Luke & Ethan arrive at John O'Groats The idea for this walk started in a bar in Kathmandu. We were waiting for our flight home after two weeks of trekking to Everest Base Camp and I was quietly resigning myself to another university summer of office work. A family friend was telling us about someone… Continue reading A personal pilgrimage: walking the UK with #NoFixedPath – by Ethan Malcolm
Category: Homelessness
The problem with Andy Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping
Photo by Pedro Silva on Pexels.com Andy Burnham could not have been any clearer about his priorities in his first few hours as the UK’s new Prime Minister. On his first morning as PM he visited The Passage, a homeless charity in Westminster, and then announced from the steps of No10: “I will soon go… Continue reading The problem with Andy Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping
Being Faithful in the Little Things – by Charis Odoki
Photo by Sedanur Kunuk on Pexels.com Recently, my family and I travelled to the Lake District for a family holiday and in between walks, swims and boat rides, we found time to visit an ‘arts and crafts’ home. If you are not familiar with the movement, essentially it was a reaction by a group of… Continue reading Being Faithful in the Little Things – by Charis Odoki
Faith expressed through love: my favourite ever ‘work’ day
Images from Adam @norfolkweddingphotography / tomorrownight.com Almost 18 months ago, I arrived at one of Hope into Action's houses in Norwich to meet some of our tenants. A woman called Susie opened the door, welcomed me in and made me a cup of tea. Susie had not been in the Hope into Action house for long but… Continue reading Faith expressed through love: my favourite ever ‘work’ day
1996: an appreciation
London, 1996. The year before I had finished University in Hull and headed back to the capital along with two great mates I had made as a student. I only stayed back at my parents’ home for about a week before we all moved together into a house in Tooting. What strikes me now is… Continue reading 1996: an appreciation
What is MOST important to you? (and how this is relevant to homelessness)
Photo by Aytu00f6ren on Pexels.com The Kingdom Way Trust are a great Christian charity who run a range of services for people affected by homelessness in Eastbourne and run the local Hope into Action franchise. As part of their 15th anniversary celebrations this week they asked me to lead a seminar on ‘Why relationships… Continue reading What is MOST important to you? (and how this is relevant to homelessness)
Leadership and Ego Management
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, I worked for the charity Centrepoint who, at that time, ran four different hostels for homeless young people in Soho, central London. I managed one for long-term rough sleepers with complex needs, but I was asked to switch to manage the one for young people who were newly… Continue reading Leadership and Ego Management
There’s enough homelessness legislation, its proper accountability we need – by Mark Brennan
For years, we have been told that rising homelessness is the inevitable by-product of no-fault evictions, welfare reform or a shortage of housing. But there is a harder truth that too many in the sector are reluctant to say aloud: gatekeeping by Local Authorities. By gatekeeping, I mean the practice where council housing departments discourage,… Continue reading There’s enough homelessness legislation, its proper accountability we need – by Mark Brennan
Homelessness Ends in Community: relationships are vital to recovery
Homelessness and relationships Four years ago, my friend and former colleague Simon Dwight wrote a powerful article for Grace+Truth titled Homelessness Ends in Community. He shared a moving example of helping a man called James move from long-term street homelessness into accommodation. It sounds like a success story but actually it had a tragic outcome.… Continue reading Homelessness Ends in Community: relationships are vital to recovery
“If you charge me, I’m going to bring 50 homeless people here to eat the meal I have paid for”
A few Christmases ago, when I was running a homeless charity in the West End of London, we took a phone call from a businessman that I will never forget. He was due to host a major Christmas event for 50 colleagues and clients in a prestigious local member’s club. A number of guests were… Continue reading “If you charge me, I’m going to bring 50 homeless people here to eat the meal I have paid for”
