This is the report of Centre of Help and Hope (CHH) from the period of January 2018 – November 2018.
Vision statement: Touching lives! Changing communities!
Mission statement: To empower everyone, everywhere, through education, support and love.
Aims
- Provide some basic humanitarian needs to those in crisis
- Empower through educational and vocational courses
- Provide a drop in clinic to those who are experiencing crisis and struggling to cope
- Provide a listening and advocacy service
- Encourage health and well being
- Fundraising
Values: These are summarised in the 5 C’s of Caring: Commitment, Communication, Confidentiality and Compassion, complemented with accountability, Integrity and an efficient Service
During the past year the Centre of Help and Hope has touched many lives, which impacted both the individual and the community. CHH volunteers, local professionals and prayer teams worked in synergy to provide and support those experiencing difficult times in the Borough of Brent. CHH is, therefore, providing a unique approach to serving the community in Brent. These services are, primarily, managed by volunteers who reside in Brent and neighbouring boroughs, attend local churches and engage community organisations.
The Centre opens 2 days a week- Tuesday and Wednesday from 10.30 am – 2.30 pm providing a soup kitchen, food hub, clothes hub, health promotion, vocational skills and courses via our Steps Up community education programme, mental health promotion, and social support.
CHH offered assistance to people experiencing unforeseen crises, ranging from an emergency need for food and clothing, as well emergency electricity, as well as assistance with personal hygiene.
ATTENDANCE DATA
To date 435 persons have registered at CHH. On Tuesdays the average attendance is 35 and Wednesday approximately 25. Plus those who only attend the soup kitchen.
The soup is a bonus, with many users asking for a second or third cup.
Once a month for 4 hours the health team provides screening which is patronised by the public.
Despite gains in the increased employment in Brent and declining poverty rates, food insecurity are increasing and remains surprisingly high despite the many food banks in the area. CHH offers nutritional guidance, shopping education, and smoothie and juicing tasting services especially during the summer months.
Regular Food Donors
- Willesden SDA members
- The Felix Project
- Shirdi Sai Baba Temple
- Greggs, Wembley High Road
CLOTHING
The data for clothing distribution is now in progress. It was introduced in October 2018. All the donations in the clothing section are well appreciated. Curtains, bed linen, underwear, shoes and clothing for all ages and sexes.
Thanks to our regular clothing contributors for the bags of clothing and other donations contributed during 2018.
HOMELESSNESS
The concept of homelessness means more than a place to live, a roof over one’s head. A home is not just a physical space, it also has a legal and social dimension. A home provides roots, identity, a sense of belonging and a place of emotional wellbeing. Homelessness is about the loss of all of these.
It is an isolating and destructive experience and homeless people are some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded in our society. Although at CHH we cannot provide accommodation the homeless person who attends CHH is provided with all the above and is signposted to other agencies for accommodation.
THE ADDICTED
Although CHH does not provide a tangible service to the ‘addict’s, the centre provides spiritual and emotional support to those who indicate that they will be going to a recovery programme. Some are prayed with and all are prayed for. Appropriate literature is available on the book stand at the entrance of the Centre.
CHANGE PERCEPTIONS
To help the plight of some of the hardworking folks in the Borough who attend the Centre, CHH partnered with the crisis team at Harmony Children Centre. The purpose is to identify families who are in dire need to enable the families to stay afloat to feed their families. As a result, working with the other strands of the community ministries department, food hampers are given at Easter and Christmas annually. School uniforms are also provided annually in September. In 2018, families were identified by the social workers and school uniforms were bought for 16 children.
SOCIAL EVENT
- 8 August: Annual outing – Margate
- 21 September: Harvest Thanksgiving / Fund raising
- 20 October: CHH 2nd Anniversary
- 9 December: Seasonal lunch for Service Users in conjunction with the Golden Age Club
TRAINING
To develop our volunteers and assist them in providing an efficient service training is very important:
- Ashford Place facilitated Advocacy training for 6 weeks – 8 persons successfully completed the course
- Accredited – NCFE –L 2: Information, Advice and Guidance Course – 3 persons
- Food Hygiene L2: Training facilitated by Nolan Victory – 10 persons successfully completed the course
- Advantage First Aid Training – 4 persons qualified
DISASTER RELIEF
Grenfell fire (2017)
In keeping with the humanitarian aim of the centre. CHH was the hub for the Grenfell collection. The public as well as many members donated food and financial donations. £1010 were raised from the financial contributions.
Every Tuesday evening CHH prepared a hot meal for the victims of Grenfell, catering for 40 people, which included adults and children. As well as serving soup and/or a hot meal on the 14th of each month during the quiet march in support of Grenfell.
Dominica- Hurricane Maria (2017)
- Eight people went on this mission trip.
- Accommodation were at two sites: a missionary relative’s home, there was no electricity and missionaries had to carry buckets of water for all their needs. The second accommodation was a hostel, electricity was provided via a generator which came on from 6:30 to 10:00 pm. However, there was a continuous flow of water.
- Health screening: two sessions were performed in the community. At Wesley, 41 persons were screened for blood pressure and blood sugar. 3 persons were referred to the doctor at the local clinic. At Woodford Hill, 68 persons were checked, 11 were referred to the doctor. These referrals were direct, since a Local Nurse was assisting the team.
- Communities were invited for a Sunday meal at Tarou. Over 250 people received a meal, clothes, shoes, toys.
- Over 426 food parcels were distributed in Wesley. Clothes and food were also distributed at other villages.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
This summary represents a combination of data from the Audited Financial Statements which will be presented by the treasurer in her report.
CHH has a successful blended service in Brent since 2016, by practising conservative financial policies, which enabled CHH to meet human needs without discrimination.
It is our commitment to maintain the highest standards of financial accountability to continue to deserve the donors’ and users’ trust by reaching out to those in need in the Brent community.
Much appreciation and thanks to our financial 5 regular donors and the 6 one off donors during 2018.
Thanks also to those who have given food, toiletries and other resources. Without each one of you CHH would not have been successful.
Thanks to the Trans European Division, the British Union, the South England Conference, Malika Bediako, Area 6D Executive, Area 6D Prayer Tower, London Advisory and Willesden Church Board and members for the many financial and varied support.
To all the CHH volunteers, we thank God for you and pray that you are enjoying the benefits of volunteering, mainly the enhancement of your mental and emotional well-being.
PROJECTION AND REQUIREMENTS:
| Personnel | Equipment | Trainers/ Facilitators |
| More volunteers | A laptop for CHH | Information Technology |
| Male volunteers | A washing machine | Employable skills |
| Drivers to collect the food donations | Continuous supply of clothing for all ages | Sewing skills |
| A bible worker or a visitation person | Continuous supply of food, toiletries and household items | |
| Increase in the number of regular financial donations | ||
| 10 sewing machines for training purposes | ||
| 10 laptops for training purposes |