop changes & extend our thanks to all our donors.
A great review from September 2012:I am writing to thank you for all the help given to me last week. I contacted The Furniture Project with regards to helping me with a house clearance after the recent passing of my father - I was referred by a friend who recommended your services. I was particularly impressed with the professional manner in which everything was dealt with. I spoke with a young lady (Jenn I believe) who was incredibly courteous and polite. Her manner was very comforting at a particularly diffi cult time and she answered all of my queries and explained to me the services in detail.
There was a point during the conversation when I did become slightly upset, she kindly offered her condolences but remained highly professional at the same time. I found this to be very comforting and gave me good faith in the company. Again, when it came to having the driver and helper sat the property (the names of whom I didn’t catch) I was more than happy with how they dealt with it all. I will most certainly be recommending you to others after how pleased I am with your services.
Many thanks, David
Furniture Project
Volunteer InterviewKen Slade
Ken, aged 62 is one of our longest serving volunteers for Genesis (for over 15 years) and has been with the Furniture Project ever since.
Since our launch on 12 September 2011 we have provided three days emergency food to 921 adults and 413 children through our distribution centres at Manvers St Café and Rose Cottage in Twerton. Over 19.3 tonnes of food was donated through supermarket collections, churches and schools.Vouchers have been made available to over 60 different agencies within Bath, including Citizens Advice, the Job Centre, Health Visitors and Social Worker teams. We are indebted to the 130 plus volunteers who work in the distribution centres, warehouse and supermarket collections.
Dear Bath Foodbank, Many thanks for your help at Manvers Street. I was desperate and your food parcel has got me through a very tough patch in my life. I have never needed charity before and at 51 it was hard to even ask. I have been waiting job seekers allowance for over a month and have had no money what so ever. Your staff were kind, considerate and discreet in helping me. I hope that people will continue to support you and allow you to continue helping people like myself. Many thanks again. Ken.
If you would like to support the work of Genesis on a regular basis please complete the form below.
Bankers OrderTo (Name and address of your bank)
Address
City/Town
Postcode
Bank Sort Code
Account Number
Please pay Cooperative Bank | Olympic House6 Olympic Court | Montford StreetSALFORD | M5 2QPfor the credit of The Genesis TrustSort Code 08 - 92 - 50 Account Number 65034956
The sum of £
on the day of month 2012
and thereafter
each month n each quarter n each year n until further notice
Signature
Date
I would like to make a donation towards the work of the Genesis Trust of£
Please make cheques payable to The Genesis Trust
Gift aid itI want The Genesis Trust to treat:
n My donation of £ as a Gift Aid donation or
n All donations I make today and in-future as Gift Aid donations or
n All donations I made in the past 6 years and any future donations as Gift Aid donations.
I confirm that I must pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax in each tax year that is at least the same as the amount of tax that will be reclaimed by the Genesis Trust in that tax year.
Signature
Date
Full Name
Address
City/Town
Postcode
Daytime Tel
Mobile
Email Address
Regular Giving Donation
Registered Charity number 1045828
Please send completed forms to the Fundraiser The Genesis Trust 1-3 James St West | Bath | BA1 2BX
1st Year of Foodbank
Over 19.3 tonnes of food was donated through supermarket collections, churches and schools.
