Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com In 2011, Westminster City Council proposed byelaws to ban rough sleeping and to prevent groups distributing food to people in need, known as ‘soup runs’, in the Victoria area. The proposals caused an almighty uproar from charities and community groups and provoked demonstrations outside the council offices. In addition,… Continue reading A tents dispute with the Home Secretary
Category: Homelessness
The rough sleeper: an icon of contemporary poverty
In 2016, five-year Brooke Blair became an internet sensation after a video of her berating Prime Minister Theresa May went viral. As she put it, she was ‘very angry’: “Yesterday night, I was out on the streets, and saw a hundred and a million of homeless people. I saw one with floppy ears, I saw loads. You… Continue reading The rough sleeper: an icon of contemporary poverty
Full Fat Faith
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com In The Church Times this week, Angela Tilby wrote a refreshingly honest article titled Emptied-out belief leads to empty pews: “At my end of the C of E, everyone remains very polite, tolerant, and a bit disconnected. It is just slightly embarrassing to speak directly about God.” And she pin-points… Continue reading Full Fat Faith
Grief, anger & being convinced by the love of God
This is a sermon I gave this week at Bristol Cathedral in a service to remember people who have died affected by homelessness. Reading: Romans 8:35-39 - read by Leo, Hope into Action tenant "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or… Continue reading Grief, anger & being convinced by the love of God
‘It has been a rocky road but I know that I am loved and that I am never alone’
Photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels.com All around us we see the new life of spring emerge from the darkness of winter. This new life reflects the Christian hope of Easter. Jesus suffered and died an unjust death. But then was dramatically resurrected. New life overturned death itself. This hope is at the heart of… Continue reading ‘It has been a rocky road but I know that I am loved and that I am never alone’
What can students actually do about homelessness?
Adapted from a talk given to Just Love at Oxford University, 20/2/23 When I was a student in Hull in the early 1990s, I volunteered every week at a drop in centre for ‘homeless and rootless’ people called Dock House. It was organised through the student-run community action group, HUSSO, based in the Student Union… Continue reading What can students actually do about homelessness?
Reflecting God’s generous justice
I want to tell you about two inspiring people I have got to know over the last few years through my work. Pastor Alex in Tottenham The first is Alex Gyesi (pictured left), Pastor of Highway to Holiness, a Pentecostal church in Tottenham, North London. Back in 2009 the church was growing but Pastor Alex,… Continue reading Reflecting God’s generous justice
Detoxifying resentment
I was with a rough sleeping outreach worker this week in a coastal town in the south of England. It was about 1.00am in the morning and we went to an area where he knew someone was living in a tent. As we approached the tent with our torches illuminating the ground, I noticed the… Continue reading Detoxifying resentment
Hollywood homelessness & festive sentimentality
If you are involved with charity which helps people affected by homelessness, then you will be bracing yourself for the busiest time of the year. Whilst there remains huge challenges to reduce the numbers of people sleeping rough, the busyness of this season is not necessarily because the number of people coming to the services… Continue reading Hollywood homelessness & festive sentimentality
Faith which puts Hope into Action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZSKiqr0iPk&t=48s I am excited to share that I have a new job. In January, I will be joining Hope into Action as their new Chief Executive. I have loved my work over the last 4 years, advising on how churches and faith groups respond to homelessness in the government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative. This period has seen… Continue reading Faith which puts Hope into Action
