HELPING LONDON'S HOMELESS

"He is not a true believer who eats his fill while his neighbour lies hungry by his side"  (Prophet Muhammad)

Around 20,000 people in London live in homeless accommodation, excluding those residing in bed and breakfast accomodation and squats. 1 in 10 people sleeping rough are women, and of these, 1 in 6 are aged under 25 and 1 in 14 are over 60. We have a responsibility to help them, irrespective of their faith.

Since 2002, the City Circle has run a successful 'Helping London's Homeless' project and with your support we would like to continue to do so.

New Initiative - Would you like to give something back and help the homeless- then why not become a Trustee?

The City Circle is working with Homeless Link which is the national membership organisation for frontline homelessness agencies in England. Their aim is to act as a catalyst to help bring about an end to homelessness both locally and nationally.

Homeless Link is working with City Circle and our large membership to identify professionals from key industries who would be interested in sitting on boards as trustees of numerous homeless charities as well as charities representing other good causes.

This worthwhile endeavour will provide charitable organisations with key skills to enable them to function as effective social businesses, and will also provide diversity within their memberships. The benefits to the individual include demonstrating useful experience of working in a position of responsibility, whilst making a meaningful contribution to a worthwhile cause. 

Trustee - Role Description
- Attend and contribute to an average of four Trustee meetings per year.
- Provide input into the charity's strategic plan.
- Attend occasional optional additional meetings, such as Planning Days, staff recruitment, and meetings with funders

Trustee - Person Specification
Ideally, new Trustees being sought are ones with skills and knowledge in at least one of the following areas:
- Business expertise gained in the private sector.
- Accountancy or financial experience to perform the role of Treasurer and to advise on budgets, accounts.
- HR and PR experience.
- Legal experience.
- Fundraising experience and contacts within the fundraising sector.
- Personal experience of the issues relevant to homeless people or the charities sector.
- Knowledge of service user involvement or participation with excluded people in areas other than homelessness.
- Experience of supporting successful social enterprises.

How to Apply
If you are interested in becoming a Trustee (please note this is voluntary and unpaid) or for more information contact Tosifa at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Homeless Project – Past Initiatives
Through the money raised from numerous fundraising initiatives, City Circle has provided grants, donations and volunteers to the following charities working to help London’s homeless:

Groundswell
City Circle has helped to support Groundswell’s Grant Award Scheme.  This exciting project allows former rough sleepers to create and maintain their own businesses and enterprises.  The scheme distributes grants of up to £700, and aims to inspire homeless people to engage in self-help solutions to homelessness, to rediscover their independence and to make positive contributions to their communities.
http://www.groundswell.org.uk/

Street2homes
City Circle has also funded a Street2homes homeless centre to provide daily hot meals to rough sleepers when the centre is open, and food parcels when the centre is closed.  This service is especially vital during the winter months. The centre sees 30-50 people a day seeking help for basic needs - food, clothing, human contact, but it also provides help to access other services - benefits, medical care, education, career advice, emotional support and housing.
http://streets2homes.org/default.aspx

Look Ahead
City Circle has provided funding and volunteers for Look Ahead’s annual Eid Party. Look Ahead runs a service for 116 homeless young people (16-21 years) in Southwark including many young Muslims who have little contact with their families or community. Most of these young people are from an African background and have fled conflict.  The Eid party offers them a chance to celebrate Eid, meet people from their own community and to take advice from professional volunteers on how to access employment and training opportunities.
http://www.lookahead.org.uk/

Thames Reach
City Circle donated £5,000 in August 2007 towards a training flat for residents of the Thames Reach homeless hostel in Vauxhall, London. The flat will be used by long term residents with severe drug and alcohol dependency issues as a stop gap for intensive help before they embark on solo living away from the homeless hostel. The funds were raised at the City Circle Comedy Night Fundraiser and Dinner in June and from previous collections. Thames Reach issued the following statement:

"After years of hoping and months of planning, Thames Reach is pleased to announce that a Training Flat specifically for the residents of Graham House is shortly to open.  This project would have been delayed were it not for the collaboration of City Circle, who pledged to fund the necessary opening costs."

Graham House is a 69 bedded hostel for former street homeless men and women over the age of the 35. The hostel is renowned for its innovative approach to working with people with multiple problems, and ensuring that every option is made available to help them move on to more appropriate accommodation. Opening the ‘training flat' says Hostel Manager, Tony Waters, 'enables us to give people who on the surface appear chaotic or incapable, the chance to live in a local one-bed roomed flat for one month to prove to themselves, that they have, or are capable of learning, the life-skills necessary for independent living'. Staff from the hostel, and also the organisation's Resettlement Team visit the flat on a regular basis to offer advice, support and encouragement.

Volunteers
People living in hostels include young adults leaving care, ex-offenders, refugees, people with drug dependencies, behavioural problems and poor mental/physical health. Thames Reach recognises that these vulnerable residents need much more than a bed for the night. Staff need the assistance of volunteers to engage with disadvantaged and excluded people to provide them with a range of life skills, build self-confidence, re-engage with mainstream society and work towards leading a more settled life.

Thames Reach runs a number of exciting projects needing help, including:
- Volunteers to assist with activity projects such as IT training, life skills, farm and conservation projects, social businesses, as well as drama and arts skills designed to teach residents core and social skills.
- Volunteer befrienders to visit individual residents who experience isolation and/or low self-esteem and assist them in their recovery.
- London Street Rescue volunteers to work with experienced outreach workers to seek isolated and vulnerable rough sleepers to offer emergency assistance.
http://www.thamesreach.org.uk/

Meals supplied to Homeless Hostels
City Circle supplied meals to the following hostels from 2002 to 2006:

Look Ahead Hostel, Aldgate E1
Endel Street Hostel, Shaftsbury Avenue WC2
St Mungo's, Southampton Row Hostel, Holborn WC1
Thames Reach Bondway, Vauxhall
Dellow Center, Wentworth Street E1

These hostels were chosen on the basis of the mix of residents from various backgrounds, races and religions.
Thanks to your generosity, we managed to provide the following to homeless hostels:
2006 - Over 1,400 meals
2005 - Over 5,500 meals
2004 - Over 1,500 meals
Ramadan 2003 - Over 3,100 meals
Ramadan 2002 - Over 2,200 meals

The meals were gratefully received by all residents, including Muslim and non-Muslim.
How to get involved or donate

If the above inspires you to help your neighbours in need, please get in touch with us below. You can also help financially by sending your donations made payable to 'City Circle (Homeless)' clearly detailing your full name, contact number and email on the back of the cheque and post to:
Helping London's Homeless
The City Circle
PO Box 29890
London SW19 8FX.
The City Circle is a registered charity (charity number: 1088931).

For further information, please contact tosifa at thecitycircle.com